Senior Geotechnical Engineer

Department: Plant & Process Engineering

Location: Houston, TX, San Francisco HQ, Moab Office

Compensation: $120K – $150K • Offers Equity

Employment Type: FullTime

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 Senior Geotechnical Engineer to support mine development, infrastructure design, and operations across open pit and underground mining projects. This role provides geotechnical expertise throughout the full project life cycle—from early-stage studies and site characterization through construction, operations, and closure.

In this role, you will develop and maintain geotechnical models, perform stability analyses, and support safe, efficient mine designs. You will work closely with geology, mine planning, mining engineering, and infrastructure teams to ensure geotechnical considerations are fully integrated into mine layouts, schedules, and operating strategies.

This is a hands-on technical role suited for an engineer with strong technical fundamentals who is comfortable working across office, site, and field environments.

What You’ll Do

Site Investigation & Ground Characterization

• Plan and execute geotechnical investigations including drilling, test pits, core logging, sampling, and in-situ testing

• Interpret geotechnical, structural, and hydrogeological data to develop site-specific ground and rock mass models

• Coordinate and review laboratory testing programs for soil and rock mechanics

Open Pit Geotechnical Design

• Perform slope stability analyses for open pits, waste dumps, leach pads and stockpiles

• Provide geotechnical inputs to mine layouts, sequencing, and design trade-offs

Infrastructure & Tailings Support

• Develop and review geotechnical designs for mine infrastructure including haul roads, embankments, foundations, and site earthworks

• Ensure geotechnical designs align with applicable guidelines, standards, and governance frameworks

• Integrate pore pressure, groundwater, and surface water considerations into geotechnical risk assessments

• Support dewatering and depressurization strategies to manage slope and excavation stability risks

Risk Management & Technical Assurance

• Identify geotechnical hazards related to slope stability, ground conditions, water, and seismicity, and contribute to risk assessments, design criteria, and mitigation strategies across all project stages

• Ensure recommendations meet regulatory requirements and industry best practices

Monitoring, Operations & Field Support

• Design, implement, and interpret geotechnical instrumentation and monitoring programs (e.g. radar, lidar, piezometers), including thresholds and escalation protocols

• Provide geotechnical oversight and direct operational guidance during construction and active mining, including drill & blast, sequencing, and access decisions

• Respond to geotechnical issues with practical, field-ready engineering solutions

• Develop, implement, and maintain Ground Control Management Plans (GCMPs), including associated Trigger Action Response Plans (TARPs)

Reporting & Collaboration

• Prepare geotechnical reports, memoranda, and design documentation for internal teams, consultants, and regulators

• Communicate findings and recommendations clearly to multidisciplinary project teams

• Coordinate with external consultants, contractors and regulatory agencies as required

• Mentor junior engineers and technically review consultant deliverables

• Support site teams with ongoing operational guidance

Desired Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Geotechnical, Geological, or Civil Engineering (Master’s degree with geotechnical focus preferred)

• 3–8+ years of geotechnical engineering experience in mining operations and projects

• Experience supporting open pit (preferred) and/or underground (nice-to-have) mining projects

• Strong understanding of rock and soil mechanics, slope stability, and ground support principles

• Proficiency with geotechnical analysis software (e.g., Rocscience suite, FLAC, PLAXIS, GeoStudio)

• Familiarity with mine planning and 3D modeling tools (e.g., Leapfrog, Surpac, Deswik, GIS platforms)

• Strong technical writing and analytical skills

• Ability to work independently and in field-based environments

• Professional Engineer (P.E./P.Eng) or working toward registration

• Mine safety certifications (e.g., MSHA, First Aid)

Why Join Us?

At Mariana Minerals, you’ll be part of a mission-driven team reshaping the way critical minerals are sourced and supplied globally. You’ll have the autonomy to make big decisions, the tools to innovate, and a culture that values ownership, smart automation, and collaboration.

Our culture is built on three principles:

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.

Mariana is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other protected status.