Senior Water Resources Engineer – Sandfire Motheo

The role is responsible for managing the sitewide water balance including pit dewatering activities, plant water supply, managed aquifer recharge and water supply to external stakeholders.  The role ensures critical dewatering meets predetermined targets for both water supply and slope stability.

Key Performance Areas

• Applies basic knowledge of water rights and legal issues to the management of the site wide water balance. Participates in water stewardship committee, other stakeholder groups and public agency meetings as the subject matter expert.
• Management and optimization of the long-term pit dewatering strategy, including dewatering pumping systems, efficiencies and related piping infrastructure.
• Perform hydrological assessments and oversees ground water and surface water investigations for the operation. Work includes research, compilation, and interpretation of complex hydrological data.
• Development and implementation of slope depressurization strategy.
• Manage and improve ground water monitoring strategy, test results and monitoring data.
• Oversee piezometer well drilling, hydraulic testing and installation of groundwater monitoring instrumentation.
• Provide hydraulic parameters and water level data for refinement of pore pressure models for geotechnical analysis.
• Review dewatering extraction models and recommend necessary model changes/updates.
• Perform pit slope inspections and document seepage locations.
• Oversee special projects, including pump optimization, managed aquifer recharge, and surface water management/distribution systems.
• Manage consultants and contractors and perform technical reviews.

Technical Competencies

• Knowledge of groundwater flow in fractured-controlled hydrogeological conditions.
• Knowledge of the principles and methods used in complex hydrogeological analysis, including groundwater modelling, production borehole siting, design, installation, and pumping system optimization.
• Knowledge and understanding of water rights, issues and water regulations as they apply in the operating region.

Behaviours/Personal Attributes

• Proven leadership skills.
• Experience in managing and developing people.
• Ability to work under time constraints and deadlines.

Qualification & Experience

• BSc Degree in Geological Engineering/Engineering Geology/Hydrology/Civil Engineering.
• M.S. Degree in hydrogeology desired.
• Minimum of 10 Years’ experience in mine dewatering and management of pumping systems.
• Minimum 5 Years’ experience in open pit mining environment.
• International Experience highly regarded.