KoBold Metals
Mineral Exploration
SeniorDrillingEngineer
Neural analysis suggests this role is
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“Senior Drilling Engineer at KoBold Metals. Skills: Drilling engineering, Hole design, Drilling program management, Risk assessment. Design and plan drilling programs. Provide technical oversight of drilling programs”
What You'll Achieve.
Deliver safe, high-quality data collection at optimal cost; Ensure adherence to hole design, safety standards, and data collection objectives; Drive continuous improvement in drilling operations
Industry & Context.
Complete detailed root cause analysis on all downhole failures; Identify and resolve complex multivariable drilling problems using independent judgment and technical expertise
Ability to work in remote and isolated locations for extended periods across diverse global environments, Preference will be given to candidates legally authorized to work in the United States, Canada, Australia, South Africa, United Kingdom, or Zambia
What They're Looking For.
Must Have
7+ years of progressive experience in drilling engineering for oil and gas and/or mineral exploration, Fully competent in all standard drilling techniques and procedures, Advanced knowledge of diamond core drilling operations across multiple program types, geographies, and commodities, Advanced knowledge of construction methodology relevant to drilling programs, Advanced understanding of helicopter-supported exploration drilling, Proficiency in hole design and analysis software tools, Understanding of procurement processes, Demonstrated commitment to health and safety standards, Comprehensive knowledge of industry drilling codes, company standards, and safety policies, Ability to design complex drilling programs, Ability to work in remote and isolated locations for extended periods, High degree of independence and ability to work effectively with limited supervision, Must speak, read, and write in English, Valid First Aid Certification
Nice to Have
Expert-level knowledge of drilling operations across multiple program types, geographies, and commodities, Experience in Africa, Experience working on projects with dedicated exploration teams, Understanding of regulatory, environmental, and permitting frameworks across multiple jurisdictions, Experience with logistics tied to complex remote drilling operations, Experience evaluating and introducing new drilling technologies and methodologies, Experience mentoring junior drilling engineers and technical staff, French fluency, Additional language skills (French, or languages relevant to KoBold’s operating jurisdictions)
What You'll Do.
Design and plan drilling programs
Provide technical oversight of drilling programs
Translate exploration objectives into hole designs
Develop drilling execution plans
Complete detailed engineering design
Complete root cause analysis on downhole failures
Collaborate with science teams
Lead procurement processes
Contribute to data collection planning
Generate creative drilling solutions
Mentor junior drilling engineers
Execute drilling operations
Manage and direct contractor performance
Track and forecast production rates
Synthesize operational scenarios
Ensure drilling safety
Apply value engineering principles
Resolve multivariable drilling problems
Lead post-program reviews
Contribute to drilling engineering standards
Ensure drilling programs comply with requirements
Represent KoBold to external partners
How You'll Work.
Team & Collaboration
Work closely with science teams; Collaborate daily with Geologists, Data Scientists, Field Operations, Drilling, HSE; Collaborate with KoBold’s science teams; Collaborate with team members across Geology, Data Science, HSE, Aviation, Legal, Community Relations, and Land and Permitting; Active collaboration with science teams
Communication Scope
Effective communication with team members; Translating complex technical drilling programs into clear, executable operational work packages
Process & Methodology
Develop comprehensive drilling execution plans, Scope, cost estimates, schedules, risk assessments, and procurement strategies, Manage and direct contractor performance, Lead procurement processes from RFP development through bid evaluation and contractor selection
Full Job Description
Senior Drilling Engineer About the Company The mining industry has steadily become worse at finding new ore deposits, requiring >10X more capital to make discoveries compared to 30 years ago. The easy-to-find, near-surface deposits have largely been found, and the industry has chronically under-invested in new exploration technology, relying on the manual techniques of yesteryear — even as demand accelerates for copper, lithium, and other metals to build electric vehicles, renewable energy, and data centers. KoBold builds AI models for mineral exploration and deploys those models — alongside our novel sensors — to guide decisions on KoBold-owned-and-operated exploration programs. In the six years since founding, KoBold has become by far both the largest independent mineral exploration company and the largest exploration technology developer. Our data scientists and software engineers, who come from leading technology companies, jointly lead exploration programs with our renowned exploration geologists. KoBold has proven its first discovery with materially less capital than the industry average and found one of the best copper deposits ever discovered: the copper is far more concentrated than the global average of copper mines, and this asset alone is expected to generate meaningful revenue for decades. KoBold has a portfolio of more than 60 other projects, each of which has the potential for another high-quality discovery. KoBold is privately held; investors include institutional asset managers T. Rowe Price and Canada Pension Plan Investments; technology venture capitalists Andreessen Horowitz, Breakthrough Energy Ventures, BOND Capital, Durable Capital, StepStone, and Standard Investments; and natural resources companies Equinor, BHP, and Mitsubishi. About the Role: In the role of Senior Drilling Engineer, you will design, plan, and provide technical oversight of drilling programs across KoBold’s global exploration portfolio. You will work closely with our science
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