Geotechnical Engineer

About the company: 

KoBold Metals Zambia is a Zambian-led company exploring for the ore deposits that will become the next generation of new mines in Zambia.

KoBold Metals Zambia is the Zambian affiliate of KoBold Metals, a U.S.-based company exploring around the world for battery metals using proprietary AI to guide exploration decisions. Our business is discovering, defining, expanding, and developing mineral resources, and our objective is to achieve a step-change improvement in exploration success resulting in more tier 1 resources discovered faster, with fewer failures, and with far less exploration capital.

KoBold is privately held and its investors include: institutional asset managers T. Rowe Price and Canada Pension Plan Investments; technology venture capitalists Andreessen Horowitz, Bill Gates’s Breakthrough Energy Ventures, BOND Capital, Standard Investments, and Sam Altman’s Apollo Projects; and leading natural resources companies Equinor, Mitsubishi, and BHP.

KoBold Metals Zambia is building a rapidly growing team of Zambian geologists, operators, and executives to identify, acquire, explore, and develop exploration opportunities and mineral resources drawing upon KoBold’s technology and the expertise of colleagues worldwide.

We are hiring a Geotechnical Engineer to help accelerate our mission.

About the position

The Geotechnical Engineer will be responsible for providing geotechnical expertise to support the safe and efficient design, operation, and monitoring of underground mining activities. This role involves assessing ground conditions, designing support systems, conducting stability analyses, and ensuring compliance with geotechnical standards and mining regulations. The Geotechnical Engineer will report to Lead Geotechnical Engineer and will work closely with mine planning, geology, hydrology, Safety and operations teams to mitigate geotechnical risks and optimize production.

Responsibilities    

Ground Control & Stability

• Conduct rock mass characterization (RMR, Q-System, GSI, RQD) and develop geotechnical models.
• Perform stope, drift, shaft, and pillar stability analyses using empirical methods and numerical modelling (Map3D, FLAC3D).
• Design, specify, and optimize ground support systems (bolts, cable bolts, shotcrete, mesh, etc.).
• Monitor and assess performance of excavations and ground support.

Geotechnical Data Collection & Monitoring

• Log core and map underground exposures to identify structures, discontinuities, and rock mass conditions.
• Install and interpret geotechnical instrumentation (extensometers, stress cells, convergence monitoring, etc.).
• Develop and maintain geotechnical databases and records.
• Monitor Geotechnical compliance on shaft sinking

Mine Planning & Risk Management

• Provide geotechnical input into short-, medium-, and long-term mine designs.
• Conduct risk assessments for potential ground control hazards.
• Advice on excavation sequencing, stope design, and backfill strategies to optimize safety and ore recovery.
• Enforce and manage Ground control Management Plan (GCMP)

Reporting & Compliance

• Prepare technical reports, geotechnical assessments, and recommendations for management and regulators.
• Ensure compliance with statutory mine safety and ground control standards (GCMP).
• Support audits and reviews of geotechnical practices.

Collaboration & Training

• Work with multidisciplinary teams (geology, ventilation, mine planning, operations).
• Train and mentor junior engineers, technicians, and operators on geotechnical awareness and support practices.

Qualifications

A great Geotechnical Engineering candidate will have:

• Bachelor’s degree in Geotechnical Engineering, Mining Engineering, Geological Engineering, or equivalent.
• Professional registration (EIZ) as an Engineer is an advantage.
• 5 years’ experience in underground mining
• Proficiency in geotechnical software (e.g., RocScience suite, Map3D, Leapfrog, Deswik).
• Strong knowledge of rock mechanics, ground support design, and underground excavation stability.
• Good understanding of safety systems and statutory mine regulations.

We are committed to equal employment opportunities for all people.

This position is a full-time contract role.

At this time, we are only accepting applications from Zambian nationals.

Location: Northern Copperbelt (i.e., Chingola or Chililabombwe).

What to Expect

Joining KoBold means getting the opportunity for hands-on exposure to our exploration projects around the world. All employees are expected to travel to project sites, with a minimum of one week per year. Field-facing and technical roles spend significantly more time in the field.