About Phoenix Tailings 
Phoenix Tailings is a rapidly growing clean mining and metals production startup dedicated to sustainable and economic critical metals production. Our mission is to be the world’s first fully clean mining and metals production company—unlocking the materials required for aerospace, defense, and advanced manufacturing while eliminating waste and emissions from mining. 
 
Why Phoenix Tailings 
At Phoenix, we believe nothing great is ever accomplished alone—or without the passion of people who push and motivate one another. You’ll be joining a team building the foundational infrastructure for the modern world, developing entirely new ways to produce rare earth and critical metals domestically, cleanly, and at scale. 
 
Our Values:  
● You are only crazy if you are wrong, it’s ok to be wrong
● Lead with Compassion
● Be Resourceful
● Listen
● Hustle
 
Who We Are Looking For: 
Phoenix Tailings is looking for a Production Engineering Manager to run and continuously evolve our pilot production facility in Burlington. This role is responsible for translating R&D breakthroughs into repeatable, operable, and scalable pilot processes, spanning metallization, rare earth separation, and integrated unit operations. 
This is a hands-on leadership role for someone who thrives in R&D-to-production environments, where processes are still being invented, data is imperfect, and speed matters. 
 


Key Responsibilities:

Own day-to-day operation of Phoenix Tailings’ pilot production facility, including metallization and rare earth separation processes 

Lead pilot-scale execution of new process flows developed by R&D, ensuring safe, repeatable operation 

Translate laboratory and bench-scale work into pilot-ready operating procedures and equipment configurations 

Drive continuous improvement of pilot processes to increase yield, throughput, and reliability 

Manage pilot production schedules, material flows, and experimental campaigns 

Partner directly with R&D to design, run, and analyze pilot trials that inform scale-up decisions 

Establish and refine SOPs, process controls, and documentation for evolving pilot systems 

Ensure safe operation of chemical, thermal, and metallurgical systems in a dynamic pilot environment 

Qualifications:

7+ years of experience in production engineering, process engineering, or pilot plant operations 

Direct experience operating and scaling R&D or pilot production facilities (not just steady-state manufacturing) 

Hands-on experience with metallurgical, chemical, or materials processing systems 

Background in rare earth processing, metallization, hydrometallurgy, pyrometallurgy, or adjacent fields 

Proven ability to run experimental production systems where processes are still evolving 

Strong understanding of process safety, equipment commissioning, and pilot-scale operations 

Ability to work cross-functionally with R&D, facilities, and leadership in a fast-moving startup environment 

We offer a competitive compensation package that is based on expertise. We also offer the following benefits:

Healthcare: 100% Medical, dental, and vision coverage for employee.

Stock Options: Ownership in a fast-growing venture-backed company. 

Time Off: Unlimited PTO. 

Learning: Learning and development opportunities to grow your skills and career.