---
title: 'Sr. Site Development Engineer at Mariana Minerals'
canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/sr-site-development-engineer-mariana-minerals-san-francisco-ry2n7sq34z0c'
type: 'job'
last_seen: '2026-10-16'
---

# Sr. Site Development Engineer at Mariana Minerals

- **Company:** Mariana Minerals
- **Location:** San Francisco, CA
- **Compensation:** $150k–$200k
- **Employment:** full-time
- **Work type:** onsite
- **Posted:** 2026-04-03
- **Last confirmed live:** 2026-10-16
- **Apply:** https://jobs.ashbyhq.com/marianaminerals/34229014-6dac-4c17-afe1-d120206b1c46/application

**Skills:** Site grading, Drainage design, Earthwork optimization, Mass balance, Stormwater management, Hydrology, Hydraulics, Roadway design, Access design, Underground utilities, Geotechnical principles, Permitting, Regulatory compliance, Civil 3D, AutoCAD, Revit, Navisworks, Bluebeam, Industrial manufacturing experience, Mining operations

> Lead the end-to-end planning and design of greenfield mining and metallurgical processing facility sites. Responsibilities include site selection, feasibility studies, earthwork design, infrastructure coordination, and managing external engineering partners to ensure constructability and operational performance.

## Job description

## About Mariana Minerals

Mariana Minerals is a software-first, vertically integrated minerals company on a mission to supply the critical minerals powering modern energy, AI, and defense technologies. We’re reimagining the minerals supply chain by combining deep industry expertise with advanced software, automation, and data-driven decision-making.

## The Role

Mariana Minerals is seeking a highly motivated Sr. Site Development Engineer to lead the planning and design of greenfield project sites. In this role, you will be responsible for end-to-end site development—from early-stage site selection and feasibility through detailed engineering and construction execution—for first-of-its-kind mining and metallurgical processing facilities. You will work cross-functionally across engineering, construction, and project delivery teams to ensure sites are designed for constructability, scalability, and long-term operational performance. You will lead civil, grading, drainage, utilities, and site infrastructure design, manage external engineering partners, and support the development of internal tools and workflows for efficient capital project execution.

## What You’ll Do

- Develop and optimize site layouts, including grading, drainage, stormwater management, access roads, and utility corridors
- Drive early-stage site selection, feasibility studies, and due diligence, including topography, geotechnical constraints, permitting considerations, and infrastructure access
- Design and review earthwork plans, cut/fill balancing, and mass grading strategies to optimize cost and constructability
- Coordinate site infrastructure systems including roads, drainage, underground utilities, and tie-ins to external infrastructure
- Manage and coordinate external engineering firms, consultants, and contractors supporting civil and site development scopes
- Oversee development of issued-for-construction (IFC) packages for site civil works
- Collaborate with structural, process, mechanical, and electrical teams to ensure integrated and efficient site design
- Review and validate 3D models and design packages (Civil 3D, Revit, Navisworks) for site and infrastructure systems
- Conduct constructability reviews and support cost estimation and scheduling for site development scopes
- Support permitting and regulatory approvals, including grading permits, stormwater compliance, and environmental considerations
- Provide field engineering support during construction, resolving site-related issues in real time
- Develop and improve standards, workflows, and tools for scalable site development across multiple projects

## What You’ll Bring

- Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering (Master’s degree preferred)
- 10+ years of experience in site development and civil engineering for industrial, mining, or large-scale infrastructure projects
- Proven experience delivering greenfield capital projects from concept through construction
- Professional Engineer (PE) license or ability to obtain within 6 months (preferred)
- Technical Expertise
- Site grading and drainage design
- Earthwork optimization and mass balance
- Stormwater management and hydrology/hydraulics
- Roadway and access design
- Underground utilities and infrastructure systems
- Working knowledge of geotechnical principles and site constraints
- Familiarity with permitting and regulatory requirements for site development
- Proficiency with:
- Civil 3D (required)
- AutoCAD, Revit, Navisworks, Bluebeam
- Experience reviewing and coordinating 3D design models and multidisciplinary layouts
- Experience coordinating across civil, structural, process, mechanical, and electrical teams
- Strong track record managing external engineering firms and contractors
- Ability to operate in a fast-paced, cross-functional environment with evolving project
- Industry Experience (Preferred)
- Industrial manufacturing
- Mining or mineral processing
- Chemical or process facilities
- Engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) environments

Our culture is built on four principles:

Everyone Gets Home Safe. We never put speed or cost ahead of people. Extreme Ownership. We take full responsibility for outcomes, relentlessly driving toward solutions. Engineer Out Requirements, then Automate. We simplify, optimize, and then automate for scale. Share Your Legos. We collaborate openly, share knowledge, and empower each other to build bigger, better solutions.

Join us as we build the future of responsible mineral sourcing and supply!

## About Mariana Minerals

## Company Overview
- **One-liner**: Mariana Minerals is a software-first, vertically integrated minerals company focused on supplying the minerals critical to modern energy, AI, and defense technologies.
- **Entity Type**: Private (Series A, $85M funding in July 2025)
- **Headquarters**: San Francisco, California, United States
- **Founded**: Not publicly available
- **Founders**: Turner Caldwell (Co-Founder & CEO)

## Core Business
- **Primary industry**: Metal Ore Mining / Critical Minerals
- **Target customers**: B2B – energy, AI, and defense supply chains (including downstream manufacturers and government entities)
- **Mission or purpose**: "Create a future of critical mineral abundance" by reimagining the global minerals supply chain with software, automation, and data-driven decision making.

## Products & Services
- **Copper One (formerly Lisbon Valley Copper Mine)**: World’s first autonomous mine, located in Utah. Produces copper using integrated automation and software control. Restarted production in April 2026.
- **Lithium One**: Lithium project (on the roadmap or early development).
- **Other mineral projects**: Graphite, Uranium, Rare Earth Metals, Cobalt, Nickel, Aluminium – at various stages (stealth or roadmap).
- **CapitalProjectOS**: Internal software platform for capital project management (mentioned in leadership bio).
- **Technology Stack**: React, dbt, TypeScript, Python, TensorFlow, PyTorch, microservices, SCADA, Autodesk, and many others – indicating a strong software engineering backbone.

## Market Standing
- **Valuation/Market Cap**: Not disclosed (private company)
- **Key Metric**: Total funding – $85M Series A (July 2025, 1 investor)
- **Notable Investors/Partners**: Lead investor not publicly disclosed (Andreessen Horowitz was pitched but not confirmed as an investor). Partners include Bot Auto, WeRide, Pronto, Atoms (based on LinkedIn mentions). Also works with UMA (Utah Mining Association).
- **Growth Signals**: Headcount grew 3,575% YoY to 107 employees (as of mid-2026). 73 active job postings. Opened the world’s first autonomous mine (Copper One) in April/May 2026, generating significant industry news and social media engagement.

## Competitive Advantages
- **Software-first approach**: The company builds automation and data systems from the ground up, rather than layering tech onto legacy mining operations. This enables fully autonomous mining.
- **Vertical integration**: They develop, own, and operate mineral projects, controlling the entire value chain from extraction to processing.
- **Deep tech stack**: Use of AI/ML (TensorFlow, PyTorch), simulation, and real-time control systems to optimize mining operations.
- **First-mover in autonomous mining**: Copper One is claimed to be the world’s first autonomous mine, giving them a significant lead in operational efficiency and safety.

## Strategic Focus
- Scale autonomous mining operations beyond copper (lithium, graphite, uranium, etc.)
- Secure domestic supply of critical minerals for U.S. energy, AI, and defense needs.
- Continue aggressive hiring across engineering, operations, and field roles.
- Expand from Utah to additional sites (Houston engineering office, potential new projects).

## Why Work Here
- **Culture principles**: "Extreme Ownership", "Engineer Out Requirements, Then Automate", "Share Your Legos" – emphasizing accountability, simplification, and collaboration.
- **Work environment**: High-growth startup with a mission-driven focus on critical infrastructure. Offices in San Francisco (HQ), Houston (Engineering), and La Sal, Utah (mine site). Hybrid/remote policy not explicitly stated, but multiple office locations suggest flexibility for field vs. office roles.
- **Notable perks**: Opportunity to work on cutting-edge autonomous systems and AI in a traditional industry. Strong engineering culture with modern tech stack (React, Python, ML). Rapid career growth due to company expansion.
- **Talent sources**: Attracts talent from Tesla, Redwood Materials, Lilac, ExxonMobil, Amazon Web Services, and other tech/energy companies – indicating a high-caliber peer group.

## Sources
1. [marianaminerals.com](https://marianaminerals.com/)
2. [marianaminerals.com/careers](https://marianaminerals.com/careers)
3. [marianaminerals.com/about](https://marianaminerals.com/about)
4. [jobs.ashbyhq.com/marianaminerals](https://jobs.ashbyhq.com/marianaminerals)
5. [linkedin.com/company/mariana-minerals](https://www.linkedin.com/company/mariana-minerals)

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- [Commercial Counsel](https://feeny.ai/job/commercial-counsel-mariana-minerals-san-francisco-c0kbyd0vszp7) — San Francisco, CA
- [Maintenance Training Opportunities](https://feeny.ai/job/maintenance-training-opportunities-mariana-minerals-moab-sd5f5z532gz1) — Moab, UT
- [Commissioning Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/commissioning-engineer-mariana-minerals-houston-370gtt85kmfw) — Houston, TX
- [Production Planner](https://feeny.ai/job/production-planner-mariana-minerals-houston-xf1gadffk1h4) — Houston, TX
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