Phoenix Tailings is a rapidly growing clean mining and metals production startup focused on building a domestic supply of critical materials.
Our Freedom Facility in Rochester, New York will be a commercial-scale rare earth separation facility designed to expand U.S. capacity to process and separate rare earth materials.
Rare earths are essential inputs for many of the technologies that power modern life. They are used in high-performance permanent magnets found in electric vehicles, wind turbines, robotics, advanced electronics, aerospace systems, and defense applications.
Today, much of the world’s rare earth processing and separation capacity is concentrated overseas. Building more of this capability in the United States is important for strengthening domestic supply chains, reducing reliance on foreign processing, and supporting the advanced manufacturing, energy, technology, and national-security industries that depend on these materials.
The Freedom Facility will be designed to produce thousands of tons of separated rare earth oxides annually, making Rochester an important part of Phoenix Tailings’ expansion of domestic rare earth processing capacity.
Why Phoenix Tailings
At Phoenix, we believe that nothing great is ever accomplished alone or without the passion of people who push and motivate one another. If you are someone who shares our relentless pursuit of a better future, passion for innovation, and are excited about working with some of the top innovators in the world, then this is the place for you.
Our Values
- You are only crazy if you are wrong, it’s ok to be wrong – Say what you think even when it’s uncomfortable
- Lead with Compassion – Show up for your teammates, make the people around you better.
- Be Resourceful – Find a way with what you have, don’t wait for more.
- Listen – Understand before you act, ask good questions before deciding.
- Hustle – Put your heart into every interaction, no matter how small.
Who We Are Looking For
Phoenix Tailings is looking for a Commercial Chief of Staff with a strong track record selling mineral feedstocks, oxides, concentrates, and other mineral-derived materials. You will work closely with executive leadership to shape commercial priorities, develop strategic customer relationships, and convert opportunities into long-term agreements. The ideal candidate brings commercial leadership experience from mining, mineral processing, refining, or metals trading and understands how material composition, processing requirements, and supply reliability influence purchasing decisions. You will combine hands-on deal execution with the commercial discipline needed to scale a domestic critical-metals business.
Key Responsibilities:
- Translate executive commercial priorities into target accounts, deal strategies, and measurable milestones.
- Lead commercial opportunities for mineral-derived materials from initial engagement and technical evaluation through negotiation and signed agreements.
- Build relationships with mining companies, mineral processors, refiners, metals traders, and industrial buyers to develop sales opportunities and strategic supply relationships.
- Structure and negotiate agreements covering pricing, volume, material specifications, payable content, impurity limits, delivery terms, and supply commitments.
- Work with technical and operations teams to evaluate customer requirements, coordinate material sampling and qualification, and establish achievable commercial commitments.
- Assess market demand, benchmark pricing, competing supply sources, and processing economics to prioritize opportunities and recommend commercial terms.
- Establish pipeline reviews, revenue forecasts, and deal tracking that give executive leadership a clear view of progress, risks, and required decisions.
- Prepare commercial recommendations and lead follow-through on priority deals, resolving issues involving assays, product acceptance, logistics, and contract terms.
- Align commercial agreements with production plans and material availability to support reliable delivery and durable customer relationships.
Qualifications:
- Substantial sales and commercial leadership experience involving mineral feedstocks, oxides, concentrates, or closely related mineral and metallurgical products.
- A demonstrated record of originating, negotiating, and closing complex materials transactions within mining, mineral processing, refining, or metals trading.
- Practical understanding of how assays, contained metal value, mineralogy, moisture, impurities, and recovery considerations affect material valuation and customer acceptance.
- Experience negotiating commercial structures such as offtake agreements, indexed pricing, payability schedules, treatment or refining charges, and impurity penalties.
- Established relationships with buyers, producers, processors, or trading partners across mineral and metals supply chains.
- Ability to evaluate deal economics, counterparty reliability, logistics requirements, and supply risk when recommending commercial commitments.
- Experience building actionable account plans, disciplined sales pipelines, and credible commercial forecasts.
- Strong commercial judgment and the ability to work directly with executive leadership while personally advancing negotiations and closing deals.
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: $165,000- $215,000 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.
At Phoenix Tailings, we have an open culture that values learning, and we are looking to grow
the team with enthusiastic individuals who share our vision of sustainable mining.
Phoenix Tailings, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer, and we value diversity at all levels. All
qualified candidates will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color,
religion, sex (including gender identity, sexual orientation, and pregnancy), national origin, age,
disability or genetic information, or any other applicable protected characteristics, and these
characteristics will not be a factor for consideration of any work-related decisions (including but
not limited to hiring, firing, compensation, and discipline).
Please note: This posting is intended to help Phoenix Tailings connect with people interested in future opportunities at our Rochester facility. Hiring timelines, responsibilities, qualifications, and organizational needs may continue to evolve as the Freedom Facility progresses toward startup and operations.
We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses and identifying potential inconsistencies or verification signals in application materials based on available information. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.
