Engineer, Senior - Drill & Blast - Mine Engineering Services Open Pit (234845)

The New Porgera Limited now has a vacancy for Engineer, Senior - Drill & Blast - Mine Engineering Services Open Pit (234845)

About the role

Reporting to the Superintendent – Open Pit Engineering, the Senior Engineer Drill & Blast Open Pit is responsible for the planning, coordination and optimization of drilling and blasting activities in a open pit mining environment. This role ensures all operations are executed safely, efficiently, and in line with the mine plan, while maximizing dilution and environmental impact.

In this role, you will:

• Design and optimize drill and blast patterns to meet production goals and geotechnical constraints
• Develop short, medium, and long-term blast schedules aligned with mine planning objectives
• Ensure blast designs are suitable for varying rock types, bench heights, and equipment capabilities
• Supervise and provide technical guidance to drill and blast crews
• Monitor and evaluate the performance of drilling and blasting activities, recommending improvements
• Conduct blast audits and post-blast evaluations to analyze fragmentation, vibration, fly rock, and overall performance
• Liaise with mine planning, geology, and operations teams to align blast designs with ore control and slope stability requirements
• Prepare technical reports, daily logs, and KPIs for drill and blast performance.
• Mentor and develop junior engineers and technical staff
• Ensure all drilling and blasting activities comply with local regulations, company policies, and safety standards
• Conduct risk assessments and implement controls for drill and blast operations
• Promote and support a culture of safety and continuous improvement
• Maintain a high level of health and safety awareness and comply with the PJV Occupational Health & Safety Policy and all health and safety rules and procedures

About You

To succeed in this role, the ideal candidate will possess the following qualifications and experience.

• Bachelor's degree in Mining Engineering, Geology, or a related field.
• Minimum of 10 years of experience in open pit mining, with a strong focus on drill and blast engineering.
• Valid blasting certificate or explosive handling license (as required by jurisdiction).
• Proficient in mine design and blasting software (e.g., Vulcan, Surpac, ShotPlus, MineSight, BlastLogic).
• Strong understanding of rock mechanics, fragmentation analysis, and environmental impacts of blasting.
• Demonstrated leadership, communication, and project management skills.

Preferred Skills and Attributes:

• Experience in large-scale open pit operations (e.g., copper, gold, iron ore).
• Familiarity with continuous improvement and cost optimization techniques.
• Ability to work in a remote or fly-in-fly-out (FIFO) environment.

Mobilization Requirement

In return, you will be joining a world-class mining operation with the opportunity to impact the development and upskilling of our predominantly local workforce, combined with a team keen to learn and absorb knowledge. This offers a unique opportunity to further shape the department and improve NPL’s social performance and people knowledge.

You will be joining an operation that values safety and lead a team towards best-in-class safety practices whilst contributing to the development of a highly capable national workforce, making a lasting impact on the industry.

This role is offered on a FIFO basis with a 21/14 roster and a highly competitive remuneration package.

Closing Date: 09^th June, 2025