Principal - Mine Planning

Glencore; Mount Isa City; On-site; AUD 250,000 - 340,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive remuneration with 12%super

Glencore Rewards health insurance and

Access to health insurance discounts

Leadership development programs

Funding for major capital project

FIFO flexibility with Brisbane to Mt.

Job summary

Glencore's Mount Isa Mines is seeking a Principal Mining Engineer to lead open cut mining design, scheduling and development for the Black Star Open Cut Project, spanning feasibility through to operations, with initial placement in Brisbane and a FIFO transition to Mount Isa.

You will manage mining design, risk, cost estimates, and interfaces across geology, geotechnical, environmental and infrastructure, mentor engineers, and drive safety and value across the project.

Qualifications

• Tertiary qualifications in Mining Engineering.
• Experience leading open cut mining projects from feasibility to operations.
• Strong ability to integrate multidisciplinary interfaces.

Responsibilities

• Provide technical leadership across feasibility, execution, ramp-up and operations.
• Develop and maintain safe, value-optimised mine designs and schedules.
• Lead feasibility studies, cost estimates and investment decisions.
• Integrate geological, geotechnical, metallurgical, environmental and infrastructure requirements.
• Mentor engineers and manage delivery of consultants and contractors.

Skills

Open cut mining

Mine design

Project delivery

Leadership

Stakeholder engagement

Education

Mining Engineering degree

Job description

Principal Mining Engineer – Black Star Open Cut Project

Regional Studies, Project Delivery
Brisbane / Mount Isa (FIFO transitioning role)
Ref. No. 105385

Based initially in Brisbane and transitioning to a FIFO roster to Mount Isa, you will provide technical leadership across the project lifecycle, supporting the successful delivery of the Black Star Open Cut Project from feasibility through to operations.

Mount Isa Mines

Mount Isa Mines is one of the oldest, largest and most complex mining operations in Australia, located in Mount Isa, Queensland. Employing over 4,000 people, Mount Isa Mines is now looking for new leaders to join the team. We operate two mining and processing streams, copper and zinc-lead-silver, to deliver natural resources of enduring value in modern society.

At Mount Isa Mines, we believe in our people. We cultivate an environment of professionalism, ownership, and innovation while prioritising safety and well-being. Our employee rewards program, market-leading superannuation, and commitment to professional development set us apart. Learn more at www.mountisamines.com.au

• Competitive remuneration with 12% superannuation
• Access to Glencore Rewards including health insurance discounts and retail offers
• Leadership development programs and career progression pathways
• Participation in a major, high-profile capital project
• FIFO flexibility with transition from Brisbane to Mount Isa

About the role

The Principal Mining Engineer – Black Star Open Cut Project will provide advanced technical leadership and specialist open cut mining expertise across the project lifecycle, from feasibility through execution and transition into mining operations.

Reporting to the Project Director, this role is responsible for ensuring mining outcomes are technically robust, practically executable, financially sound and aligned with project objectives. The position will play a critical role in developing mine designs, production schedules, mining sequences, waste management strategies and execution plans that support safe and successful project delivery.

Working closely with the broader project team, you will provide technical direction and assurance while supporting optimisation and continuous improvement initiatives that maximise project value.

Key responsibilities:

• Provide technical leadership for open cut mining activities across feasibility, execution, commissioning, ramp-up and transition to operations
• Develop and maintain safe, practical and value-optimised mine designs, production schedules, mining strategies and waste movement plans
• Lead mining inputs into feasibility studies, project evaluations, capital and operating cost estimates, financial models and investment decisions
• Integrate geological, geotechnical, metallurgical, environmental, infrastructure and operational requirements into mine planning activities
• Identify and manage mining risks, constraints, assumptions and opportunities through effective technical governance processes
• Support operational performance through plan reviews, forecasting, reconciliation and productivity improvement initiatives
• Establish and maintain mining standards, procedures, planning systems and technical reporting frameworks
• Provide technical review and assurance of work completed by employees, consultants and contractors
• Lead optimisation studies, scenario modelling and trade-off assessments to improve project value and execution certainty
• Mentor and develop mining engineers, planners and other Technical Services personnel
• Build strong relationships across project, operational and functional teams
• Ensure safety, risk and assurance actions are completed in line with company expectations and governance requirements

About you – skills and experience

You are a highly experienced mining professional with a strong background in open cut mine planning, mine design and project development. You have successfully delivered mining projects through study phases into execution and operations and bring a practical approach to balancing technical excellence with operational outcomes.

You will bring:

• Tertiary qualifications in Mining Engineering
• Demonstrated success delivering mining projects from feasibility studies through execution and operational readiness
• Strong experience with mine establishment, pre-strip activities, waste emplacement planning and infrastructure integration
• Proven capability integrating long, medium and short-term planning horizons
• Experience undertaking optimisation studies, scenario modelling and technical trade-off analysis
• Strong understanding of mining cost estimation, financial evaluation and project economics
• Strong understanding of geotechnical, geological, metallurgical, environmental and operational interfaces
• Demonstrated ability to lead multidisciplinary teams and manage consultant and contractor deliverables
• Excellent stakeholder engagement, communication, mentoring and leadership capabilities
• A strong commitment to safety leadership, continuous improvement and technical excellence

Why Join Us?

This is a rare opportunity to influence the design, planning and successful delivery of a major open cut mining project that will play a key role in the future of Mount Isa Mines. You will work alongside experienced project and operational leaders while helping shape a project from concept through to production.

At Glencore, our people are the foundation of our success, and we are committed to creating a workplace where our values guide everything we do. Safety is our first priority. We act with Integrity, take Responsibility, embrace Openness, focus on Simplicity and encourage Entrepreneurialism.