---
title: 'Structural Designer at Mariana Minerals'
canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/structural-designer-mariana-minerals-houston-jh4d9n8cs5tr'
type: 'job'
last_seen: '2026-09-11'
---

# Structural Designer at Mariana Minerals

- **Company:** Mariana Minerals
- **Location:** Houston, TX
- **Compensation:** $90k–$130k
- **Employment:** full-time
- **Work type:** onsite
- **Posted:** 2026-07-10
- **Last confirmed live:** 2026-09-11
- **Apply:** https://jobs.ashbyhq.com/marianaminerals/3102c1e5-86be-4b4d-afe3-e82149f7e22a

## 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.

## Role Overview

We are hiring a Structural Steel Designer to configure and lead structural steel drafting and modeling for our capital projects, from conceptual engineering through detailed design. In this role, you will lead the configuration of projects in Tekla (or similar software packages), establishing the databases, libraries, templates, and workflows that standardize how Mariana models and drafts structural steel. You will develop 3D models and produce the general arrangement, fabrication, and erection drawings that take designs from concept to construction-ready. You will define how third-party models, vendor drawings, and EPC deliverables integrate into Mariana’s hosted Tekla environment, ensuring quality and consistency across partners. This is a hands-on design role with the opportunity to shape best practices and tooling as Mariana scales its project delivery.

## What You’ll Do

- Configure new projects in Tekla, including profile and section libraries, connection templates, and drawing styles
- Develop and draft structural steel 3D models—framing plans, platforms, stairs, ladders, handrails, and supports
- Generate general arrangement (GA), fabrication/shop, and erection drawings
- Develop and draft connection details, bolt and weld specifications, and anchor bolt and embed plans
- Produce material take-offs, bills of material, and bolt lists
- Develop best practices, standards, and workflows for structural steel drafting and modeling
- Define requirements for third party structural steel models, vendor drawings, and connection designs to integrate into Mariana’s hosted Tekla environment
- Define requirements for third party EPC companies to complete detailed engineering
- Coordinate with process, piping, electrical, and civil/structural disciplines to ensure clash-free, constructible designs

## What You’ll Bring

- 5+ years of experience with Teka (or Advance Steel / SDS2)
- CAD administration experience configuring projects, libraries, and templates
- Strong 2D drafting experience—GA drawings, shop/fabrication drawings, erection drawings, and connection details
- Strong 3D modeling experience—structural steel framing, platforms, stairs and handrails, and connection modeling
- Working knowledge of structural steel detailing standards and codes (AISC, AWS)
- Experience in industrial, mining, minerals processing, chemical, or heavy-industrial environments preferred
- Ability to develop standards and workflows and work independently in a fast-moving, first-principles-driven environment
- Experience coordinating with multidisciplinary engineering teams and external EPC partners

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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