Who we are:

We are on a mission to become a leading supplier of critical materials that enable the green energy and technology revolution.  Our materials and technologies are required for the electric vehicle, green energy, consumer electronics, and defense industries, and our battery grade lithium and tech metals are needed for chipsets, semiconductors, and 5G. 

We have a substantial interest in the Round Top, Heavy Rare Earth, Lithium and Critical Minerals deposit in West Texas. We have also developed the United States’ first rare earth and critical minerals processing facility and we own the only scalable, sintered neo-magnet manufacturing system in the Western Hemisphere. By developing this fully integrated, US-based “mine-to-magnet” critical mineral supply chain, we are poised to become the leading domestic supplier to these industries.

What you can expect:

At USA Rare Earth, we are pioneers and problem solvers, technologists and team players. Together, we:

Build Solutions: If our task was a simple one, it would already be done. We are creative and solution-oriented, and we think outside the box to solve important problems. We know that a range of expertise and technologies is needed for success, and we work across sectors and alongside customers to deliver world-class solutions in sustainable ways.

Deliver Quality: When we do things, we do them well. We believe that top-tier quality leads to industry competitiveness and we hold ourselves to the highest quality standards. We move fast when executing, but safety, quality, and excellence always come first.

Lead responsibly: We have a responsibility to the planet, our consumers, our country, and each other. We put safety at the center of all we do, take accountability for our actions, incorporate sustainable practices in our processes and act with the financial best interest of our investors and consumers in mind.

Win Together: Establishing a rare earth magnet supply chain is a big undertaking – and getting there is a team effort. We communicate openly, work together and challenge each other in pursuit of our goals. With every step we take we learn and get better.

Job Summary:

We are seeking a Junior Project Engineer – Upstream, to support the delivery of capital projects in our upstream business unit, including pilot and demonstration plants for heap leach, hydrometallurgy, and swarf recycling. Reporting to the Head of Project Management and working under senior guidance, this role provides hands-on experience in project execution from concept to commissioning, with a focus on technical support, coordination, and basic analysis. The position will assist in Pre-Feasibility Study (PFS) activities, EPCM management, and demo plant development, helping to ensure timely oxide production for downstream needs. This is an ideal opportunity for an early-career engineer to develop skills in a lean and dynamic environment.

Key Responsibilities

• Assist in the planning, design, and execution of capital projects, including process plants, pilot plants (e.g., heap leach and hydrometallurgy demos), mine infrastructure, and magnet recycling facilities.
• Support project teams in developing scope documents, specifications, technical requirements, and project charters for upstream initiatives.
• Coordinate with multidisciplinary teams, including operations, processing, geology, mine planning, and external engineering, procurement, construction, and management (EPCM) contractors.
• Track project deliverables, schedules, budgets, critical paths, and roadmaps under senior supervision.
• Assist with EPCM management, including vendor coordination, progress tracking, and updates to project timelines.
• Gather and organize technical data for grant applications, focusing on project-specific inputs like pilot results and economic projections.
• Review competitors’ scoping studies, Preliminary Economic Assessments (PEAs), PFSs, and Feasibility Studies (FSs) to benchmark key project metrics (e.g., capex, opex, recovery rates) and provide summary insights for team use.
• Contribute to basic techno-economic analysis (TEA) updates by incorporating new technical data from demos and pilots.
• Participate in site visits, commissioning activities, and problem-solving to ensure project alignment with upstream goals.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Mining, Mechanical, Civil, Electrical, or related Engineering discipline.
• 2-5 years of relevant engineering experience in a mining/energy organization or EPCM firm.
• Strong cross-discipline technical aptitude and problem-solving skills.
• Proficiency in MS Office Suite and AutoCAD or similar design software.
• Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal.
• Previous exposure to mining or heavy industry.
• Experience with project management software (e.g., Smartsheet, MS Project).
• Understanding of construction management principles.

Preferred Skills

• Familiarity with REE or critical minerals projects, including demo plant development.
• Basic experience with data analysis tools (e.g., Excel for modeling) and grant preparation.
• Proactive mindset with the ability to handle multiple tasks in a lean team setting.

Physical Demands

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision and distance vision. While performing the duties of this Job, the employee is regularly required to walk, stand, move, sit, carry, bend, kneel, reach, push, pull, lift, use hands and fingers, handle, or feel and talk and hear. May be required to lift and move boxes or packages not exceeding 20 pounds in weight. Some work stress inherent to the position and extended work hours may be required. 

Work Environment:
The work environment will be a mix of a typical office environment, laboratory space, manufacturing floor and construction site.  

Noise level:

Exposure will vary and include normal office noise, typical laboratory sounds (e.g., ventilation systems, equipment operation), manufacturing floor noise (e.g., machinery, forklifts), and construction site noise depending on project phase and location.

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this job. They are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, skills required of personnel so classified. The reporting relationship may not reflect the most recent changes to the corporate reporting structure.

USA Rare Earth proudly supports Equal Employment Opportunities

USA Rare Earth's policy is to provide equal employment opportunities to all applicants and will provide reasonable accommodations according to applicable federal, state, and/or local laws.

For assistance applying for employment through this site due to disability, please contact Human Resources, hr@usare.com, to discuss reasonable accommodations.