Strategic Development Associate
Mission Critical Materials (MCM)
Remote – United States
Reports to EVP Business Development
Mission Critical Materials (MCM) is developing domestic sources of rare earth elements and other critical materials from unconventional resources, including mine waters, mine wastes and industrial materials. MCM is commercializing technology developed at West Virginia University and advancing projects from demonstration toward commercial deployment.
MCM is seeking a Strategic Development Associate to help identify, evaluate and advance new feedstock and commercial opportunities.
This is a hands-on role at the intersection of engineering, natural resources and business. The successful candidate will work directly with MCM’s senior leadership and technical team and will play an important role in building MCM’s pipeline of future commercial opportunities.
Responsibilities
- Identify and evaluate potential rare earth and critical mineral feedstocks, including acid mine drainage and acid rock drainage, mine wastes, tailings, industrial materials and other unconventional resources.
- Research and characterize prospective sites, resources and commercial opportunities.
- Analyze chemistry, flow rates, volumes, potential recoveries and product yields, contaminants, infrastructure and other relevant technical factors.
- Estimate potential critical mineral production and resource value.
- Develop economic and commercial assessments of prospective opportunities.
- Build financial and techno-economic models to evaluate opportunities.
- Build and maintain MCM’s feedstock and commercial opportunity pipeline.
- Compare and prioritize opportunities based on technical feasibility, economics, strategic fit and development potential.
- Identify and evaluate potential feedstock partners, customers and strategic relationships associated with prospective opportunities.
- Conduct targeted market, industry and competitive research.
- Use AI-enabled research and analytical tools to accelerate opportunity identification and evaluation, while independently validating sources, data, assumptions and conclusions.
- Prepare concise, decision-oriented analyses and recommendations for MCM senior management and the Board.
- Support promising opportunities as they progress from initial screening into technical evaluation and project development.
Required Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in engineering.
- U.S. citizenship.
- Strong quantitative and analytical capabilities.
- Strong Excel skills and demonstrated experience using spreadsheets to analyze technical, operational or financial data.
- Demonstrated capability in financial, economic or techno-economic modeling.
- Demonstrated proficiency using AI-enabled research and analytical tools, combined with the judgment and discipline to independently validate data, assumptions and conclusions.
- Strong research, written communication and presentation skills.
- Ability to work independently, manage multiple opportunities and operate effectively in a small, entrepreneurial organization.
Preferred Qualifications
- Degree or experience in mining, materials, metallurgical, chemical, mineral processing, environmental or a related engineering discipline.
- MBA or other relevant graduate degree.
- Experience in mining, mineral processing, metals, materials, project development or related industries.
- Experience with rare earth elements, critical minerals or unconventional mineral resources.
- Experience with process modeling tools such as METSIM or similar software.
- Experience evaluating early-stage projects or commercial opportunities.
Why MCM
This position offers an unusual opportunity to work directly with experienced technical and business leaders while helping build a new U.S. critical-materials company.
The role provides broad exposure to resource evaluation, mining and mineral processing, project economics, critical-mineral markets, customers, strategic partners and investment decisions. The successful candidate will have meaningful responsibility from the outset and the opportunity to grow as MCM develops its commercial project portfolio.
MCM offers a competitive compensation package, including salary and the opportunity for equity participation.
Please send cover letter and resume to Steve Dunmead
