Geotechnical Engineer

Job Description

Geotechnical Engineer

About the Opportunity
Our client operates an established mining property with decades of production history and a large, well-positioned land package. Operations are currently suspended while the team prioritizes exploration and technical studies, and the site is now entering a new phase of evaluation and planning ahead of a potential restart. That's where you come in.

As Geotechnical Engineer, you'll evaluate soil, rock, groundwater effects, and geologic conditions to support the safe, efficient design and operation of both open-pit and underground mining. Your work will span tailings storage facilities, waste dumps, haul roads, and related infrastructure, and you'll partner closely with mine planning, geology, operations, environmental, and civil engineering teams. This is a chance to shape the technical foundation of a restart, with your analysis directly informing how the mine comes back online.

What You'll Do
Geotechnical Analysis and Design

• Conduct geotechnical investigations including drilling programs, rock and soil sampling, laboratory testing, and field mapping.
• Analyze rock mass behavior, slope stability, ground support requirements, and soil mechanics.
• Develop geotechnical models for open-pit and underground mining operations.
• Perform advanced numerical modelling using FLAC3D and proven constitutive models to support complex geotechnical assessments.
• Support stope sequencing, mine design optimization, and excavation stability assessments.
• Design and evaluate stope dimensions, including estimates of ore dilution and Equivalent Linear Overbreak Slough (ELOS).
• Design and evaluate underground ground support systems, pit slopes and bench configurations, waste rock dumps, and tailings storage facilities.
• Use geotechnical software for modeling and stability analysis, including advanced numerical modelling approaches.

Monitoring and Risk Management

• Support and contribute to Ground Control Management Plans (GCMPs), TARPs, and geotechnical risk management processes.
• Monitor ground conditions using instrumentation such as prisms, piezometers, extensometers, and radar systems.
• Interpret and manage geotechnical monitoring data, including prism, MPBX/extensometer, radar, and other instrumentation outputs.
• Identify geotechnical hazards including slope failures, rockfalls, subsidence, and seismic risks.
• Develop mitigation plans and emergency response recommendations.
• Perform inspections and prepare stability assessments and technical reports.

Operations Support

• Provide day-to-day geotechnical guidance to mine operations teams.
• Work closely with operations to develop practical, implementable geotechnical solutions.
• Recommend operational changes that improve safety and production efficiency.
• Support drill-and-blast optimization from a geotechnical perspective.
• Participate in mine planning and scheduling meetings.

Reporting, Compliance, and Collaboration

• Ensure compliance with mining regulations, environmental standards, and company safety policies.
• Prepare technical documentation, risk assessments, and engineering reports.
• Support permitting and regulatory submissions.
• Coordinate with geologists, mine engineers, surveyors, and environmental specialists.
• Manage contractors and geotechnical consultants when required.
• Mentor junior engineers and technicians.
• Present findings and recommendations to management and stakeholders.

What You Bring
Education

• Bachelor's degree in Mining Engineering, Geological Engineering, Geotechnical Engineering, or a related field.
• Master's degree in Geotechnical Engineering or Rock Mechanics preferred.

Experience

• 5 to 8+ years of mining geotechnical experience.
• Strong knowledge of rock mechanics and soil mechanics.
• Experience with slope stability analysis, ground support design, data interpretation, and technical reporting.

Key Skills

• Experience with geotechnical and mine design software such as FLAC3D, Rocscience Suite (Unwedge and Dips), GeoStudio, Surpac, Vulcan, AutoCAD, and GIS platforms.
• Experience with advanced numerical modelling software, particularly FLAC3D, is viewed favorably. Training and mentoring are available for the right person.

A Note on Fit
We understand no candidate will meet every single desired qualification. If your experience looks a little different from what we've identified and you think you can bring value to the role, we'd love to learn more about you!

Contact
Heather Simoens
970-209-2890
Heather@MRCrecruiting.com