6.2. Vice President of Engineering Projects

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. 

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead the engineering and execution strategy for Phoenix Tailings' major capital projects, including the Freedom facility and future commercial-scale rare earth and critical metals production assets.
• Own project delivery across engineering, procurement, construction management, commissioning, and startup, establishing clear accountability for scope, schedule, cost, quality, safety, and technical performance.
• Direct and manage EPCM firms, engineering consultants, construction partners, equipment suppliers, and other external organizations responsible for delivering complex industrial projects.
• Establish project governance, stage-gate processes, design review standards, change controls, risk management systems, cost controls, and reporting structures capable of supporting a rapidly expanding capital portfolio.
• Drive projects from conceptual and front-end engineering through detailed design, construction, commissioning, and operational readiness while ensuring designs remain aligned with Phoenix's process technology and long-term manufacturing strategy.
• Provide executive oversight of capital budgets, project forecasts, contracting strategies, procurement decisions, contingencies, and major commercial commitments.
• Identify and resolve critical technical, schedule, constructability, supply-chain, and execution risks before they impact project milestones or facility performance.
• Build and lead an internal engineering projects organization capable of overseeing multiple large-scale industrial programs as Phoenix expands its rare earth and critical metals production footprint.
• Ensure new facilities are designed for safe operation, maintainability, reliability, expansion, and efficient lifecycle performance rather than simply achieving initial project completion.
• Partner with process development, manufacturing, operations, and company leadership to ensure Phoenix's technology can be translated into facilities capable of reliable and economic commercial-scale production.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's, Master's or PHD in Engineering or a related technical discipline; advanced technical or business degree is a plus.
• 15+ years of progressive experience delivering major capital projects in mining, minerals processing, metals, chemical processing, refining, heavy industrial, or similarly complex process industries.
• Demonstrated leadership of large-scale capital programs with total installed costs in the hundreds of millions of dollars, ideally including projects of approximately $500 million or greater.
• Extensive experience directing EPC, EPCM, or owner-led project delivery models across engineering, procurement, construction, commissioning, and startup.
• Proven track record of taking complex industrial facilities from early engineering and project definition through construction and successful operational handoff.
• Deep understanding of project controls, capital estimating, scheduling, contracting, procurement, construction management, risk management, commissioning, and project governance.
• Demonstrated ability to lead and challenge major engineering contractors, construction organizations, technology providers, and equipment suppliers while maintaining accountability for project outcomes.
• Experience building and leading high-performing engineering or capital projects organizations responsible for multiple concurrent programs.
• Strong technical judgment and the ability to evaluate complex engineering decisions across process systems, mechanical equipment, infrastructure, constructability, reliability, and operability.
• Executive-level communication and decision-making skills, with the ability to clearly communicate project status, risks, tradeoffs, and capital requirements to company leadership and other key stakeholders.

What we Offer

This pay range reflects best estimate for the total cash compensation which includes salary + discretionary bonus for this role. Total package  may vary based on experience and qualifications.


Pay Range: $250,000- $350,000 total cash compensation plus equity

• 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.