Key Accountabilities
• Systems
o Develop the open pit and underground geotechnical systems and procedures according to industry-best practices.
o Ensure all technical documentation, templates, reports, guidelines are clear and accurate.
• Team Leadership:
o Lead and mentor a team of geotechnical engineers and technicians, providing technical guidance, training, and development while overseeing related functions like mine planning or geology when required.
o Establish production targets, budgets, and schedules to optimize resource utilization and profitability.
• Ground Control Management
o Provide geotechnical input into mining and mine planning processes, including open pit design criteria, slope stability, stope designs, support layouts (e.g., primary support and cable bolts), pillar analysis, and backfill modeling.
o Develop, maintain, and update Ground Control Management Plans, ground support standards and guidelines. Conduct regular audits, quality assurance, and compliance checks.
o Implement and update hazard maps and TARPs for the key geotechnical hazards
o Conduct geotechnical risk assessments, stability analysis (highwall, slope, stope, development, raise, slope etc.), and seismic risk evaluations using 3D geotechnical models and life-of-mine stress models.
o Collaborate with production, drilling, blasting, and planning teams to ensure implementation of geotechnical recommendations, ensure compliance with regulations, and promote a safety-first culture.
o Manage third-party geotechnical consultants and provide technical input to technical studies.
• Monitoring & Reporting
o Oversee geotechnical monitoring programs, including design, installation, evaluation, and analysis of stability monitoring systems, rock mass characterization, and hydrogeological systems.
o Perform geotechnical mapping, logging and inspections
o Validate the appropriateness of geotechnical data and collection methods, ensure the data is accurate and aligned to industry best practices.
o Conduct reconciliations between predicted and actual mining conditions and calibrate models and design guidelines.
o Prepare technical reports, analyses, and presentations, including weekly and monthly geotechnical reports, inspections of ground falls, and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Safety & Compliance
o Foster a culture of safety, accountability, and continuous improvement across all open pit and underground operations.
o Implement and enforce health, safety, and environmental policies in compliance with regulatory requirements.
o Conduct regular audits, risk assessments, and emergency preparedness drills.
• Continuous Improvement
o Drive innovation in mining methods, technology adoption, and process optimization.
o Champion initiatives to reduce operational costs and enhance productivity.
Minimum Qualifications, Experience and Competencies
Minimum Qualifications:
- Bachelor’s degree in Geotechnical Engineering, Mining Engineering, Geological Engineering, or a related field, preferably with specialization in Ground Control, Geotechnical Engineering, or Rock Mechanics.
Minimum Experience:
- Minimum 10 years of experience in underground mining operations, with at least 5 years in the geotechnical field
Ma’aden High Performance Competencies:
- Strong knowledge of ground control systems, stope stability, backfill stability, seismicity, monitoring, and risk mitigation in both underground and open pit settings.
- Proven ability to manage workloads, schedules, and upskill teams in a high-pressure environment.
Skills:
- Strong knowledge of underground and open pit mining methods, and modern ground control techniques, with experience in longhole open stoping, cemented rock filling and paste filling.
- Proficiency in geotechnical and mine planning software such as FLAC3D, Dips, UnWedge, RS2/RS3, Map3D, Deswik, Slide, Rocscience, Ticker3D, Trace, or mXrap.
- Excellent leadership, communication, and interpersonal skills, with the ability to effectively lead and upskill a team.