Senior Underground Geotechnical Engineer

About the role

The Senior Underground Geotechnical Engineer will provide owner‑side technical governance for all underground geotechnical and ground control activities at Sabodala Underground. The role ensures safe excavation design, effective ground support, and compliance with the Underground Ground Control Management Plan and international best practice, supporting long‑hole open stoping operations with cemented rockfill.

Key responsibilities

• Develop, implement and maintain the Underground Ground Control Management Plan (GCMP).
• Establish and maintain geotechnical standards, procedures and QA/QC frameworks for underground operations.
• Act as the Owner’s technical authority for underground geotechnical matters, reviewing and approving contractor methodologies and designs.
• Oversee underground geotechnical mapping, core logging and rock‑mass classification (RMR, Q‑system, GSI).
• Develop and maintain 3D geotechnical and rock‑mass models to support mine design and planning.
• Collect hydrological data and periodically update groundwater models.
• Maintain an in‑situ stress database to predict rockburst, spalling risk and pillar instabilities.
• Perform stability analyses for declines, development headings, stopes and pillars using software such as RS2, RS3, Unwedge and the Rocscience suite.
• Provide geotechnical input into long‑hole open stoping design, sequencing and extraction strategy.
• Assess dilution risks and ground behaviour associated with stope geometry and sequencing.
• Review cavity monitoring results and reconcile performance against design assumptions.
• Evaluate the interaction between cemented rockfill (CRF) and excavation stability.
• Establish and manage underground geotechnical monitoring systems (extensometers, convergence monitoring, stress cells, instrumentation).
• Analyse monitoring data and issue proactive recommendations to operations.
• Develop and maintain Trigger Action Response Plans (TARPs) for geotechnical hazards.
• Identify and manage risks including rockfalls, stress‑induced instability, seismicity and ground squeezing.

Required profile

• Senior‑level experience in underground geotechnical engineering.
• Proven ability to provide technical governance and act as a technical authority for geotechnical matters.
• Experience with ground control management plans and long‑hole open stoping with cemented rockfill.

Required skills

• Rock‑mass classification methods (RMR, Q‑system, GSI).
• 3D geotechnical modelling.
• Groundwater modelling.
• In‑situ stress analysis.
• Stability analysis software (RS2, RS3, Unwedge, Rocscience suite).
• Geotechnical monitoring instrumentation (extensometers, convergence monitoring, stress cells).
• Development of Trigger Action Response Plans (TARPs).