Recycling Operator

Moab, UT

About the role

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 Summary
The Recycling Plant Operator is responsible for the safe, efficient, and high-quality processing of copper. This plant serves as the seed for all future recycling technology and operations globally. In this hands-on role, you will operate heavy material-processing equipment, ensure strict quality standards for incoming scrap, and execute production workflows. You will serve as the frontline operator bridging the gap between raw material intake and advanced hydrometallurgical processing.

Housing can be provided onsite.

Key Responsibilities

  • Safety & Compliance: Strictly adhere to all environmental, health, and safety protocols (PPE, Lockout/Tagout, Job Safety Analysis). Immediately report hazards or near-misses.

  • Data & Reporting: Accurately record production data, material metrics, and tool health using digital dashboards and software tools.

  • Equipment Operation: Safely operate copper shredding, sorting, baling, and hydrometallurgical processing equipment (including conveyors, pumps, and filters).

  • Material Processing: Inspect, sort, and grade incoming copper scrap according to established chemical and physical specifications; remove contaminants.

  • Maintenance & Troubleshooting: Perform routine preventative maintenance, cleaning, replacement of wear parts, and basic mechanical troubleshooting on plant machinery to resolve downtime.

  • Process Improvement: Collaborate with the engineering team to identify continuous improvement opportunities related to throughput, yield, and safety.

  • Numerical Control (NC): Operate and program numerical control (CNC) equipment to support localized machining, tooling adjustments, and part fabrication for the recycling process.

Required Qualifications

  • High School Diploma or equivalent (bachelor’s degree in manufacturing or mechanical fields is a plus).

  • Demonstrated hands-on experience in industrial, manufacturing, or heavy assembly environments.

  • Ability to read, understand, and strictly follow Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and safety guidelines.

  • Mechanical aptitude with the ability to identify machine faults using sight and sound.

Physical Demands

  • Ability to perform physically demanding work, including routinely and safely lifting up to 50 lbs.

  • Ability to stand, walk, and navigate uneven terrain for up to 12-hour shifts.

  • Ability to frequently bend, stoop, crouch, and reach.

  • Must wear required Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) including hard hats, safety glasses, steel-toed boots, and respirators (PAPR) as required by the area.

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

Mariana Minerals is a software-first, vertically integrated minerals company focused on supplying the minerals critical to modern energy, AI, and defense technologies. It engineers, builds, and operates mines and refineries using its proprietary MarianaOS platform, which integrates capital project execution, refinery operations, and mine management into a single AI and machine learning stack. The company targets domestic U.S. critical mineral supply for sectors facing supply chain vulnerabilities, including copper and lithium.

Other roles at Mariana Minerals

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Job details

Location

Moab, UT

Company

NameMariana Minerals
IndustryArtificial Intelligence (AI)
Team Size3

Funding

Total raised

$400M

Last stage

Series A

Investors

a16z

Founders

TC

Turner Caldwell

CEO & Co-Founder

LinkedIn
JL

Juan Lozano

Co-Founder & CTO

BT

Baker Tilney

Co-Founder & CFO

LinkedIn

What happens next.

No applications, no recruiter spam. Just the intro.

01

Confirm the fit

A few questions to make sure this role is the right shape for you. Two minutes.

02

I pitch you to the company

I write the intro, send it to the founder, and handle the back-and-forth.

03

A meeting lands on your calendar

If they’re a yes, I book the chat. You show up — that’s the whole job-hunt.