Senior Drilling Engineer

Senior Drilling Engineer About the Company The mining industry has steadily become worse at finding new ore deposits, requiring >10X more capital to make discoveries compared to 30 years ago. The easy-to-find, near-surface deposits have largely been found, and the industry has chronically under-invested in new exploration technology, relying on the manual techniques of yesteryear — even as demand accelerates for copper, lithium, and other metals to build electric vehicles, renewable energy, and data centers. KoBold builds AI models for mineral exploration and deploys those models — alongside our novel sensors — to guide decisions on KoBold-owned-and-operated exploration programs. In the six years since founding, KoBold has become by far both the largest independent mineral exploration company and the largest exploration technology developer. Our data scientists and software engineers, who come from leading technology companies, jointly lead exploration programs with our renowned exploration geologists. KoBold has proven its first discovery with materially less capital than the industry average and found one of the best copper deposits ever discovered: the copper is far more concentrated than the global average of copper mines, and this asset alone is expected to generate meaningful revenue for decades. KoBold has a portfolio of more than 60 other projects, each of which has the potential for another high-quality discovery. KoBold is privately held; investors include institutional asset managers T. Rowe Price and Canada Pension Plan Investments; technology venture capitalists Andreessen Horowitz, Breakthrough Energy Ventures, BOND Capital, Durable Capital, StepStone, and Standard Investments; and natural resources companies Equinor, BHP, and Mitsubishi. About the Role: In the role of Senior Drilling Engineer, you will design, plan, and provide technical oversight of drilling programs across KoBold’s global exploration portfolio. You will work closely with our science teams to translate exploration objectives into hole designs, drilling programs, and operational plans that deliver safe, high-quality data collection at optimal cost. You will report to the Vice President Field Operations and collaborate daily with Geologists, Data Scientists, Field Operations, Drilling, HSE, and other functions. Your primary responsibility will be to serve as the technical lead for drilling engineering on multiple concurrent projects across diverse geographies and commodities. Responsibilities Design and Plan Lead hole design, drilling method selection, and rig specification for complex exploration drilling programs including diamond core, sonic, reverse circulation and air core programs Develop comprehensive drilling execution plans: scope, cost estimates, schedules, risk assessments, and procurement strategies Complete detailed engineering design to inform the development of drilling programs for various hole types including casing design, torque and drag analysis, directional drilling design, mud system design. Complete detailed root cause analysis on all downhole failures with a particular focus on rod string and thread failures, stuck in hole, wireline failures and the correlation to dogleg severity, hole trajectory, and adherence to good drilling practices. Collaborate with KoBold’s science teams to translate exploration hypotheses and data collection objectives into executable drilling programs and AFEs Lead procurement processes from RFP development through bid evaluation and contractor selection, including assessment of contractor safety management plans and technical capability Contribute to data collection planning during all phases of the Exploration Project Lifecycle Generate creative drilling solutions that improve efficiency, data quality, or safety beyond conventional approaches Mentor 2 junior drilling engineers to develop skills related to all aspects noted above Execute Provide technical oversight of drilling operations across multiple concurrent programs, ensuring adherence to hole design, safety standards, and data collection objectives Use advanced hole design and analysis software tools to conduct analyses and develop recommendations during active programs Manage and direct contractor performance, providing technical guidance, feedback, and improvement recommendations Track and forecast production rates, costs, and resource requirements; synthesize complex operational scenarios with benefits and risks for leadership review Ensure drilling safety and value engineering principles are applied throughout program execution Identify and resolve complex multivariable drilling problems using independent judgment and technical expertise Mentor 2 junior drilling engineers to develop skills related to all aspects noted above Close Lead post-program reviews and lessons learned to drive continuous improvement in drilling operations Contribute to the development of KoBold’s drilling engineering standards and best practices Mentor 2 junior drilling engineers to develop skills related to all aspects noted above Compliance and Stakeholder Engagement Ensure drilling programs comply with applicable regulatory, environmental, and permitting requirements across multiple jurisdictions Ensure execution is conducted within applicable permitting processes, land access agreements, community relations obligations, third-party agreements, and any joint venture requirements Represent KoBold to drilling contractors, regulatory bodies, and external partners with professionalism and sound judgment Qualifications Undergraduate or Masters degree in Mechanical, Petroleum, Civil, Geological or Electrical with 7+ years of progressive experience in drilling engineering for oil and gas and/or mineral exploration Fully competent in all standard drilling techniques and procedures, with advanced knowledge of diamond core drilling operations acro