Chief Engineer - Tailings Technology

Freeport-McMoRan • Phoenix, AZ

116d • $116,000 - $162,500

About The Position

Supervise, provide guidance, mentorship, leadership and technical expertise; organize resources, and evaluate performance of tailings facilities relative to established systems. Manage projects/tasks and/or participate in desktop studies, lab testing oversight, and field execution supervision activities of a newly formed team dedicated to developing Alternative Tailings Technologies projects. Project studies may lead to highly thickened / paste tailings storage, filtered and stacked tailings, and comingled tailings and waste storage facilities. As a civil engineering (or similar discipline) subject matter expert, specific activities may include data collection, interpretation, analysis, problem solving, facility design, forecasting and reporting in office, lab and field, inclusive of geotechnical, water resources, general civil engineering aspects, cost estimating, and in collaboration with team members and vendors. Work may also include continuously improving the framework for sustaining stewardship, stability, and risk management for FCX tailings storage facilities. Serve as resource for Geotechnical and Hydrological information and analysis. This position will act under limited supervision as a core team member.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering or related Engineering discipline from an accredited curriculum and seven (7) years of experience in an applicable field of expertise; OR Master’s degree in Civil Engineering or related Engineering discipline from an accredited curriculum and five (5) years of experience in an applicable field of expertise.
• Knowledge in the principles and practices of Civil, Geologic, Geotechnical, or Hydrologic Engineering or a related field of Engineering.
• Able to demonstrate technical competence through design and/or operations experience in at least one of the following work areas: tailings storage facilities, crushed leach facilities, water dams, process water balance, and/or slurry transport.
• Proficient in MS Office and other engineering tools (CAD, analytical, mapping).
• Ability to communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing in English to a diversely educated audience.
• Present a positive, professional image.
• Self-motivated, energetic, able to execute, and client-service oriented.
• Be able to prioritize tasks and work well under pressure.
• Ability to develop and maintain awareness of occupational hazards and safety of yourself and others.
• Skilled in following safety practices and recognizing hazards.

Nice To Haves

• Master’s degree in Civil Engineering with Geotechnical or Water Engineering specialization.
• Experience with alternative tailings technologies design, construction, and/or operation: highly thickened / paste tailings storage, crushed rock and mixed material storage, and/or filtered tailings stack storage.
• Professional Engineer (PE) or equivalent relevant certification.
• Experience with metal mining operations, especially with tailings storage facility (dam), water dams and/or crushed leach stockpile design and operations.
• Experience with slurry transport analysis and design.
• Experience with cost estimating for civil projects, project scheduling and project controls.
• Project management experience including scope management and development, budgeting, budget tracking, scheduling, schedule tracking, and reporting.
• Able to research and analyze information and draw valid conclusions.
• Able to evaluate and implement new methods and techniques in design projects and operational support.
• Experience with geotechnical slope stability instrumentation and monitoring programs, data management, and analysis.
• Experience reviewing and editing geotechnical engineering reports and documents for a variety of applications.
• Engineering experience in geotechnical analyses including field investigations, lab testing, soil characterization, slope stability, seismic analysis.
• Experience in surface water hydrology, hydraulics, and groundwater hydrology in addition to geotechnical experience.
• Experience with slurry transport analysis and design.
• Superior interpersonal as well as written and oral communication skills with diverse teams of technical and non-technical staff.
• Skilled in related Engineering software (AutoCAD/Civil 3D, ArcGIS, GoldSim), programming languages.
• Fluency in Spanish language.
• Ability and willingness to travel domestic / international.
• Ability and willingness to travel at least five (5) weeks for every quarter.

Responsibilities

• Supervise, provide guidance and participate in activities to maintain performance of tailings storage facilities through inspection, measurement, data management, interpretation, analysis, coordination, problem solving and reporting.
• Review, improve, and apply tailings and water management systems and associated procedures for assigned facilities to achieve good practice.
• Provide guidance and instruction to multidisciplinary teams; assign tasks as necessary.
• Review reports for design and operations projects and provide recommendations to site team and to project consultants.
• Facilitate interaction with other functional areas/disciplines.
• Collaborate with relevant corporate and site engineering teams as well as consultants and vendor partners to apply known technology from smaller scale or different applications or newly developed technologies to dewatering and storing hard rock tailings at large-scale in a geotechnically stable and responsible manner.
• Serve as point of contact with corporate engineers and management, including tracking all recommendations, ensuring compliance with those recommendations, reporting actions regularly, as well as communicate accurate, timely and relevant geotechnical information to the Site management team.
• Supervise or may serve as Project Manager or technical expert on large/complex site planning/construction, expansion or modifications for tailings storage facilities and associated processing and material handling equipment.
• Contribute to project and/or annual operational and sustaining capital budget preparation by supplying costs and recommendations.
• Manage appropriate budgets for consulting and other services such as drilling and construction contractors.
• Evaluate and implement new methods and techniques for design and operational improvement through benchmarking other designs and operations for continuous improvement opportunities and determine associated value for risk reduction measures.
• Develop and/or review scopes of work, evaluate proposals, draft formalized internal requests for funding, and administer contracts with vendors for the provision of services and equipment as approved and required.
• Responsible for field trial/execution activities as projects progress, including being in a role of Supervisor of front/line and/or technical employees.
• Manage and/or mentor engineers in key practice areas to level of capabilities.
• Perform other duties as required.

Benefits

• Affordable medical, dental and vision benefits.
• Company-paid life and disability insurance.
• 401(k) plan with employer contribution/match.
• Paid time off, paid sick time, holiday pay, parental leave.
• Tuition Assistance.
• Employee Assistance Program.
• Discounted insurance plans for auto, home and pet.
• Internal progression opportunities.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: Bachelor's degree