Key Responsibilities
1. Caving Mine Design & Planning
- Lead the design of block cave and sub-level cave layouts, including footprint definition, undercut strategy, drawbell spacing, and extraction level development.
- Define design criteria and production parameters based on geotechnical, geological, and operational constraints.
- Work closely with geotechnical and geology teams to ensure integrated mine designs that align with cave propagation and orebody characteristics.
2. Production Strategy and Optimization
- Develop and maintain medium to long-term production schedules using Deswik or equivalent software.
- Lead cave flow modelling and draw control strategy using tools such as PCBC or PGCA to optimize recovery, minimize dilution, and maintain cave health.
- Analyze actual vs planned performance to identify opportunities for improvement and risk mitigation.
3. Technical Stewardship & Project Development
- Contribute to studies (Scoping, PFS, FS) by defining mining strategies, cost estimates, and operating assumptions.
- Support the transition from study to execution, ensuring mine plans are practical, buildable, and value-driven.
- Participate in mine readiness and ramp-up planning for new caving operations, including infrastructure development sequencing.
4. Technical Governance & Assurance
- Provide peer review and technical oversight of mine planning deliverables across the business.
- Develop internal technical standards and best practices for caving projects.
- Support operational audits and independent reviews to assess design compliance and performance.
5. Mentoring, Communication & Collaboration
- Mentor and develop junior mining engineers with a focus on caving technical competencies.
- Communicate technical information clearly to stakeholders, leadership, and site teams—verbally and in written English.
- Collaborate with cross-functional teams (geotech, geology, ventilation, production) to drive integrated solutions.
Key Requirements
Education & Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in Mining Engineering or equivalent.
- Postgraduate qualifications in mining, caving, or business-related fields (desirable).
- Professional accreditation (e.g., AusIMM, RPEQ, PE, or equivalent) is preferred.
Experience
- Minimum 15 years of experience in underground hard rock mining, including at least 5-8 years in block or sub-level caving.
- Proven record in both consulting and operational environments, including study phase participation and site implementation.
- Extensive experience with mine planning, scheduling, cave flow modelling, and production analysis.
- Direct involvement in ramp-up and production phases of caving operations.
Technical & Software Skills
- Proficient in Deswik (spatial and planning) and PCBC.
- Deep understanding of caving principles, flow mechanics, draw control, and mining economics.
- Fluent in English (spoken and written) with excellent technical communication skills.
Personal Attributes
- Results-driven leader with strategic thinking and attention to detail.
- Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to lead multidisciplinary teams.
- Able to work independently and influence technical decisions at a corporate or operational level.
- Willingness to travel to domestic and international mine sites as required.
Performance Measures (KPIs)
- Quality, accuracy, and timeliness of mine designs and schedules.
- Value creation through optimized draw strategies and reduced dilution/losses.
- Technical leadership and mentoring impact within the engineering team.
- Contribution to successful studies, project execution, and operational outcomes.
- Compliance with internal technical standards and external regulatory requirements.
