Chief Mine Engineer

ASARCO; Sahuarita (AZ); On-site; USD 100,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

A mining company in Sahuarita, Arizona is seeking a Chief Mine Engineer to guide and execute mine planning activities. This position involves overseeing the development of strategic mine plans, mentoring a team, and ensuring engineering designs align with industry standards. Candidates should possess 10-15+ years of related experience and a Bachelor’s degree in mining engineering. Strong leadership, problem-solving skills, and proficiency in specific mining software are essential for success in this role.

Qualifications

• 10–15+ years of directly related open pit mine planning and mine operations experience.
• Strong knowledge of MSHA and environmental regulations is beneficial.

Responsibilities

• Guide, coordinate, and oversee short-range and long-range mine planning.
• Lead the mine planning team and mentor technical staff.
• Develop strategic mine plans and evaluate mining sequences.
• Monitor operations and compare actual production to plans.
• Participate in decision-making with technical presentations.

Skills

Leadership

Mine planning

Collaboration

Problem-solving

Data analysis

Education

Bachelor's degree in mining engineering or a related field

Tools

Hexagon MinePlan

Modular Mining Dispatch

ProVision

acQuire

Access

Job description

Chief Mine Engineer

The Chief Mine Engineer is responsible for guiding, coordinating, and overseeing short‑range and long‑range mine planning. The role maintains the quality of mine plans and schedules, monitors operations' progress, and evaluates trade‑off studies to optimize mine design. The engineer must lead with strong leadership, mentoring, and sound engineering knowledge to create solutions to operational challenges and maximize profit.

Essential Functions

• Lead the mine planning team in project development, fostering collaboration and optimizing resources to enhance productivity and safety.
• Mentor and develop skills of other technical services staff members.
• Develop strategic mine plans, including 5‑year and Life‑of‑Mine plans.
• Contribute and assist with long‑range planning: pit optimization, mine scheduling, fleet sizing, dump designs, technical studies, and asset optimization.
• Assist and mentor short‑range planners to establish, execute, and effectively monitor weekly and monthly plans.
• Actively participate in weekly planning meetings.
• Evaluate methods to optimize ore extraction and mining sequence and prepare trade‑off analyses as required.
• Coordinate mine planning work with geology, dewatering, slope engineering, drill & blast, and mine operations.
• Troubleshoot problems that arise and frequently inspect open pit; analyze and recommend solutions.
• Recognize mine designs and fleet efficiency issues and implement improvements to designs and efficiencies.
• Analyze data and prepare technical memos or presentations to assist in decision making.
• Contribute to the development of policies and procedures in engineering.
• Develop and manage annual budgets.
• Track actual production and compare progress to the long‑ and short‑range plans.
• Assist with designing and implementing special projects.
• Ensure engineering designs align with industry standards and best practices.

Additional Duties

• Advanced knowledge of Hexagon MinePlan software packages.
• Proficient in 3D mining software (Hexagon MinePlan, Whittle), fleet management systems (Modular Mining Dispatch, ProVision), and databases (acQuire, Access).
• Manage time effectively and set priorities.
• Strong leadership skills and ability to create a positive work environment.
• Self‑motivated and safety‑conscious.
• Prioritize multiple tasks and demonstrate project‑management skills.
• Knowledge of MSHA and state, environmental, and safety regulations is beneficial.
• Execute, support, and enforce the company’s Environmental, Health, and Safety program as required by OIS policy, directives, and principles.

Required Education and Experience

• 10–15+ years of directly related open pit mine planning and mine operations experience.
• Bachelor’s degree in mining engineering or a related field.