Environmental Manager

W3Global; Dragoon (AZ); On-site; USD 110,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

Our Client in a southeastern Arizona copper mine is seeking an experienced Environmental Manager to lead compliance, permitting, and stewardship. The role involves directing two Environmental Specialists, coordinating with consultants, labs, hydrogeologists, and contractors, and advising site leadership on environmental performance.

Based at an operating mine near Dragoon, AZ, you will drive regulatory programs, support growth projects, and ensure safety while delivering practical,

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in environmental field; mining or heavy industry experience preferred.
• Eight+ years in environmental compliance and permitting in mining or regulated industries; leadership experience.
• Strong knowledge of Arizona environmental requirements; managing complex permits and regulator relations.
• Experience with water-quality monitoring, environmental reporting, field inspections, incident response, and contractor oversight.
• Proven leadership and communication skills; ability to translate technical requirements into action.
• Valid driver’s license; ability to work safely in active mining environments.

Responsibilities

• Lead Environmental Compliance: manage programs, permits, monitoring, reporting, inspections, and corrective actions.
• Manage Permitting and Agency Relationships: lead permit applications, renewals, amendments; primary environmental contact with agencies.
• Protect Water Resources: oversee groundwater, surface-water, stormwater, and process-water monitoring; coordinate with operations on controls.
• Oversee Air, Waste, and Materials Programs: direct air-quality compliance, fugitive dust controls, waste management, chemical storage, spill prevention.
• Lead Incident Response: coordinate assessments, notifications, remediation, and corrective actions.
• Support Projects and Growth: integrate environmental requirements into operations, capital projects, permitting strategies, reclamation planning.
• Develop Your Team: coach two Environmental Specialists, set priorities, manage budgets and external resources.
• Advise Leadership: report on environmental performance, risks, and practical recommendations to COO and site leadership.

Skills

Environmental leadership

Regulatory compliance

Team leadership

Project coordination

Stakeholder communication

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science/Engineering/Geology

Job description

Lead environmental stewardship. Support responsible copper production.

Our Client is seeking an experienced, hands‑on Environmental Manager to lead environmental compliance, permitting, and stewardship at its operating mine in southeastern Arizona and support assigned project activities.

Reporting directly to the COO, you will lead two Environmental Specialists and coordinate environmental consultants, laboratories, hydrogeologists, and specialized contractors. This is an opportunity to combine technical expertise, field engagement, and leadership‑helping an operating copper mine manage environmental risk while supporting operational improvements and future development.

What You’ll Do

• Lead Environmental Compliance: Manage environmental programs, permits, monitoring, reporting, inspections, and corrective actions to meet regulatory requirements and company commitments.
• Manage Permitting and Agency Relationships: Lead permit applications, renewals, and amendments; serve as a primary environmental contact with regulatory agencies.
• Protect Water Resources: Oversee groundwater, surface-water, stormwater, and process-water monitoring. Partner with Operations and Maintenance on environmental controls for heap‑leach facilities, ponds, pipelines, and containment systems.
• Oversee Air, Waste, and Materials Programs: Direct air‑quality compliance, fugitive‑dust controls, waste management, chemical storage, and spill‑prevention activities.
• Lead Incident Response: Coordinate environmental assessments, investigations, required notifications, remediation, and corrective‑action closure.
• Support Projects and Growth: Integrate environmental requirements into operational changes, capital projects, permitting strategies, and reclamation and closure planning.
• Develop Your Team: Coach two Environmental Specialists, establish priorities, and manage departmental budgets and external resources.
• Advise Leadership: Communicate environmental performance, emerging risks, and practical recommendations to the COO and site leadership.

What You Bring

• Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science, Environmental Engineering, Geology, Hydrogeology, Chemistry, Natural Resources, or a related technical field. A combination of relevant technical education and substantial directly related mining environmental management experience may be considered.
• At least eight years of progressively responsible environmental compliance and permitting experience in mining, mineral processing, or similarly regulated heavy industry, including three years of program leadership, supervision, or management.
• Strong working knowledge of applicable Arizona environmental requirements, with experience administering complex permits and working with regulatory agencies.
• Experience with water‑quality monitoring, environmental reporting, field inspections, incident response, contractor oversight, and technical project coordination.
• Strong leadership, organizational, and communication skills, with the ability to translate technical requirements into practical operating actions.
• A valid driver’s license and the ability to work safely in an active mining environment.

Experience That Will Set You Apart

• Environmental leadership at an open‑pit copper mine, particularly one using heap‑leach and solvent extraction/electrowinning (SX/EW) processes.
• In‑depth experience with ADEQ Aquifer Protection Permits, groundwater monitoring, Arizona air permitting, and stormwater requirements.
• Experience supporting mine expansions, major permit modifications, environmental remediation, and reclamation and closure planning.
• Ten to fifteen years of relevant experience, including five or more years in leadership.
• PE, PG, CHMM, or a comparable professional credential.
• Familiarity with emerging leaching technologies.

Why Join Our Client?

You will have direct access to executive leadership, ownership of a broad environmental portfolio, and the opportunity to make a visible contribution to responsible copper production. This role offers meaningful influence over daily operations, team development, and the environmental planning that supports future growth.

Work Environment

This is a site‑based position at an operating mine near Dragoon in Cochise County, Arizona. Regular fieldwork includes visits to active mine areas, process facilities, heap‑leach facilities, ponds, pipelines, and environmental monitoring locations.

The role requires working around uneven terrain, heat, dust, noise, industrial chemicals, and moving equipment while following site safety requirements. Candidates must be able to perform essential duties with or without reasonable accommodation. Occasional travel and extended hours, weekend work, or off‑shift availability may be necessary for environmental events, inspections, or significant operating issues.

This position is designated safety-sensitive and is subject to applicable company fitness-for‑duty and workplace safety requirements.

Our Client is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. Reasonable accommodations are available to qualified applicants and employees in accordance with applicable law.