Lead Resource Geologist

Mariana Minerals•Houston, TX

About The Position

Mariana Minerals is seeking a Lead Resource Geologist to support resource development, mine geology, and technical studies across open pit and underground mining projects. This role will contribute directly to geological interpretation, resource modeling, and grade control inputs that underpin mine planning, engineering, and economic evaluation. In this role, you will work closely with mine planning, mining engineering, and operations teams to ensure geological models are technically sound, practical, and aligned with mining realities. You will apply hands-on experience in nickel and copper systems to support resource growth, model refinement, and operational decision-making across multiple stages of project development. This role is ideal for a geologist with solid field, modeling, and operational experience who wants to demonstrate technical excellence and impact in a fast-moving, project-driven environment.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Geology, Geological Engineering, or a related field (Master’s preferred)
10+ years of progressive experience in mine and/or resource geology
Demonstrated experience supporting both open pit and underground mining operations
Direct experience with nickel and copper mineral systems
Strong applied geostatistical and mineral resource estimation experience, including domaining, variography, classification, and reporting
Proficiency with geological modeling and estimation software (e.g., Leapfrog, Datamine, Vulcan, Micromine)
Strong understanding of geological controls on mineralization and their implications for mining
Ability to communicate geological concepts clearly to non-geologists
Willingness to work across office and site environments as needed
Professional Geologist (P.Geo or equivalent), or eligibility
Demonstrated leadership of mineral resource estimates under reporting codes (e.g. NI43-101, JORC)
Experience in greenfield or brownfield exploration programs tied to active mines

Responsibilities

Own geological and mineral resource model governance, including assumptions, documentation, uncertainty, and technical defensibility
Build, update, and maintain geological and resource models supporting open pit and underground mine designs and economic evaluation
Interpret lithology, structure, alteration, and mineralization using drilling, mapping, and sampling data
Define and apply domain-based modeling approaches and geostatistical methods appropriate for Ni and Cu deposit types
Provide geological inputs to mine planning and scheduling, including ore/waste boundaries, grade trends, and structural controls
Support grade control strategies and short-term geological models in both open pit and underground environments
Drive near-mine resource growth through targeting, drill prioritization, and model-driven exploration
Provide geological inputs to reserve conversion, including modifying factors, dilution assumptions, and model validation
Work closely with mine planners, mining engineers, and geotechnical teams to ensure geological models are fit-for-purpose
Translate geological uncertainty and risk into clear inputs for planning and engineering trade-off decisions
Support technical study work across conceptual, PEA, PFS, and FS stages
Ensure high standards for geological data quality, QA/QC, and documentation
Review and validate drilling, sampling, and assay data prior to model incorporation
Maintain clear assumptions and traceability in all geological deliverables
Ensure geological and resource work complies with applicable reporting codes (e.g. JORC, NI 43-101, CRIRSCO-aligned standards)
Define geological objectives, data requirements, and standards for drilling, logging, and sampling, and provide geological oversight of field execution
Undertake or review field mapping, underground mapping, and face mapping as required
Support or lead reconciliation of geological and resource models against production data