Senior Geochemist

Gather Recruitment; Perth; On-site; AUD 150,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible working hours

Work from home options

Parking on site

Career development

Job summary

Gather Recruitment is assisting a well-established independent mine closure consultancy to find a Senior Geochemist for their Perth/Brisbane geochemistry team. The role is hands-on and technical, focusing on data analysis, reporting and project delivery rather than people management.

You will work on AMD, mine waste characterization, leach testing, and geochemical modelling, with opportunities to mentor staff and contribute to client-focused outcomes.

Qualifications

• Degree in Chemistry, Environmental Science or related field; Masters is a nice-to-have.
• 10–15 years of relevant mining experience.
• Strong environmental chemistry and/or hydrogeochemistry experience is essential.
• Hands-on geochemistry work in the lab and data interpretation.
• Experience with AMD, mine waste characterization, leach testing or tailings assessments.
• Ability to interpret water quality and environmental guidelines.
• Strong technical report writing and client presentation skills.
• Good project and time management; able to juggle several projects.
• PHREEQC and Geochemist's Workbench are advantageous; Power BI and Python useful.
• Hydrogeology knowledge and ecotoxicology awareness are a bonus.

Responsibilities

• Handle AMD and leach assessments and mine waste characterisation.
• Lead mine waste projects, design test programs and interpret results.
• Mentor junior team members and coordinate lab schedules.
• Manage budgets and contribute to proposals and client presentations.
• Engage in field work occasionally and support out-of-office sampling.

Skills

Environmental chemistry

Hydrogeochemistry

Geochemistry

Project management

Report writing

Mentoring

Education

Bachelor in Chemistry or Environmental Science

Masters (nice to have)

Tools

PHREEQC

Geochemist's Workbench

Power BI

Python

Job description

My client is a well-established, independent mine closure consultancy with offices in Perth and Brisbane. They work across closure planning, rehabilitation, landform design, soils and mine waste for a wide range of clients, from juniors through to the majors, and have grown steadily over the years by keeping the quality of their work high.

They are now looking for a Senior Geochemist to join their geochemistry team. They need someone who can take on the more complex projects, review reports with confidence and help the team keep up with a strong forward workload.

This is a hands-on technical role rather than a people management one - you'll be in the data, not just writing reports.

The work will include

• Acid and metalliferous drainage (AMD) and leach assessments
• Mine waste characterisation, including kinetic testwork
• Mine waste management plans and tailings assessments
• Source - pathway - receptor models
• Geochemical modelling in PHREEQC and Geochemist's Workbench, with scope to get into pit lake and reinjection water quality modelling and isotope work
• Designing sampling and testwork programs, interpreting results, and writing and reviewing reports
• Managing your own projects and budgets, helping with proposals and presenting findings to clients
• Mentoring a junior geochemist and coordinating lab schedules
• Some lab work and sample handling, and field work maybe once or twice a year

The role would suit someone with

• A degree in Chemistry, Environmental Science or a related field - a Masters is nice to have but not essential
• Around 10 - 15 years' relevant experience, ideally in mining
• Strong environmental chemistry and/or hydrogeochemistry experience - this is the key requirement. If your background is in geology, you'll need this experience too
• Practical, hands-on geochemistry - time in the lab and interpreting data yourself
• Experience in AMD, mine waste characterisation, leach testing or tailings assessments
• Experience working with and interpreting water quality and environmental guidelines
• Strong technical report writing and the confidence to present to clients
• Good project and time management - able to juggle several projects at once
• PHREEQC and Geochemist's Workbench experience would be an advantage, along with Power BI and Python
• Hydrogeology experience and some knowledge of ecotoxicology would be a bonus

They're after someone practical and self-driven who can take a project and run with it, but who is still keen to learn from an experienced Technical Lead and share their knowledge with junior staff. Being a good team player who treats everyone with respect matters a lot here.

What's on offer

• Salary around $150,000 - $180,000 + super depending on experience
• Full time preferred, but 4 days a week will be considered for the right person
• Flexible working with some work from home, and a genuine work-life balance
• Learning from a very experienced Technical Lead, with a real focus on career development
• Room to develop into new areas such as pit lake modelling, isotopes, groundwater and geotechnical work
• The chance to contribute to peer reviewed publications
• A wide variety of sites, commodities and clients
• A friendly, down to earth team with very low turnover
• Parking on site

This is a good opportunity for an experienced geochemist who wants to stay technical and work on interesting mine waste and water chemistry problems in a supportive, stable business.