IRON & MINERAL PROCESSING LABORATORY MANAGER

Department: Operations

Division: Iron, Metallurgy & Mineral Processing

Location: Desert Center, CA

Classification: Full-Time, Non-Exempt, Onsite

Schedule: As assigned based on operational requirements

Pay Range: $40.00 - $55.00 / hour

Reports To

Mine Operations Manager

Position Summary

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 the company’s iron recovery, mineral processing, metallurgical, resource recovery, and analytical operations.

AMRG operates and is developing multiple specialized laboratory functions supporting its mineral and resource-processing activities. Depending on operational requirements and the successful candidate’s technical background, this position may oversee one specialized laboratory, a combination of laboratory functions, or multiple interconnected testing and process-control activities.

Laboratory activities may include iron-bearing material characterization, metallurgy, mineral processing, mineral separation, beneficiation, wet chemistry, acid-based testing, sample preparation, analytical testing, process recovery testing, flotation, and related laboratory functions. The manager is accountable for personnel, workflow, testing schedules, sample control, equipment, calibration, QA/QC, safety, documentation, reporting, and coordination with AMRG operations.

The successful candidate does not need to personally perform every specialized analytical method but must possess the technical foundation and laboratory-management experience necessary to oversee qualified personnel, maintain analytical integrity, establish standardized procedures, and ensure work is completed safely, accurately, efficiently, and on schedule. This is not a biotech or pharmaceutical laboratory role.

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 resource requirements based on 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 AMRG expands its internal testing capabilities.
• 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, sieving, and other applicable methods while controlling contamination and maintaining representative samples.
• Oversee or coordinate metallurgical and mineral-processing testing involving beneficiation, concentration, separation, flotation, recovery, and process optimization.
• Evaluate laboratory results related to iron-bearing material characteristics, feed quality, concentrates, tailings, recovery performance, and processing conditions.
• Oversee or coordinate wet-chemistry and acid-based procedures used for mineral characterization, metals analysis, process control, and resource-recovery work.
• Ensure acids, reagents, standards, and laboratory chemicals are properly 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 current in-house capability.
• 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.
• Equipment may include ICP instrumentation and acid-digestion systems, X-ray fluorescence (XRF) analyzers, fire-assay equipment, spectrometers, flotation cells, crushers, grinders, pulverizers, sieves, balances, moisture analyzers, ovens, chemical-testing equipment, and related laboratory or analytical instrumentation.
• 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 decision-making.
• Support controlled testing programs, pilot work, process investigations, and continuous-improvement initiatives involving beneficiation, separation, flotation, recovery, tailings, and process control.
• Train laboratory personnel on 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.

Qualifications/Knowledge/Critical Skills

• Bachelor’s degree in Metallurgy, Materials Science, Chemistry, Geology, Geological Engineering, Mining Engineering, Chemical Engineering, or a related scientific/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.

Preferred

• 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 is strongly preferred.
• 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 upon hire.

Physical Demands/Environmental Factors

• 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.
• Exposure may include dust, vibration, heat, noise, chemicals, reagents, and industrial processing environments.
• Required PPE may include gloves, safety glasses or goggles, face protection, respirators where applicable, hard hats, hearing protection, and steel-toed boots.

Work Environment / Position Structure

• Full-time, onsite position supporting AMRG laboratory and operational activities in Desert Center, California.
• Work may occur within laboratory, plant, mine, processing, aggregate, stockpile, and other industrial environments.
• Regular attendance and availability during established laboratory and operational hours are essential.
• Occasional work outside normal hours may be required to support testing priorities, production needs, equipment issues, or time-sensitive laboratory work.

Compensation

The Iron & Mineral Processing Laboratory Manager position offers an anticipated hourly rate of $40.00 to $55.00 per hour, depending on experience and qualifications. Final compensation will be determined based on relevant laboratory-management experience, technical expertise, education, certifications, leadership capabilities, and other lawful job-related considerations.

In addition, the company provides a comprehensive benefits package including 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.

PLEASE NOTE: This job description is not exhaustive and is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee.

Ecology Auto Parts Inc. is committed to providing a workplace and culture of respect, diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging. We are dedicated to ensuring equal employment opportunity without regard to race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender identity, or Veteran status. Should you have a disability or specific needs requiring accommodation, please inform us.

Thank you for your interest in opportunities with Ecology Auto Parts, Inc. We appreciate the enthusiasm and professionalism demonstrated by individuals seeking to join our team.

Please be advised that Ecology Auto Parts, Inc. does not engage with or entertain solicitations from third-party recruiting firms for our hiring needs. We have a dedicated internal recruitment team managing our talent acquisition process. We kindly request that third-party recruitment firms refrain from submitting candidates for our open positions. Ecology Auto Parts, Inc. will not consider or entertain candidates represented by headhunter agencies for our current requisitions. Our commitment to fair and equitable hiring practices includes working directly with candidates who apply through our official channels. We believe in fostering a transparent and direct relationship with potential team members.

Acknowledgement

Employee signature below constitutes employee's understanding of the requirements, essential functions and duties of the position.

Candidate/Employee Name (Print): ________________________________________________________

Candidate/Employee Signature: ___________________________________________________________