Senior Engineer, Geomechanics at Vale in Sudbury, ON

Job description

Who We Are We are Vale Base Metals – a global supplier of the critical minerals transforming the future. With industry-leading reserves of copper and nickel in Canada, Brazil, and Indonesia, and state-of-the-art infrastructure in the U.K., Canada, and Japan, VBM delivers a secure and responsible supply of high-quality products to customers across Europe, the Americas, and Asia. Global demand for critical minerals is growing exponentially. From energy to aerospace, batteries to magnets, robotics to artificial intelligence, a secure and responsible supply of critical minerals is fundamental to power modern technologies. And at Vale Base Metals, we are transforming our business to provide a secure and responsible supply of these minerals. Join our diverse team of 13,000 talented individuals committed to providing mineral security to a world in transition. We invite you to put your skills to work, driving meaningful and enduring change while enjoying a rewarding career. The Opportunity We are currently seeking a Senior Engineer, Geomechanics to join the Vale Base Metals CTO Geotechnical Office’s Geomechanics Studies team based in Sudbury, Ontario, Canada. . This is a permanent position. As the Senior Engineer, Geomechanics , you’ll provide technical leadership in geomechanics, supporting mine planning, studies, and operations across a diverse mining portfolio that includes both open pit and underground operations in Canada and Brazil. The role focuses on geomechanical analysis, risk management, and decision support to ensure safe, stable, and productive mining. You will work collaboratively with multi-disciplinary technical studies and operations teams to meet safety and regulatory standards. In role, you will be part of a specialist team that delivers advanced geomechanics analyses, technical reviews, study plans, and will assist in communicating findings and risk mitigation strategies for improving the safety and profitability of our VBM assets located in both Canada and Brazil. Key Accountabilities: Perform geomechanics analyses and excavation designs supporting Life‑of‑Mine (LOM) plans, studies, and operational decision‑making. Develop and maintain geomechanical models, domains, and design parameters. Integrate geomechanical, geological, structural, seismic, hydrogeological, and mine planning data to deliver safe, practical mine designs. Provide geomechanics input to mining method selection, excavation and slope design, sequencing, and layout optimization. Assess geomechanical and seismic risks and define mitigation measures to protect safety and production in compliance with company standards, regulatory requirements, and industry best practices. Collaborate with Technical Services, Planning, Geology, Hydrogeology, and Operations to address slope stability, ground control, and seismic hazards. Support the development and implementation of Ground Control Management Plans, Seismic Risk Management Plans, and Trigger Action Response Plans (TARPs). Participate in geotechnical investigations, audits, and reviews. Define geotechnical monitoring strategies, oversee installation and performance of monitoring systems, and interpret monitoring data to proactively manage stability risks. Prepare clear technical reports and presentations to communicate findings to operational teams and senior stakeholders. Mentor and support the development of geomechanics and geotechnical staff. Provide operational and on‑call technical support as required. About You Education: The ideal candidate will possess a bachelor degree in Geotechnical, Geomechanics, Mining/Rock Engineering, or related field. Must be either registered or eligible to register as a Professional Engineer (P.Eng.) in Canada. Experience: 5-7 years of minimum work experience (4+ post P.Eng.) in relevant geotechnical fields. Skills: Strong experience with numerical modelling tools (e.g., FLAC3D, 3DEC, Rocscience Suite, Map3D) applied to mining geomechanics, programming and scripting rel