Lead Principal Engineering | BHP Chile

BHP Group; Santiago; On-site; CLP 120,000,000 - 180,000,000; Full time

Job summary

BHP Chile is seeking a senior engineering leader to drive discipline strategies, standards and governance across mining project lifecycles. The role focuses on safe, cost‑effective design, execution planning, and risk management while coordinating with multiple internal teams and external partners.

The successful candidate will have a Bachelor’s degree in engineering and 12+ years of mining project experience, with strong tender and design document skills and proficiency in industry tools.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering or a similar field.
• Extensive experience in mining projects with emphasis on design and tender documentation.
• Strong knowledge of engineering design processes, cost estimating, and scheduling.

Responsibilities

• Lead engineering strategy and execution across the project lifecycle.
• Ensure compliance with standards, regulations, and safety controls.
• Plan, manage and monitor scope, schedule, cost, progress and risk across study and execution phases.
• Coordinate with stakeholders across Project, Study, Construction, Commissioning and Operations teams.

Skills

Engineering proficiency

Stakeholder engagement

Analytical thinking

Project management

Education

Bachelor’s degree in engineering

Tools

MS Office

Aconex

Primavera

Job description

Chile

About BHP Chile

At BHP, we bring people and resources together to build a better world. We foster an inclusive, diverse, and high‑performing culture where everyone feels safe, respected, and empowered to thrive. With a global portfolio and a strong commitment to sustainability, we offer our teams opportunities to grow, lead meaningful transformations, and make a lasting impact.

We are united by our values, our dedication to safety, and our belief that great people drive great outcomes.

Why not you? Why not BHP?

The challenge Ahead

Leads a team focussed on leading engineering strategies, standards and frameworks that ensure the engineering process and design is optimised and enables safe, efficient construction, commissioning and operation. Coaches and develops team leaders / teams to deliver high performance.

Main Responsibilities

• Lead discipline engineering strategy and execution across the project lifecycle, applying deep technical expertise and ensuring compliance with BHP requirements, applicable regulations, Project, Construction and Commissioning Engineering Standards, and effective safety controls.
• Apply a sound understanding of discipline-specific engineering terminology, theory, key processes and activities across relevant fields, including civil, structural, process, mechanical, electrical, instrumentation and control.
• Establish and implement engineering strategies, plans, standards, processes and systems for capital projects, ensuring alignment with the project engineering strategy and requirements across study and execution phases.
• Determine minimum quality requirements, execute quality management plans and review quality control activities to achieve technical, functional, business and project quality objectives.
• Plan, manage and monitor engineering scope, schedule, cost, progress, value and risk; address deviations and support costing and scheduling evaluations to meet integrated project requirements.
• Deliver the engineering information and outputs required by the master schedule, tender and bid processes, and enable timely purchase orders for critical equipment, materials and services while minimising quantity variations during execution.
• Plan and lead engineering governance and assurance activities, including design and constructability reviews, verification of construction methodologies and technical decisions, to ensure solutions are safe, fit for purpose, cost-effective, constructable, operable and maintainable.
• Identify and assess risks, make risk-informed decisions using BHP’s risk management framework, and build a risk-aware culture that supports safe and productive performance outcomes.
• Determine the underlying causes of complex engineering problems and evaluate multiple solutions through a planned, analytical and structured approach.
• Identify, engage, influence and manage diverse internal and external stakeholders, collaborating with Project, Study, Construction, Commissioning, Operations and Maintenance teams to integrate requirements, methodologies, strategies and systems throughout delivery.
• Support the selection of engineering consultants, contractors and vendors; coordinate and manage third-party engineering performance and oversee the quality, productivity and approval of key deliverables.

What We Expect From You

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering
• Minimum 12 years’ experience in mining projects with focus in design, and with experience in tender process documents preparation.
• Knowledge in discipline design, experience in cost estimate, execution plans, scheduling of medium and large mining projects and in tender process for services contracts (Engineering, Construction and Services).
• Competent in the use of relevant software across the project delivery ecosystem, including MS Office, Aconex, Primavera and other applicable project management and engineering systems.English spoken and written.

Skills and capabilities

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering (or similar)
• High level of technical proficiency in the relevant engineering discipline.
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to interpret complex information and translate it into practical recommendations.
• Excellent stakeholder engagement and influencing skills across internal and external groups.Excellent interpersonal and relationship-building abilities.
• Strong strategic thinking and planning capability.
• Demonstrated ability to collaborate effectively in complex and varied environments involving multiple clients, stakeholders and teams with differing needs and interests.

Work Location

The work location and roster will depend on the role’s assignment across the project portfolios at Minera Escondida and Minera Spence. For projects in the study phase, the role will remain based in Santiago, Chile, on a Monday–Friday (5x2) schedule, with occasional travel to the relevant mine site. If an assigned project progresses to, or is already in, the execution phase, the role will temporarily transition to a site-based roster aligned with the project’s requirements.

Why You’ll Love Working Here

At BHP Chile, we understand that to give your best, you need to feel your best. That’s why our benefits are designed to support you at every stage, caring for your health, driving your development, and promoting a real balance between your personal and professional life.

Professional Development: Continuous learning and real growth opportunities.

Compensation: Fair and competitive, reflecting your role, skills, and achievements.

Inclusive Culture: We promote a workplace where everyone feels valued, respected, and free to express their authentic identity.

Recognition: We reward your achievements through our global recognition program Big Thanks | Muchas Gracias.

We Support a Diverse Workforce

At BHP, we adhere to Inclusion Law 21.015.

We know diversity makes us stronger. That’s why we focus on creating a more diverse workforce that represents the communities where we operate and live, ensuring a workplace where everyone is included and treated with respect.

We are committed to a fair, equitable, and accessible selection process for all. If you have any type of disability, please write to [e-mail] so we can adjust our selection process and provide the necessary support.