Principal Geotechnical Engineer (Tailings)

SLR Consulting; Western Australia; Hybrid; AUD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible hybrid work

Professional development opportunities

Job summary

SLR Consulting is seeking a Principal Geotechnical/Tailings engineer in Subiaco with 15+ years of experience. You will lead tailings, mine waste, and geotechnical projects, overseeing design, assessment and safety aspects while guiding project teams and mentoring engineers.

This senior role emphasizes technical leadership, client engagement, and alignment with GISTM/ANCOLD standards, with opportunities to shape strategy and grow the tailings and mine waste capability across Australia.

Qualifications

• You will be a degree-qualified Civil, Geotechnical or Geological Engineer with substantial tailings and geotechnical experience.
• Extensive experience in Tailings Storage Facility design, assessment and operation support.
• Strong knowledge of soil mechanics, tailings behaviour and geotechnical engineering.
• Experience across slope stability, seepage, liquefaction, seismic assessment, modeling and dam safety.
• GISTM/ANCOLD knowledge and industry practice; ability to provide expert engineering advice.

Responsibilities

• Provide technical leadership across tailings, mine waste and geotechnical projects.
• Lead and review TSF and mine waste facility design and assessment.
• Provide senior input on stability, seepage, deformation and seismic assessments.
• Lead or contribute to projects from concept through design, construction and closure.
• Provide technical review and assurance of analyses, reports and recommendations.
• Support clients with tailings governance, dam safety, and TARPs.
• Advise on alignment with GISTM, ANCOLD and international standards.
• Lead independent reviews, EoR-related services and due diligence.
• Provide mentoring to junior engineers and lead multidisciplinary teams.
• Build relationships with clients and pursue business opportunities.

Skills

Tailings design

Geotechnical engineering

Slope stability

Seepage analysis

Seismic assessment

Numerical modelling

GISTM compliance

Dam safety review

Client relationship management

Education

Degree in Civil, Geotechnical or Geological Engineering

Tools

GeoStudio

Rocscience

PLAXIS

FLAC

Mük3D

GoldSim

Job description

About SLR and the opportunity

SLR is a global leader in mining consultancy, delivering responsible, high-impact solutions across the full mining lifecycle. With over 5000 staff globally and over 2,000 mining specialists in 25+ countries across 24 Practice Areas, we operate as a true global community of practice, bringing together the best people, ideas and methods to solve complex challenges for the world’s leading mining companies.

As both our global and Australian mine waste portfolio continues to grow, we are seeking a Principal Geotechnical/Tailings engineer with circa 15+ years experience to join our growing Team in Subiaco.

This is a senior technical and client-facing role for an experienced tailings professional who can provide technical leadership across complex projects, support strategic client relationships and contribute to the continued growth of SLR’s tailings and mine waste capability.

Responsibilities

• Provide technical leadership across tailings, mine waste and geotechnical projects.
• Lead and review the design and assessment of Tailings Storage Facilities, mine waste facilities, embankments and associated infrastructure.
• Provide senior technical input on stability, seepage, deformation, foundation, liquefaction and seismic assessments.
• Lead or contribute to projects from concept and feasibility through detailed design, construction, operations and closure.
• Provide technical review and assurance of engineering analyses, reports, design documentation and recommendations.
• Support clients with tailings governance, dam safety, risk management, surveillance, TARPs, OMS documentation and operational readiness.
• Provide advice on alignment with GISTM, ANCOLD and other relevant Australian and international standards and guidance.
• Lead or support Independent Technical Reviews, Dam Safety Reviews, due diligence assessments and EoR-related services.
• Provide technical guidance and mentoring to senior, intermediate and junior engineers.
• Lead multidisciplinary technical teams and coordinate specialist inputs.
• Build and maintain trusted relationships with key clients and stakeholders.
• Support business development, proposals, tenders and strategic project pursuits.
• Contribute to technical excellence, knowledge sharing and capability development across SLR.

Experience

You will be a degree-qualified Civil, Geotechnical or Geological Engineer with substantial experience in tailings, mine waste, dams and geotechnical engineering. The successful candidate will possess:

• Typically, 15+ years of relevant professional experience, preferably within consulting and/or mining operations.
• Extensive experience in Tailings Storage Facility design, assessment, construction and operational support.
• Strong technical knowledge of soil mechanics, tailings behaviour and geotechnical engineering.
• Demonstrated experience across areas such as slope stability, seepage, liquefaction, seismic assessment, numerical modelling, instrumentation and dam safety.
• Strong working knowledge of GISTM, ANCOLD and relevant Australian and international industry practice.
• Experience providing technical reviews and expert engineering advice on complex geotechnical/tailings projects.
• Familiarity with geotechnical and tailings software such as GeoStudio, Rocscience, PLAXIS, FLAC, Muk3D, GoldSim or similar packages.
• Demonstrated capability in leading multidisciplinary teams and mentoring engineers.
• Strong client relationship management and business development capability.
• Excellent technical writing, communication and presentation skills.
• Ability to communicate complex technical matters clearly to clients, senior stakeholders and technical review teams.
• Willingness to travel to mine sites and project locations when required.
• Australian working rights and a valid driver’s licence are required

Ideally:

• CPEng professional registration is strongly preferred.
• Experience acting as an Engineer of Record (EoR), Deputy EoR, technical reviewer or senior advisor on tailings projects would be highly regarded.

Why Join SLR?

At SLR, you will work within a collaborative and technically focused environment, with access to specialists across Australia and our global network.

You will have the opportunity to:

• Work on technically challenging tailings, mine waste and geotechnical projects.
• Gain exposure across the full project lifecycle.
• Work alongside experienced technical specialists.
• Develop your technical expertise, professional profile and client relationships.
• Mentor and support other engineers.
• Collaborate across disciplines, offices and international teams.
• Access flexible working arrangements, mentoring and professional development opportunities.

Our Benefits

At SLR, our people come first. We’re proud of our One Team culture - a culture that champions technical excellence, collaboration without borders, and the opportunity to work alongside great people and great clients.

Whether you’re enjoying our flexible hybrid work environment, enjoy collaborating with experts across Australia and internationally, or at a time in your life where a supportive and generous parental leave scheme is key. Our benefits aim is to ensure that we cater for all!

You can find a comprehensive list here.

Next Steps

This is an excellent opportunity to grow your career working alongside some of the premier Tailings and Mine Waste Engineering experts in the Asia-Pacific region, deepening your technical expertise and making a tangible impact across exciting and varied projects.