Job title: Drilling Specialist

Location: [Company location]

Reports to: [Drilling Superintendent or Mine Manager]

Employment type: [Full-time, rotating roster or fly-in fly-out (FIFO)]

Job summary:

We're looking for a Drilling Specialist to plan and oversee [exploration, production, or blasthole] drilling at our [mine or quarry]. You'll design drill programs, manage drilling contractors, track performance, and keep every rig working safely. The right person knows drilling methods and equipment well and is comfortable leading work in the field.

Drilling specialists affect safety, cost, and the quality of data and ore the operation depends on. Well-run drilling keeps programs on schedule, controls drilling costs, and gives geology and production teams reliable results.

Key responsibilities:

• Plan drill programs, including hole locations, depths, angles, and methods, such as diamond core, reverse circulation (RC), or blasthole drilling.
• Design drill and blast patterns with the blasting and engineering teams, using tools such as Orica SHOTPlus or Maptek BlastLogic.
• Supervise drilling contractors and crews, and check that work meets the agreed scope and quality standards.
• Monitor drilling performance, such as penetration rate, meters drilled, bit life, and downtime, and act on problems.
• Run downhole surveys and check hole accuracy against the plan.
• Manage drilling budgets, contractor invoices, and consumables.
• Inspect rigs and work areas and enforce safe work practices under MSHA regulations [or the Mines Regulations 2014 or Quarries Regulations 1999 (UK), state mine safety laws (AU), or the Mines Act 1952 and DGMS rules (India)].
• Control dust, noise, water, and drilling fluids in line with site environmental permits.
• Work with geologists and engineers on sampling, core handling, and drill data quality.
• Prepare daily and weekly drilling reports for the site leadership team.

• Bachelor's degree in Mining Engineering, Geological Engineering, or a related field, or equivalent drilling experience.
• [X]+ years of drilling experience in mining, quarrying, or exploration.
• Hands-on knowledge of drilling methods, rigs, bits, and downhole tools.
• Current MSHA Part 46 or Part 48 miner training [or the site induction and competency training required by local mine safety law].
• Experience managing drilling contractors and budgets.
• Willingness to work at remote sites on a [roster, such as 2 weeks on and 1 week off].

• Technical problem-solving.
• Safety leadership.
• Contractor management.
• Data analysis.
• Clear reporting.
• Decision-making in the field.

• Professional Engineer (PE) license [or Chartered Engineer (CEng) status (UK), RPEQ or CPEng registration (AU), or Chartered Engineer status through the Institution of Engineers (India)].
• Experience with directional drilling or drill automation systems.
• Experience with mine planning software, such as Deswik or Vulcan.

• [Health, dental, and vision insurance, or private medical cover]
• [Retirement plan, such as a 401(k), pension, or superannuation]
• [Paid time off and holidays]
• [Fly-in fly-out (FIFO) travel and site accommodation]
• [Remote site allowance]
• [Salary range]