Lead Geotechnical Engineer

The Lead Geotechnical Engineer at Donlin Gold will be responsible for projects involving dams and hydraulic structures, with additional support for ports, transportation infrastructure, mining, and environmental projects. The role will emphasize dam safety, ensuring compliance with regulatory standards and best practices in geotechnical engineering.

• Handling relevant assignments by coordinating with the professionals and technical teams allocated to the project.
• Preparing and drafting technical reports and calculation notes for a variety of projects including geotechnical investigations, dam safety studies, post‑construction behavior studies and monitoring, slope stability, and geotechnical consulting services.
• Carrying out feasibility and preliminary design studies, detailed studies, geotechnical design, plans and quotes, and providing technical support throughout the works.
• Conducting geotechnical assessments focused on dam safety, including stability analyses, seepage assessments, and foundation evaluations.
• Ensuring regulatory compliance and adherence to dam safety standards and guidelines.
• Leading dam safety review processes and contributing to risk assessments.
• Providing technical leadership and mentorship to junior engineers and technical staff.
• Supervising contractors, engineers, and technicians.
• Interpreting and analyzing geotechnical data to establish engineering properties of materials and foundation recommendations.
• Completing geotechnical engineering analyses including seepage, slope stability, bearing capacity, settlement, and rotational stiffness.
• Interacting with an independent technical review board.

• Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering, specializing in Geotechnical Engineering, with a preferred Master’s degree in Geotechnical Engineering.
• Minimum of 15 years of relevant experience with dam safety evaluations, geotechnical risk assessments, and foundation analysis for hydraulic structures.
• PE or eligible.

• Broad knowledge of and experience with civil engineering and design codes, standards, guidelines, and best practices to complete complex dam evaluation, design, and construction projects.
• Experience with established dam safety programs including Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) Part 12 requirements (engineering guidelines, supporting technical information documents (STIDs), probable maximum precipitation (PMP)/probable maximum flood (PMF), emergency action plans (EAPs), potential failure modes analyses (PFMAs), dam safety surveillance monitoring plans (DSSMPs), Owner’s Dam Safety Program (ODSP), risk‑informed decision making (RIDM), etc.) and similar programs for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Bureau of Land Management, and Federal Emergency Management Agency.
• Facilitation experience with PFMAs/failure modes and effects analyses (FMEAs).
• Experience in tailings and water dam safety assessments and compliance with regulatory requirements.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office and Geo Studio software.
• Experience with fleet management systems (Dispatch, Mine Star, etc.).

• Proven leadership and problem‑solving capabilities.
• Excellent interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to work collaboratively and lead across functional and project departments.