Technical Tailings Lead

Hatch; Johannesburg; On-site; ZAR 1,500,000 - 2,100,000; Full time

Job summary

Hatch is seeking an experienced Tailings Technical Lead to provide technical authority across TSF projects in South Africa. You will guide geotechnical assessments, risk reviews, and governance within a multidisciplinary team, ensuring alignment with global best practices and regulatory requirements.

The role focuses on leading technical governance, mentoring engineers, and supporting business development while delivering safe, sustainable tailings solutions across the project lifecycle.

Qualifications

• Degree in Civil, Geotechnical or related Engineering discipline.
• Professional Engineering registration (Pr.Eng, P.Eng, CEng or equivalent).
• Minimum 15 years' experience in tailings engineering and TSF design.
• Feasibility, detailed design, construction, and operational support experience.
• Strong understanding of TSF operations, dam safety, and risk management.
• Experience leading multidisciplinary project teams and technical reviews valued.

Responsibilities

• Provide technical leadership for TSF and mine waste projects throughout the full asset lifecycle.
• Lead and review geotechnical, tailings, dam safety, and risk management assessments.
• Advise on complex tailings engineering challenges including static and seismic stability, SCPTu interpretation, and liquefaction.
• Support and guide projects operating within an Engineer of Record (EoR) framework.
• Lead technical due diligence reviews, dam safety evaluations, and risk assessments.
• Ensure compliance with industry standards, governance requirements, and best practice.
• Mentor, coach, and develop junior tailings engineers.
• Support business development, client engagement, and proposal preparation activities.

Skills

Tailings engineering

Geotechnical engineering

Dam safety

SCPTu investigations

Seismic liquefaction

Geotechnical modelling

Water management

Education

Civil/Geotechnical Engineering degree

Job description

Career Opportunities: Technical Tailings Lead (102671)

Location:Johannesburg,Gauteng,South Africa

Join a company that is passionately committed to the pursuit of a better world through positive change. With more than 70 years of business and technical expertise in mining , energy , and infrastructure ,our 10,000 colleagues in 150 countries tirelessly work toward bettering the industries in which we operate. With practical solutions that are safe, innovative and sustainable, we think globally while acting locally.Are you looking for an opportunity to join a diverse group of professionals who are committed to remaining exceptional? We look forward to hearing from you.

Hatch is building a dedicated Tailings Division in South Africa, bringing together some of the industry's brightest minds to solve the challenges of tomorrow.

A strong tailings practice is built on deep technical expertise, sound engineering judgement, and a commitment to developing the next generation of engineers. We are seeking an experienced leader who can provide technical authority while working collaboratively across multidisciplinary project teams.

About the Role

We are seeking a highly experienced Tailings Technical Lead to provide technical leadership, governance, and specialist expertise across a portfolio of Tailings Storage Facility (TSF) projects. This role will serve as the AIM regional technical authority for tailings engineering, supporting projects from concept and feasibility studies through detailed design, construction, operations, and closure.

The successful candidate will play a key role in maintaining technical excellence, supporting dam safety governance, mentoring engineers, and ensuring alignment with global industry best practices.

This role, ‘Tailings: Technical Lead’ is housed within the AIM Tailings Practice, managed by the ‘AIM Tailings Practice Lead’.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide technical leadership for TSF and mine waste projects throughout the full asset lifecycle.
• Lead and review geotechnical, tailings, dam safety, and risk management assessments.
• Advise on complex tailings engineering challenges including:
• Static and seismic stability
• SCPTu interpretation
• Static and cyclic liquefaction
• Critical state soil mechanics
• Tailings deposition and water management
• Filtered tailings and co-disposal facilities
• Support and guide projects operating within an Engineer of Record (EoR) framework.
• Lead technical due diligence reviews, dam safety evaluations, and risk assessments.
• Ensure compliance with industry standards, governance requirements, and best practice.
• Mentor, coach, and develop junior and intermediate tailings engineers.
• Support business development, client engagement, and proposal preparation activities.

Qualifications & Experience

• Degree in Civil, Geotechnical or related Engineering discipline.
• Professional Engineering registration (Pr.Eng, P.Eng, CEng or equivalent).
• Minimum 15 years' experience in tailings engineering and TSF design.
• Demonstrated experience across feasibility, detailed design, construction, and operational support.
• Strong understanding of TSF operations, dam safety, and risk management.
• Experience leading multidisciplinary project teams and technical reviews will be an added value.

Technical Expertise

Applicants should demonstrate extensive knowledge of the various hard skills, such as but not limited to:

• Tailings Storage Facility design and operation.
• Dam engineering and geotechnical engineering principles.
• SCPTu investigations and interpretation.
• Static and seismic liquefaction assessment.
• Brittle tailings identification and management.
• Geotechnical numerical modelling.
• Seepage, hydrogeology, and water management.
• Failure modes, risk assessment, and consequence classification.
• Closure planning and long-term facility performance.

Governance & Standards

Candidates must possess a strong working knowledge of:

• Global Industry Standard on Tailings Management (GISTM)
• ICMM Tailings Governance Frameworks
• ANCOLD Guidelines on Tailings Dams
• Canadian Dam Association (CDA) Guidelines
• South African tailings and dam safety legislation and standards
• Industry best practices for dam safety and tailings governance

What We Are Looking For

• Recognized technical expert in tailings engineering.
• Strong engineering judgement and pragmatic problem-solving skills.
• Ability to balance technical rigor with practical project delivery.
• Collaborative leadership style and excellent communication skills.
• Passion for knowledge sharing, mentoring, and capability development.
• Commitment to safe, sustainable, and responsible tailings management.
• Collaborate on exciting projects to develop innovative solutions

Don't meet every single requirement? You don't need to. At Hatch, we are building a diverse, inclusive workplace that fosters innovation.

We're committed to fostering a workforce that reflects the diversity of the communities in which we operate and serve. Hatch is an Equal Opportunity Employer that considers applicants without regard to age, race, color, national origin, citizenship, religion, creed, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, or any other protected status. If you have any accommodation requirements, please let us know. We'll do our best to meet your needs in accordance with applicable local legislation.

In order to consider any application for employment, we will have to process your personal information.

A law, known as the Protection of Personal Information Act, 4 of 2013 (POPIA) provides that when one processes another's personal information, such collection, retention, dissemination and use of that person's personal information must be done in a lawful and transparent manner.

In order to give effect to this right, we are under a duty to provide you with a number of details pertaining to the processing of your personal information. These details are housed under the HatchHR Processing Noticewhich can be accessed and viewed on the Hatch website: https://www.hatch.com/About-Us/Privacy-Statement-South-Africa , whichHR Processing Noticewe request you kindly download and read.