Senior Geotechnical Engineer - Operations

at  Newmont Mining

Date: Apr 2, 2024
Location:Boddington, AU
Workplace Type: Onsite
At Newmont, our purpose is to create value and improve lives through sustainable and responsible mining. The world’s leading gold company, we pride ourselves on our dedication to safety, environmental management, inclusion and diversity, and adding value and opportunity to our host communities.
Boddington offers a unique opportunity to live in the South West, only 130 kms from the Perth CBD and approximately 100kms from the coast so there will be plenty of time to enjoy the lifestyle this area has to offer. One of the largest gold producers in Australia, you will join a diverse team and have the opportunity to advance your career with an innovative company dedicated to safety, environmental management, inclusion and diversity.
With good rosters and a unique opportunity to live locally and go home each day, we also provide DIDO with accommodation in our Village
We are currently recruiting for a Senior Geotechnical Engineer – Operations, who will report directly into the Geotechnical Superintendent , this role is being offered on a 5:2:4:3 roster.
The Senior Geotechnical Engineer - Operations is a leadership role responsible for ensuring geotechnical services required to support the open pit mining operations including pit development, waste dumping and stockpiling activities are provided and maintained to ensure geotechnical hazards in the open pit mining operations are controlled and managed to an acceptable level of risk. Leadership responsibilities include providing administrative support, guidance and training for a team comprising geotechnical engineers and technicians.
The Senior Geotechnical Engineer – Operations is responsible for providing guidance to ensure that geotechnical hazards within open pit, waste dump and active areas of the mine are identified and remediated where required to provide a safe working environment for mine personnel. The Senior Geotechnical Engineer – Operations is required to assist the Geotechnical Superintendent in establishing and maintaining geotechnical modelling, performing geotechnical analyses and providing geotechnical slope design recommendations for the interim and final walls. This includes ensuring geological, geotechnical and hydrogeological aspects are considered during implementation of the mine plan to help ensure an appropriate level of risk for the operation so far as reasonably practicable and in accordance with the site’s Ground Control Management Plan (GCMP). The Senior Geotechnical Engineer may be required to provide coverage for the Geotechnical Superintendent and/or Geotechnical Engineer.

• Ensure provision of timely guidance related to pit development initiatives including developing plans and liaising with short term planning and operational teams.
• Ensure all inspections and work are completed according to GCMP requirements.
• Perform risk assessments for geotechnical hazards in the open pit and liaise with related work groups to ensure execution of agreed corrective remedial actions.
• Develop monthly and 3 monthly pit development work schedules.
• Assist in the design, implementation, and operation of ground and slope performance monitoring systems including slope stability radars.
• Develop, delegate and quality review Field Work plans related to rope access scaling and different types of ground support and rockfall mitigation initiatives.
• Ensure QA/QC records are collected and stored in an orderly and accessible manner.
• Guide pit wall reconciliation to assess achieved wall conditions and work to improve the design, planning and execution of wall control blasting and excavation of pit walls.
• Supervise and coordinate consultants and contractors for Ground Support, Drilling, Test work and required geotechnical studies.
• Provide support, coaching and training to Geotechnical Engineers.
• Engage in providing geotechnical input to innovation, continuous improvement and R&D initiatives.
• Assist in maintaining geotechnical models e.g. rock mass model, geotechnical domain model, and hydrogeological model.
• Evaluate, establish and maintain monitoring programs around the mine including slope stability radar technology.
• Assess hydrogeological and hydrological setting and provide recommendations for pit slope depressurisation and drainage with assistance from resident Hydrogeologist.
• Facilitate the integration of all geotechnical, geological and hydrogeological data into the design and construction of stable open pits and waste dumps.
• Perform geotechnical stability analyses with different methods (limit equilibrium, finite element, finite difference, kinematic, probabilistic, etc.) as required to test stability of the various slope designs for different slope conditions to determine appropriate outcomes.