Senior Drilling Engineer at KoBold Metals in North America

Job description

Senior Drilling Engineer About the Company In the coming decades, demand for critical minerals such as copper, lithium, and cobalt will continue to grow. These minerals are needed to build electric infrastructure, vehicles, data centers, and electronics. However, the mining industry is making 10x fewer discoveries per dollar spent on exploration compared to 30 years ago because the easy-to-find, near surface deposits have largely been discovered. KoBold was founded to be the first AI native mineral exploration, mine development, and technology development company. Our goal is to turn mineral exploration into a repeatable science to discover the minerals the world needs—by integrating artificial intelligence, human intelligence, and new technology. Our multidisciplinary teams of data scientists, engineers, and geologists work together to build data systems, design new sensors, and establish industry-leading workflows to develop and test subsurface predictions on our exploration projects. Our first discovery, Mingomba, is a high-grade copper deposit in Zambia, found after spending materially less than industry average. We are developing Mingomba with the same technical rigor that we apply to exploration. The Mingomba team brings together mine and processing engineers, geologists, data scientists, software engineers, and community, health & safety, construction, and operations specialists. By combining industry knowledge and cutting edge technology, we are developing Mingomba into a world class project that has safer and more predictable outcomes for ourselves, partners, and communities. It is expected to create thousands of good jobs for generations. KoBold runs exploration programs in eight countries, all with the potential for another discovery. KoBold is privately held; investors include institutional asset managers T. Rowe Price and Canada Pension Plan Investments; technology venture capitalists Andreessen Horowitz, Breakthrough Energy Ventures, BOND Capital, Durable Capital, StepStone, and Standard Investments; and strategic natural resources companies BHP and Mitsubishi. About the Role: In the role of Senior Drilling Engineer, you will design, plan, and provide technical oversight of drilling programs across KoBold’s global exploration portfolio. You will work closely with our science teams to translate exploration objectives into hole designs, drilling programs, and operational plans that deliver safe, high-quality data collection at optimal cost. You will report to the Vice President Field Operations and collaborate daily with Geologists, Data Scientists, Field Operations, Drilling, HSE, and other functions. Your primary responsibility will be to serve as the technical lead for drilling engineering on multiple concurrent projects across diverse geographies and commodities. Responsibilities Design and Plan Lead hole design, drilling method selection, and rig specification for complex exploration drilling programs including diamond core, sonic, reverse circulation and air core programs Develop comprehensive drilling execution plans: scope, cost estimates, schedules, risk assessments, and procurement strategies Complete detailed engineering design to inform the development of drilling programs for various hole types including casing design, torque and drag analysis, directional drilling design, mud system design. Complete detailed root cause analysis on all downhole failures with a particular focus on rod string and thread failures, stuck in hole, wireline failures and the correlation to dogleg severity, hole trajectory, and adherence to good drilling practices. Collaborate with KoBold’s science teams to translate exploration hypotheses and data collection objectives into executable drilling programs and AFEs Lead procurement processes from RFP development through bid evaluation and contractor selection, including assessment of contractor safety management plans and technical capability Contribute to data collection plannin