Lead Ventilation Engineer

The Lead Ventilation Engineer is responsible for the technical leadership, engineering delivery, quality assurance and development of Mventech's mine ventilation engineering capability.

The role provides specialist expertise across mine ventilation, refrigeration, cooling, occupational environmental engineering and associated infrastructure for mining technical studies, optimisation projects and project execution. The Lead Ventilation Engineer is accountable for ensuring that ventilation engineering deliverables are technically sound, fit for purpose, compliant with applicable legislation and standards, appropriately integrated with other engineering disciplines, and delivered in accordance with project requirements.

The role requires a combination of strong technical expertise, practical mining understanding, engineering judgement, client engagement capability and leadership of multidisciplinary interfaces.

1. Key responsibilities:

1.1 Technical Leadership

• Provide technical leadership and specialist expertise in mine ventilation, refrigeration, cooling and occupational environmental engineering.
• Establish and maintain Mventech's technical standards, methodologies, calculation procedures, design criteria, templates and quality requirements for ventilation engineering.
• Act as the technical authority for ventilation engineering deliverables and provide guidance to engineers, technologists, technicians and other project team members.
• Identify and evaluate technically appropriate, practical and cost-effective solutions for complex mining ventilation and cooling challenges.
• Remain current with developments in mine ventilation technology, simulation methods, legislation, industry standards and engineering best practice.

1.2 Technical Studies and Consulting

Lead the ventilation engineering scope for concept, scoping, pre-feasibility, feasibility and optimisation studies.

Develop ventilation design criteria, philosophies, strategies and life-of-mine ventilation plans.

Undertake and oversee:

• Mine ventilation network modelling and simulation.
• Life-of-mine airflow and ventilation planning.
• Primary, secondary and auxiliary ventilation system design.
• Main surface and underground fan selection and application.
• Ventilation-on-demand and ventilation control strategies.
• Mine refrigeration and cooling requirements assessments.
• Heat load and thermal environment calculations.
• Air cooling power and refrigeration duty calculations.
• Underground refrigeration and bulk air cooling system studies.
• Diesel particulate matter and contaminant dilution calculations.
• Gas, dust and occupational environmental assessments.
• Ventilation surveys, audits and system optimisation.
• Ventilation infrastructure capacity assessments.
• Trade-off studies and option selection.
• Capital and operating cost input development.
• Technical risk assessments and design reviews.

Define appropriate engineering maturity and level of detail for each study phase and ensure that ventilation engineering outputs support the required confidence level for project decision-making and cost estimation.

1.3 Engineering and Project Execution

Lead the ventilation discipline during detailed engineering, EPCM and project execution phases.

Develop and review:

• Design criteria and design basis documents.
• Engineering calculations and technical reports.
• Equipment specifications and datasheets.
• Scope of work documents.
• Technical bid evaluations.
• Equipment selection recommendations.
• Design drawings and layouts.
• Control philosophies.
• Commissioning requirements and procedures.
• Operating philosophies and technical documentation.

Provide technical support during procurement, fabrication, construction, installation, commissioning and performance testing.

Review vendor documentation and ensure equipment and systems comply with project specifications and performance requirements.

Participate in design reviews, constructability reviews, HAZOPs, risk assessments and technical workshops as required.

1.4 Client and Stakeholder Engagement

• Act as Mventech's senior technical representative for ventilation engineering matters.
• Engage directly with clients, mine management, technical specialists, OEMs, contractors and regulatory…