Role Title:Chief Geotechnical and Hydrogeology Engineer
Reports to:Senior Manager of Technical Services
Location:Helvetia, AZ
Mission:To create sustainable value and strong returns by leveraging our core strengths in community relations, focused exploration, mine development and efficient operations.
Purpose of Role:The United States Business Unit seeks a Chief Geotechnical and Hydrogeology Engineer to lead and support our Copper World and Mason projects. Reporting to the Senior Manager of Technical Services, the Chief Geotechnical and Hydrogeology Engineer will lead the project's combined geotechnical and hydrogeological initiatives as we transition from feasibility-level studies to detailed engineering and operations. The position will oversee advanced conceptual and numerical modeling, mine water management, structural designs, and field data acquisition while collaborating closely with our geological and mine planning teams.
ROLE ACCOUNTABILITIES:Strategic Project Leadership- Program Leadership: Lead and direct all geotechnical and hydrogeological programs across the USBU (Copper World and Mason projects).
- Modeling & Cover Systems: Work with internal teams and external experts to develop conceptual site models, analytical and numerical models of unsaturated and saturated groundwater flow, and design evapotranspiration cover systems.
- Water Management: Develop and oversee mine water management approaches, including water budgets, mine dewatering strategies, waste-material impoundments, and groundwater containment/mitigation.
- Drill & Contractor Coordination: Manage and coordinate drill planning (e.g., Sonic holes, pumping wells, condemnation holes), contractor relations, and RFP creation (including proposals for VWP installations).
- Structural Support: Provide support in the design of geotechnical works, soil structures, and civil structures, including foundation and pile design.
- QA/QC & Data Collection: Master internal logging data collection procedures to train staff and conduct QA/QC on work completed by external consultants.
- Testing & Instrumentation: Review and oversee advanced borehole testing (packer, airlift, pump, and injection tests) and geotechnical instrumentation.
- Budgeting & Capital Projects: Develop budgets for supervised areas, ensure adherence to budgets, oversee large capital projects, and manage external consultants and contractors.
- Stakeholder Interfacing: Attend meetings and interface seamlessly with clients, agencies, external consultants, contractors, sub-contractors, and/or vendors to deliver safe, responsible, and innovative solutions.
- Safety Compliance: Complete workplace examinations to identify safety hazards and ensure all field investigations are conducted safely.
- Team Development: Supervise and mentor junior/mid-level staff members and technicians, supporting the hiring and development of new talent in a positive, team-oriented environment.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS AND EDUCATION:- Education: Bachelor's or Master's degree (M.S. preferred) in Hydrogeology, Geology, Geochemistry, Mining, Civil, or Geotechnical engineering.
- Experience: A minimum of 12 years of work experience in mining, consulting, and regulatory environments.
- Technical Skills: Expertise in saturated flow modeling using MODFLOW and/or FEFLOW, and strong expertise in Water Balance. Exposure to geotechnical software (Slide, MinePlan, etc.) and advanced MS Office skills.
- Licenses & Certifications: Licensed professional engineer or geologist (PG or PE) in Arizona or Nevada, or the ability to work towards registration. Must possess a valid driver's license.
- Communication & Collaboration: Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to confidently communicate at all levels within the company and prepare complex technical reports. Ability to work effectively, with limited supervision, with a diverse group of professionals in a collaborative working environment.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:- Previous direct experience at an open-pit mine site is highly preferred.
- Knowledge of budget and cost management.
- Experience in marketing and preparing proposals and presentations.
- Ability to perform in a dynamic and fast-paced mining environment with strong problem-solving skills for timely, data-driven decisions.
NOTE: This job description is not intended to be all-inclusive. Employees may perform other related duties as needed to meet the ongoing needs of the organization.
Other Requirements:Employee must be able to prove that they have a current and valid driver's license.
- At Hudbay, our values of Dignity & Respect, Caring, Openness, andTrustworthiness are embedded into our culture by the way we work and how we interact with one another.
- We pride ourselves in providing our employees with competitive total rewards that include:
- Annual performance bonuses
- Affordable medical, dental and vision benefits for you and your family.
- Company paid Life insurance, AD&D, Short- & Long-term Disability.
- 401(k) plan with employer contribution/match
- An Employee Share Purchase Plan with contribution matching
- Employee Assistance Program
- Paid time off, paid sick time and holiday pay.
- Regular performance appraisals to acknowledge our employees for their contributions, strengths and work well done.
