Underground Geotechnical Lead - Senior Engineer

Placements24; Sandton; On-site; ZAR 1,200,000 - 1,900,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Premium medical aid plan

Substantial retirement fund contribute

Annual performance bonuses

Job summary

Placements24 in Sandton, Gauteng, seeks a Lead Geotechnical Engineer to oversee underground mining geotechnical stability and safety. You will lead rock mechanics assessment, design ground support, and manage instrumentation programs.

Requirements include MSc/PhD in Geotechnical Engineering, Pr.Eng with ECSA, 10+ years in underground mining, and strong leadership. The role offers executive-level remuneration and strategic influence in major projects.

Qualifications

• MSc or PhD in Geotechnical Engineering or related field.
• 10+ years in geotechnical engineering with underground mining focus.
• Pr.Eng registration with ECSA mandatory.
• Experience with rock mass classification and seismic hazard assessment.
• Leadership experience managing a technical team.
• Excellent communication and reporting skills.
• South Africa mining experience in Gauteng advantageous.

Responsibilities

• Lead geotechnical assessment and design for underground excavations (stopes, tunnels, shafts).
• Develop ground support strategies tailored to rock mass conditions.
• Oversee installation, monitoring, and interpretation of geotechnical instrumentation.
• Conduct seismic hazard assessments and implement seismic management plans.
• Analyze monitoring data to assess ground conditions and predict instability.
• Provide technical guidance and mentorship to geotechnical team.
• Collaborate with mine planning, operations and ventilation to integrate geotech into design.
• Ensure compliance with SA geotechnical codes and regulations.
• Manage geotechnical investigations including core logging and lab testing.
• Prepare technical reports, design documents, and risk assessments.
• Stay updated with geotechnical software and methods for underground mining.

Skills

Rock mechanics

Geotechnical design

Leadership

Ground control

Numerical modeling

Communication

Mentoring

Reporting

Education

MSc or PhD in Geotechnical Engineering

Tools

FLAC3D

UDEC

RocData

Job description

Placements24 in Sandton, Gauteng, seeks a Lead Geotechnical Engineer to oversee underground mining geotechnical stability and safety. You will lead rock mechanics assessment, design ground support, and manage instrumentation programs.

Requirements include MSc/PhD in Geotechnical Engineering, Pr.Eng with ECSA, 10+ years in underground mining, and strong leadership. The role offers executive-level remuneration and strategic influence in major projects.