Geotechnical Engineer – Underground Copper Operations

About the role

The Geotechnical Engineer will ensure safe, stable and cost‑effective design and operation of underground excavations at a copper mine. Working closely with mine planning, geology, operations and safety teams, you will manage ground conditions, monitor performance and support production activities.

Key responsibilities

• Develop, implement and maintain the Ground Control Management Plan (GCMP).
• Assess rock mass, conduct stability analyses and recommend ground support systems for stope, pillar and crown designs.
• Perform geotechnical inspections, investigate ground falls, rockbursts and other incidents.
• Collect and interpret drill‑core data, structural geology information and maintain geotechnical databases.
• Build numerical models using RS2, RS3, FLAC3D, Map3D or Examine3D to support mine design and risk assessment.
• Provide technical input to mine design software such as Deswik, Vulcan, Datamine or MineSight.

Required profile

• Bachelor’s degree in Mining, Geological or Geotechnical Engineering; postgraduate qualification in Rock Mechanics preferred.
• 3‑10 years of underground mining geotechnical experience, preferably in hard‑rock copper operations.
• Professional registration with a recognized engineering body (ECSA, P.Eng., CPEng or equivalent) is an advantage.
• Experience with deep‑level mining, block caving or other underground stoping methods.

Required skills

• Rock mass classification systems (RMR, Q‑System, GSI, MRMR).
• Ground support design and optimisation.
• Numerical modelling software: RS2, RS3, FLAC3D, Map3D, Examine3D.
• Geotechnical monitoring and data interpretation.
• Structural geology interpretation.
• Statistical analysis and data management.
• Familiarity with mine design tools: Deswik, Vulcan, Datamine, MineSight.