Principal / Lead Geotechnical Engineer - Open Pit Mining | Africa

Zenso Global Recruitment; India; On-site; INR 5,732,000 - 6,866,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Food and accommodation provided

Work visa arranged

To-and-fro air tickets provided

21 days' leave every 6 months

Job summary

Zenso Global Recruitment is seeking a Principal / Lead Geotechnical Engineer for a major open-pit mining operation in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The role requires senior technical leadership in slope design, ground control and geotechnical risk management.

Candidates should have 10+ years in geotechnical engineering within large-scale open-pit mining, with hands-on expertise in pit slope stability and monitoring systems; French language skills are a plus, and relocation to Africa is

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Geotechnical/Mining/Geological Engineering; master's preferred.
• Minimum 10 years of geotechnical engineering experience in large open-pit mining.
• Strong experience in pit slope design, slope stability, ground control and risk management.
• Experience with slope monitoring instruments and TARPs.

Responsibilities

• Lead geotechnical design and stability assessments for open-pit slopes, walls, dumps, and stockpiles.
• Develop Ground Control Management Plans and risk assessments.
• Oversee slope monitoring using radar, prisms, piezometers, drones and inspections.
• Provide geotechnical inputs for short-term and Life-of-Mine planning; support mine planning teams.
• Lead and mentor geotechnical engineers; ensure compliance with safety and standards.

Skills

Geotechnical engineering

Open-pit mining

Slope design

Leadership

Ground control

Slope monitoring

Education

Bachelor's degree in Geotechnical/Mining/Geological Eng

Master's degree preferred

Tools

Rocscience Slide2/Slide3/RS2/RS3

Dips

GEO5

GeoStudio

Deswik

Vulcan

Datamine

Job description

Principal / Lead Geotechnical Engineer Open Pit Mining | DR Congo

Location: Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Africa

Industry: Mining & Metals Large Open-Pit Mining Operations

Experience: Minimum 10 Years

Salary: Up to USD 6,000 per month + Additional Benefits

Nationality: All Nationalities Welcome

Openings: 1

Job Overview

Zenso Global Recruitment is hiring an experienced Principal / Lead Geotechnical Engineer for a leading mining organization operating large open-pit mines in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The successful candidate will serve as the senior technical authority for geotechnical engineering, pit slope design, slope stability, ground control, geotechnical risk management and monitoring systems.

This is a senior technical leadership opportunity requiring extensive hands-on experience in large open-pit mining operations.

Key Responsibilities

1. Open-Pit Slope Design & Stability

• Lead geotechnical design and stability assessments for open-pit slopes, pit walls, waste dumps and stockpiles.
• Conduct kinematic, limit-equilibrium and numerical slope stability analyses.
• Review and approve bench heights, berm widths, batter angles and inter-ramp slope designs.
• Provide geotechnical technical approvals for pit expansions and design modifications.

2. Geotechnical Risk Management & Ground Control

• Develop and implement Ground Control Management Plans (GCMP).
• Conduct geotechnical risk assessments and maintain risk registers.
• Establish critical controls and geotechnical Trigger Action Response Plans (TARPs).
• Investigate slope instability incidents and recommend corrective actions.

3. Slope Monitoring & Instrumentation

• Oversee slope monitoring using radar, prisms, piezometers, drones and visual inspections.
• Interpret monitoring data, identify instability trends and implement appropriate response measures.
• Develop monitoring procedures, alert thresholds and geotechnical reporting systems.

4. Mine Planning & Technical Support

• Provide geotechnical inputs for short-term, annual budget and Life-of-Mine (LOM) planning.
• Coordinate with Mine Planning, Mining Operations and Drill & Blast teams.
• Support pit optimization, mine expansion studies and wall-control blasting practices.
• Oversee structural mapping, rock-mass characterization and core logging.

5. Leadership & Compliance

• Lead and mentor geotechnical engineers and technical teams.
• Ensure compliance with mining safety requirements and applicable geotechnical standards.
• Review technical studies, consultant reports and geotechnical documentation.
• Support technical audits and statutory reporting.

Required Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Geotechnical Engineering, Mining Engineering or Geological Engineering; relevant master's degree preferred.
• Minimum 10 years of geotechnical engineering experience, with significant hands-on exposure to large open-pit mining.
• Strong experience in pit slope design, slope stability analysis, ground control and geotechnical risk management.
• Practical knowledge of slope monitoring instruments and TARPs.
• Experience in technical leadership, geotechnical governance and mine planning support.

Technical Software Skills

• Rocscience: Slide2/Slide3, RS2/RS3, Dips; or equivalent geotechnical analysis software such as GEO5 or GeoStudio.
• Mine design software: Deswik, Vulcan or Datamine.
• Slope monitoring data interpretation and geotechnical numerical modelling.

Preferred Experience

• Previous mining experience in Africa, particularly DRC or the Central African Copperbelt.
• Experience in large-scale open-pit metal mining operations.
• Working knowledge of French is an added advantage.

Candidates of all nationalities are welcome to apply.

Salary & Benefits

• Monthly Salary: Up to USD 6,000 (depending on experience and suitability).
• Food and accommodation provided.
• Work visa arranged by the employer.
• To-and-fro air tickets provided.
• 21 days' leave every 6 months.