Process Engineer

Mariana Minerals•Moab, UT

11d

About The Position

Mariana Minerals is seeking a hands-on Process Engineer to own and improve its solvent extraction (SX) and electrowinning (EW) circuits. The role monitors plant performance, maintains operating parameters, troubleshoots process issues, manages reagent strategy, and prepares process performance reports and metallurgical balances. The engineer also identifies and leads projects to improve recovery, throughput, current efficiency, cathode quality, energy use, reagent consumption, and operating costs, using data analysis, balances, modeling, trials, and root-cause analysis. The position provides process engineering input to capacity expansions, debottlenecking, and new circuits from early studies through detailed design and commissioning. Work includes developing and reviewing process design documents, participating in design and safety reviews, and supporting equipment ramp-up. The engineer applies process safety and management-of-change practices, with attention to SX fire risk and EW acid mist; maintains procedures and training materials; coaches colleagues; and supports environmental compliance for effluents, emissions, and organic losses. The role is intended for an engineer who enjoys working in the plant, using data to guide decisions, and carrying improvements through to implementation. Mariana Minerals describes its culture through four principles: everyone gets home safe, extreme ownership, engineer out requirements before automating, and share knowledge openly.

Requirements

At least 2 years of process engineering experience in commissioning of chemical factories, mechanical equipment knowledge, or project/design upgrades.
A proven track record of delivering process improvement projects with measurable results.
The role is suited to a hands-on hydrometallurgical, mechanical, or chemical engineer who enjoys plant work, data-driven decisions, and seeing improvements through to commissioning.

Responsibilities

Own the SX and EW circuits, including mixer-settlers, organic and electrolyte handling, tank house, cell house, and associated utilities.
Monitor daily plant performance and respond to deviations in grades, flows, efficiencies, phase continuity, entrainment, current efficiency, and cathode quality.
Maintain operating envelopes, control set points, and alarm limits with operations and control engineers.
Troubleshoot process upsets, including crud formation, organic degradation, impurity build-up, short circuits, and poor cathode morphology.
Manage reagent strategy and consumption tracking for extractant, diluent, smoothing agents, and cobalt sulfate, and liaise technically with suppliers.
Prepare daily, weekly, and monthly process performance reports and metallurgical balances.
Identify, evaluate, and lead improvement projects to increase recovery, throughput, current efficiency, and cathode grade, or reduce energy, reagent, and operating costs.
Use data analysis, mass and energy balances, and process modeling to quantify opportunities and develop business cases.
Plan and conduct plant trials and test work with the laboratory, vendors, and external partners; implement and verify results.
Lead root-cause analysis of recurring losses and production incidents, and track corrective actions to completion.
Support control-system optimization and the use of instrumentation and online analyzers.
Provide process input to expansion, debottlenecking, and new-circuit studies from concept through feasibility and detailed design.
Develop and review process design criteria, PFDs, P&IDs, mass balances, equipment sizing, and datasheets.
Represent operations in design reviews, HAZOP, and constructability workshops.
Support pre-commissioning, commissioning, and ramp-up of new or modified equipment.
Contribute to capital-project cost estimates, schedules, and risk assessments.
Apply process safety and management-of-change practices to process modifications, with particular attention to SX fire risk and EW acid mist.
Write and update SOPs, process descriptions, and operator training materials.
Coach operators, metallurgists, and junior engineers, and share knowledge across teams.
Support environmental compliance for effluents, emissions, and organic losses.