Chief Geologist
$140,000–$150,000 year
On-site · Sahuarita, Arizona, United States
Job Summary
Chief Geologist leads mine-site geological activities for a high-tonnage open-pit copper operation, focusing on ore control, geometallurgical domaining, QAQC, data governance, and timely geological inputs to mine planning. Collaborates with Corporate Technical Team, Mine Engineering, Metallurgy, Geotechnical, and Hydrogeology; supervises geology and ore-control teams; manages drilling programs, resource expansion concepts, and safety/environmental performance; develops and delivers technical memos and training materials; ensures regulatory and reporting standards compliance.
Required Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in Geology or Geological Engineering required; MS in Economic Geology preferred
- Minimum 8 years in open-pit mine geology for copper operations (grade control, modeling, reconciliation); 10+ years and prior team leadership preferred
- Deep understanding of porphyry-skarn copper systems, including hypogene/supergene processes, oxide–transition–sulfide behavior, and geometallurgical implications for flotation
- Proficiency in Leapfrog Geo and geological modeling best practices; experience integrating mapping and drill data; competency with acQuire, Hexagon MinePlan/MineSight or similar, and ArcGIS/QGIS; familiarity with analytics/visualization
- Demonstrated success in QAQC program design and execution, resource classification, and compliance reporting standards
- Proven leadership, team development, contractor management, and cross-functional collaboration with Operations, Planning, Metallurgy, Geotechnical, and Hydrogeology
- Excellent technical writing and presentation skills; ability to prioritize, manage multiple workstreams, and deliver to deadlines
- Valid driver’s license; ability to work safely in pit conditions and lead by example in the field
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