Group Principal Tailings Engineer

Overview

Join to apply for the Group Principal Tailings Engineer role at FQM Zambia.

At First Quantum, we free the talent of our people by taking a very different approach which is underpinned by a very different, very definite culture – the "First Quantum Way".

Working with us is not like working anywhere else, which is why we recruit people who will take a bolder, smarter approach to spot opportunities, solve problems and deliver results.

Our culture is all about encouraging you to think independently and to challenge convention to deliver the best result.

This is an exciting opportunity to make a real difference in our ongoing pursuit of safe, efficient and environmentally responsible management of tailings and water dams.

Job Description

Reporting to the TMF & Water Dams Group Engineer and as a part of FQM Corporate Tailings, the Group Principal Tailings Engineer will be a Certified Professional Engineer involved in the effective life cycle stewardship of First Quantum Mineral's (FQM) tailings and water dams, including planning for closure.

The role will focus on advising and assisting mine site leadership and site teams to achieve the objectives of the Tailings and Dams Management System (TDMS).

To be successful in this role, we require a self-motivated individual with strong technical, interpersonal and communication skills, who can collaborate and excel within a decentralised technical team and can demonstrate the ability to promote and influence best practice at site level.

Whilst primarily focused on our Zambia mine site tailings and water dams, the incumbent will periodically visit our other global sites and offices, building further relationships and broadening their experience and corporate influence toward best practice across FQM.

Key Responsibilities

• Work to continually improve group alignment to ICOLD, GISTM and relevant standards
• Perform a Corporate EoR role for our Zambia TSFs and EoR for our British Columbia closed site
• Pro-actively support site's conformance to the Tailings and Dams Management System
• Provide technical guidance and support on dams and tailings management related issues
• Help to ensure internal reporting from the sites is complete and available
• Engage with mine and project sites on tailings and water dams work scopes, expectations and performance of Engineers of Record and Consultants engaged at site level
• Provide direct support to sites on quality, stewardship, risk assessment and reporting
• Provide SME support to site risk assessments and development of critical controls
• Ensure site operating, maintenance, and surveillance manuals and emergency preparedness and response plans are kept up to date, relevant and effective
• Ensure Designs, Construction Records, Construction vs Design Intent Verification, DSI inspections and TARP processes are in place at the sites, suitably approved, and effective
• Support tailings facility plans development at site level, including mass balances, deposition plans and water balance
• Interact with engineering, environment and processing departments during site visits
• Pro-actively continue your professional development and promote the same for site personnel via the FQM Learning & Development initiatives in tailings and water dams
• Mentor site personnel on dams inspections, monitoring and operations improvement
• Assist sites, as needed, in their interactions and consultations with external entities.

Qualifications

Degree in Civil or Geotechnical Engineering, with relevant Masters and PhD well regarded Registered, or immediately eligible to register and attain, Chartered Professional Engineer (Civil and / or Geotechnical), or equivalent, issued by a recognised industry organisation.

Experience & Technical Skills Required 12+ years of civil / geotechnical engineering experience across planning, design, construction, operations, monitoring of tailings and water dams, with direct site experience highly regarded.

Experience performing an EoR role for TSFs; Demonstrated technical excellence in geotechnical engineering; Understanding of tailings behaviour, technologies, geotechnical investigation methods and analyses, advanced soil mechanics, and surface and subsurface monitoring systems.

Strong computer skills (i.e. Excel, Word, PowerPoint); Proficient in the use of specialised geotechnical software (e.g. GeoStudio, Plaxis, FLAC); Demonstrated Project Management skills; Strong attention to detail and working through issues in a logical, structured manner; TSF inspections experience, including DSR's and DSI's is essential, with water dams well regarded; Understanding of permitting and legislative processes, and a broad knowledge of best practice guidelines from ANCOLD, CDA, ICOLD, MAC, ICMM, GISTM; Ability to influence sound outcomes whilst developing and maintaining strong relationships; Experience working with external specialists, such as EoR, risk engineers and with regulators; Excellent communication, leadership, mentoring, writing, interpersonal, presentation and time management skills.

Other Requirements

Candidates must have the right to work in the applicable region without visa sponsorship; can travel to FQM mine and project sites globally – approximately 25% international travel; fluent in the spoken and written English language, with Spanish additional and well regarded; comfortable working and driving manual transmission 4WD light vehicles in a variety of environments, including left and right hand drive, rural, mine site, construction and remote sites.

Core Values & Behavioural Profile

We work Bolder, Smarter, Driven, Together.

These 4 pillars are the keys to our growth in the past, the success of our present, and the foundations of our continued evolution and improvement into the future.

BOLDER Comfortable in an atmosphere where freedom, flexibility and challenging convention is ingrained into the culture

DRIVEN Versatile and thrives in a challenging environment.

Strong ability to navigate complexity, operate with minimal bureaucracy and act strategically; highly flexible and adaptable to fast changing priorities

SMARTER Ability to exercise sound judgment, take initiative and work with minimal supervision; promotes a continuous improvement mind-set and challenges self and others to identify and implement opportunities for improvement; ability to see the big picture and take an objective view

DRIVEN Focused, detail oriented, well organised and an efficient self-starter; aspire for excellence, setting high standards and taking accountability for performance; thrives in high pressure, demanding, deadline-driven environment

TOGETHER Calm, confident and collaborative with an approachable, professional demeanour; willingness to perform work scope outside of the core responsibilities of the role; strong influencing and decision-making capability; exceptional interpersonal skills.

Ability to develop and sustain relationships and trust with business and functions at all levels and in a range of cultures; ability to work with both internal and external stakeholders with diverse external background.

Robust character able to manage difficult individuals with tact and professionalism; high level of personal credibility and strong adherence to the highest ethical standards.

Additional Information

First Quantum Benefits : A dynamic, challenging and extraordinary working environment where safety is a number one priority; opportunity to develop within a growing company that is currently one of the world's top 10 copper producers; highly competitive base compensation & financial incentives (discretionary bonuses & long-term share plan); leave options aligned with local market best practice; performance over presence culture & flexible working environment as per business requirements; diversity & inclusion : at FQM, while at the beginning of our D&I journey, we are committed to embedding the principles of diversity and inclusion into our culture, company and practices with the aim of ensuring an environment of equity irrespective of race, gender, age, religion, identity or experience.

Office or Operation's Location

Johannesburg (Flexible working '3 office days & 2 WFH days').

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