Mining and manufacturing are part of the many STEM-related (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) occupations projected to grow to more than 9 million jobs between 2012 and 2022, faster than most other occupations. The mining industry alone is estimated to grow by 50,000 jobs by 2019, with an additional 78,000 replacement workers needed as active workers retire, according to the Energy Information Administration.

Today, the U.S. lead battery industry directly employs more than 20,000 people across the country, and mining operations employ more than 186,000.

The Doe Run Company (Doe Run) mining and lead battery recycling operations are following this trend with increased hiring in 2017 and 2018. In addition, Doe Run is hosting a 13-student class of summer interns to help train skilled workers needed for the future of the industry.

“Our industry has a solid future, with lead batteries providing an environmentally friendly and cost-effective solution for over 75 percent of the world’s rechargeable energy storage needs. And, as demand grows for both energy and emissions reductions, a variety of innovative and sustainable battery technologies are required,” said Mark Coomes, vice president – human resources and community relations. “We’re excited to be a part of training the next generation of miners, as well as material scientists and metallurgists, who will see future advances in lead batteries that today are just in the research stage.”

Doe Run’s internship program provides professional work experience for students. This summer, Doe Run welcomed the following interns:

  • Hunter Strope is a student at Missouri University of Science and Technology (Missouri S&T) pursuing degrees in Geological Engineering and Engineering Management. He is joining Doe Run as a mining intern.
  • Gabriel Underwood will be joining Doe Run as a mining intern. He is a student at Missouri S&T pursuing a degree in Mining Engineering.
  • Trevor Constance is a student at Missouri S&T pursuing a degree in Metallurgical Engineering. He joins Doe Run as a metallurgical engineering intern.
  • Luke McCulloch joins Doe Run as a metallurgist intern. He is a student at Montana Tech where he studies Metallurgical & Materials Engineering.
  • Monica Mixon is a student at Tulane University majoring in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering. She joins Doe Run as a chemical engineering intern.
  • Brent Aubuchon is joining Doe Run as an industrial engineering intern. Aubuchon is pursuing a degree in Mechanical Engineering at Missouri S&T.
  • Katherine Bartels will be an environmental science engineering intern for Doe Run. She is pursuing her master’s degree in Environmental Engineering at Missouri S&T.
  • Jackson Riley joins Doe Run as a metallurgist intern. Riley studies Metallurgical Engineering at Missouri S&T.
  • Kevin Voelz will be a mine research intern for Doe Run. He is pursuing a Master of Science degree at Northern Illinois University.
  • Frank Schott is joining Doe Run as a research and development intern. Schott studies Mining Engineering at Missouri S&T.
  • Jack Conner studies Environmental Plant Science at Missouri State University. He is joining Doe Run as an agriculture engineering intern.
  • Grant Koller will be an IT intern for Doe Run. He is studying Information Technology at Mineral Area College (MAC).
  • Derek Hymer will also be an IT intern for Doe Run. He studies Computer Science at Missouri S&T.

“We will continue to need bright young professionals to lead future innovations in our field, and enjoy helping these interns launch their career,” said Coomes. “It’s an economic success story that Doe Run can manage many stages of the lead lifecycle here in the U.S., where mining and recycling provides an abundant supply of the lead we need for batteries.”

In addition to internships, Doe Run partners with local colleges, including Missouri S&T and MAC, to provide scholarships, field trips and equipment donations that help train the future workforce. In Spring 2018, Doe Run supported Missouri S&T’s Summer Explosives Camp with two full-ride scholarships for students.

About The Doe Run Company

Based in St. Louis, Missouri, USA, The Doe Run Company is a privately held natural resources company and a global provider of lead, copper and zinc concentrates. Dedicated to environmentally responsible mineral and metal production, Doe Run operates one of the world’s largest, single-site lead recycling centers, located in Boss, Missouri, and mines from one of the world’s largest lead mining districts, also in Missouri. The Doe Run Company and its subsidiaries deliver products and services necessary to provide power, protection and convenience. Doe Run has operations in Missouri, Washington and Arizona. For more information, visit www.doerun.com and sustainability.doerun.com.