Phoenix-Geotechnical Superintendent

Job Description

Position Description

Would you like to have a career with a collaborative, diverse, and dynamic mining company? We have an opportunity for you!

Our people division is growing, and we are looking for a Geotechnical Superintendent – Open Pit, Dumps, Tailings and Heap Leach to provide geotechnical leadership and oversight across open pit slopes, waste rock dumps, tailings storage facilities, and heap leach facilities. This position is responsible for ensuring the safe, stable, and compliant design, operation, monitoring, and management of geotechnical structures throughout their life cycle.

At Nevada Gold Mines, our vision is to be the world’s most valued gold mining business by finding, developing, and operating the best assets with the best people. We are committed to a safe work environment, sending every person home safe and healthy every day, and leaving a sustainable legacy in our host communities.

Responsibilities

• Provide technical leadership and oversight for the geotechnical management of open pit slopes, waste rock dumps, tailings storage facilities, and heap leach facilities to ensure safe and reliable operations.
• Establish and maintain effective geotechnical monitoring, surveillance, and risk management programs appropriate to the design, operating conditions, and potential consequences of failure for each facility.
• Review and assess geotechnical designs, technical reports, site investigation programs, slope designs, dump designs, facility construction plans, and engineering specifications to ensure alignment with site requirements and applicable standards.
• Oversee open pit slope performance, including wall stability, bench and inter-ramp performance, overall slope stability, structural geology, groundwater conditions, and the identification of potential failure mechanisms.
• Work collaboratively with Mine Planning, Mine Operations, and Engineering to integrate geotechnical considerations into mine designs, pushback sequencing, mining schedules, production plans, and life-of-mine strategies.
• Establish and maintain effective slope monitoring and surveillance programs, including radar, prisms, extensometers, piezometers, inspections, and other applicable instrumentation and technologies.
• Ensure geotechnical monitoring data and field observations are reviewed routinely, anomalous conditions are identified promptly, and appropriate response actions are implemented.
• Develop, maintain, and periodically review geotechnical trigger action response plans (TARPs), operating controls, and escalation protocols for abnormal conditions and emerging instability.
• Provide technical guidance and operational direction during geotechnical events, including slope movement, rockfalls, structural instability, excessive deformation, and other conditions that may present a risk to personnel, equipment, or infrastructure.
• Oversee the geotechnical assessment, design, construction, operation, and monitoring of waste rock dumps, including foundation conditions, material placement, lift sequencing, drainage, groundwater, deformation, and overall stability.
• Ensure waste rock dump designs and operating practices account for material characteristics, foundation conditions, pore pressure, drainage requirements, loading conditions, and closure considerations.
• Provide technical oversight of tailings storage facilities and heap leach facilities to ensure they are operated in accordance with approved designs, engineering recommendations, and applicable management standards.
• Review and monitor the geotechnical performance of tailings and heap leach facilities, including embankments, foundations, slopes, deformation, seepage, pore pressures, drainage systems, and other critical performance indicators.
• Ensure tailings and heap leach facility inspections, performance assessments, design reviews, and independent reviews are completed as required, and that findings and recommendations are tracked through to completion.
• Support the implementation of applicable Barrick and Nevada Gold Mines management standards, regulatory requirements, and industry guidance, including the Global Industry Standard on Tailings Management where applicable.
• Coordinate with Engineers of Record, geotechnical consultants, design engineers, and internal technical specialists to ensure designs and recommendations are technically sound, appropriately reviewed, and consistent with operational requirements.
• Ensure geotechnical risks are incorporated into site risk registers, operational planning, management-of-change processes, and critical control verification programs.
• Develop and maintain appropriate geotechnical management plans, procedures, technical documentation, monitoring requirements, and reporting systems.
• Ensure geotechnical investigations, instrumentation programs, and technical studies are prioritized to address material risks and support current and future operating requirements.
• Review geotechnical performance against established design assumptions and performance criteria, identifying opportunities for continuous improvement and proactive risk reduction.
• Support regulatory inspections, audits, technical reviews, and external assurance activities, ensuring findings are addressed and corrective actions are completed in a timely manner.
• Maintain effective communication with site leadership, Mine Operations, Mine Engineering, Hydrogeology, Tailings, Processing, Environmental, Maintenance, and corporate technical teams to ensure geotechnical risks are understood and managed across the business.
• Provide clear technical recommendations and communicate geotechnical risks, operational restrictions, and required mitigation measures to leadership and frontline personnel.
• Establish and promote consistent geotechnical practices, standards, and reporting processes across applicable site operations.
• Mentor, coach, and develop geotechnical engineers and technical personnel, building organizational capability and fostering a culture of accountability, continuous learning, and technical excellence.
• Promote a strong safety culture and ensure geotechnical hazards are identified, assessed, and managed in accordance with Nevada Gold Mines’ commitment to Zero Harm.
• Perform other duties as required.

Qualifications

• Bachelor of Science in Geological Engineering, Geotechnical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Mining Engineering, or a related engineering or geoscience discipline, or equivalent relevant experience required.
• Demonstrated experience in geotechnical engineering or geotechnical operations within the mining industry required.
• Experience with open pit slope stability, waste rock dump stability, tailings storage facilities, and/or heap leach facilities required.
• Knowledge of geotechnical investigation methods, slope stability analysis, rock mechanics, soil mechanics, groundwater conditions, instrumentation, and geotechnical monitoring required.
• Experience developing and implementing geotechnical risk management plans, monitoring programs, trigger action response plans, and operational controls required.
• Experience reviewing engineering designs, technical reports, and recommendations from consultants and Engineers of Record required.
• Understanding of applicable mining regulations, engineering standards, and geotechnical management systems required.
• Experience working collaboratively with Mine Operations, Mine Planning, Engineering, and other site functions to manage operational risk and support production objectives required.
• Ten years of experience in the mining or related industry preferred.
• Experience leading technical teams, managing consultants, and developing engineering personnel preferred.
• Professional Engineer (P.E.) designation or equivalent professional registration preferred.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, organizational, and risk assessment skills required.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to communicate complex technical issues and recommendations to operational and executive leadership required.
• Demonstrated ability to lead, influence, and work effectively across multidisciplinary teams required.
• Commitment to safe production, continuous improvement, and Nevada Gold Mines’ values required.

What We Can Offer You 

• A comprehensive compensation package including a competitive medical, dental, and vision plan with national provider networks, a 401k retirement plan with employer contribution, paid time off, company-sponsored medical clinics, company match share purchase program, and much more!
• Work in a dynamic, collaborative, progressive, and high-performing team.
• Opportunities to grow and learn with the industry colleagues are endless.
• Access to a variety of career opportunities across the organization.
• Nevada Gold Mines is committed to creating a diverse environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer.