Iron Lab Manager (AMRG)

Ecology Auto Parts, Inc.•Desert Center, CA

6d•$40 - $55•Onsite

About The Position

Aggregate Mineral Resource Group, LLC (AMRG) is seeking an experienced, technically skilled, and highly organized Iron & Mineral Processing Laboratory Manager to lead and coordinate laboratory operations supporting iron recovery, mineral processing, metallurgy, resource recovery, and analytical operations. Depending on operational requirements and the candidate’s technical background, the role may oversee one specialized laboratory, a combination of laboratory functions, or multiple interconnected testing and process-control activities. Laboratory work may include iron-bearing material characterization, metallurgy, mineral processing and separation, beneficiation, wet chemistry, acid-based testing, sample preparation, analytical testing, process recovery testing, and flotation. The manager is accountable for personnel, workflow, schedules, sample control, equipment, calibration, QA/QC, safety, documentation, reporting, and coordination with AMRG operations. The role requires the technical foundation and laboratory-management experience to oversee qualified personnel, maintain analytical integrity, establish standardized procedures, and ensure work is completed safely, accurately, efficiently, and on schedule; the manager need not personally perform every specialized analytical method. This is not a biotech or pharmaceutical laboratory role. This is a full-time, non-exempt, onsite position in Desert Center, California, supporting laboratory and operational activities across laboratory, plant, mine, processing, aggregate, stockpile, and other industrial environments. The schedule is assigned based on operational requirements, and occasional work outside normal hours may be required. The position reports to the Mine Operations Manager. The anticipated pay range is $40.00–$55.00 per hour, depending on experience and qualifications. The company states that it provides medical, dental, and vision insurance, a 401(k) plan with employer matching, paid time off, holiday pay, and life insurance coverage, subject to applicable plan terms. Ecology Auto Parts Inc. states its commitment to equal employment opportunity and a workplace of respect, diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging, and invites candidates needing accommodation to inform the company.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Metallurgy, Materials Science, Chemistry, Geology, Geological Engineering, Mining Engineering, Chemical Engineering, or a related scientific or engineering discipline; equivalent directly relevant experience may be considered.
Five or more years of progressive laboratory, metallurgical, mining, mineral-processing, chemical, analytical, materials, or related industrial experience.
Demonstrated experience supervising laboratory personnel, workflow, testing schedules, equipment, QA/QC, or technical operations.
Strong understanding of laboratory quality control, sample preparation, testing procedures, calibration, documentation, technical reporting, and data integrity.
Demonstrated ability to coordinate multiple testing disciplines and interpret technical laboratory data for operational use.
Competence in laboratory equipment management, preventative maintenance, calibration, troubleshooting, and vendor coordination.
Strong leadership, organization, communication, problem-solving, and decision-making capabilities.
Regular standing, walking, bending, reaching, and movement throughout laboratory and industrial work areas.
Ability to safely handle laboratory samples and materials weighing up to 60 pounds with appropriate assistance or equipment when required.
Ability to work in environments where exposure may include dust, vibration, heat, noise, chemicals, reagents, and industrial processing conditions; required PPE may include gloves, safety glasses or goggles, face protection, respirators where applicable, hard hats, hearing protection, and steel-toed boots.
Regular attendance and availability during established laboratory and operational hours; occasional work outside normal hours may be required.

Nice To Haves

Experience managing a mining, metallurgical, mineral-processing, resource-recovery, chemical, or heavy-industrial laboratory.
Experience with iron-bearing materials, mineral beneficiation, froth flotation, mineral separation, tailings analysis, or process-recovery testing.
Experience with ICP acid digestion, X-ray fluorescence (XRF), fire assay, or related laboratory and analytical equipment.
Experience establishing or expanding laboratory capabilities, developing SOPs, implementing QA/QC systems, or leading laboratory audits.
Experience coordinating external laboratories, technical consultants, equipment vendors, or specialized analytical services.
MSHA Part 48 certification or willingness to obtain it upon hire.

Responsibilities

Lead daily operations for assigned iron, metallurgical, mineral-processing, process-control, and analytical laboratory functions.
Coordinate laboratory priorities, staffing, workflow, testing schedules, turnaround times, equipment utilization, and resources according to production and project demand.
Supervise laboratory technicians and coordinate work with metallurgists, mineralogists, engineers, consultants, vendors, and operations personnel.
Develop scalable laboratory systems, SOPs, training programs, quality controls, and reporting practices as internal testing capabilities expand.
Oversee collection, receipt, identification, tracking, storage, preparation, and distribution of ore, feed, concentrate, tailings, intermediate, and finished-material samples.
Establish standardized sample-preparation procedures, including drying, crushing, splitting, grinding, pulverizing, and sieving, while controlling contamination and maintaining representative samples.
Oversee or coordinate metallurgical and mineral-processing tests involving beneficiation, concentration, separation, flotation, recovery, and process optimization.
Evaluate laboratory results concerning iron-bearing material characteristics, feed quality, concentrates, tailings, recovery performance, and processing conditions.
Oversee or coordinate wet-chemistry and acid-based procedures for mineral characterization, metals analysis, process control, and resource-recovery work.
Ensure acids, reagents, standards, and laboratory chemicals are prepared, labeled, stored, handled, documented, and disposed of in accordance with safety requirements.
Coordinate specialized instrumental or analytical testing and external laboratory services when testing exceeds in-house capabilities.
Review analytical results for accuracy, precision, consistency, reasonableness, and operational significance; investigate abnormal or inconsistent results and coordinate retesting or corrective action.
Establish and maintain laboratory QA/QC programs using appropriate standards, blanks, duplicates, control samples, reference materials, audits, and corrective-action procedures.
Oversee operation, calibration, preventative maintenance, verification, troubleshooting, and repair coordination for laboratory and sample-preparation equipment.
Maintain traceable records for samples, analytical data, calibration, maintenance, QA/QC, equipment performance, training, and laboratory activities.
Generate and oversee daily, weekly, monthly, and project-specific reports; identify trends, deviations, recovery changes, process concerns, or efficiency gaps and communicate findings to management.
Translate laboratory findings into actionable information supporting production, mineral recovery, process optimization, material quality, and operational decisions.
Support controlled testing programs, pilot work, process investigations, and continuous-improvement initiatives involving beneficiation, separation, flotation, recovery, tailings, and process control.
Train laboratory personnel in testing procedures, sample handling, equipment operation, documentation, QA/QC, chemical handling, and safe work practices; verify competency before independent work.
Maintain a clean, organized, safe, and compliant laboratory environment and enforce applicable MSHA, OSHA, environmental, chemical-handling, hazardous-material, waste-disposal, and company requirements.