Sr. Long Term Planning Engineer

Sr. Long Term Planning Engineer

The Senior Long Term Planning Engineer is responsible for defining the strategic direction and long-term economic value of the mining operation. This role develops and maintains the Life-of-Mine (LOM) plan, conducts pit/phase optimizations, and performs trade-off studies that guide major capital investments and operational strategy.

This role will be located at the Copper World Project, approximately 45 minutes southwest of Tucson near Sahuarita, Arizona.

Role Accountabilities:

• Strategic Mine Planning & Design
• Life-of-Mine (LOM) Plan Development:
  Develop, maintain, and update the comprehensive LOM plan based on the latest resource models, cost data, and geotechnical/regulatory and operational constraints.
• Economic Optimization:
  Conduct ultimate pit limit optimizations, pushback designs, and phase sequencing using strategic planning tools (e.g., Whittle, NPV Scheduler) to maximize Net Present Value (NPV) of the project.
• Design & Layout:
  Design long-term mine infrastructure, including ultimate pit limits, waste storage facilities, stockpiles, haul roads, and primary crushing/material handling sequencing.
• Long-Term Mine Scheduling:
  Build and validate long-term (5-year and LOM) mine schedules, defining the annual movement of ore and waste and the progression of mining phases.
• Mineral Reserves:
  Perform annual Reserve/Resource estimation and reporting.
• Safety and Compliance:
  Prioritizes safety in mine plans and mine designs ensuring that all work supports safe operations, adhering to all relevant safety protocols and regulations.
• Cost Modeling:
  Develop and maintain detailed long-range cost models, incorporating capital expenditures (Cap Ex) for equipment and infrastructure, and operating expenditures (OpEx) for drill/blast, loading/haulage, and processing.
• Scenario & Trade-Off Analysis:
  Conduct in-depth economic trade-off studies (e.g., cut-off grade optimization, stockpiling strategies, pit expansion timing) using Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) modeling to support business decisions.
• Budget Support:
  Translate the long-term strategic models into the foundation for actionable 5-year plans and support the annual budgeting and rolling forecast updates.
• Technical Integration Compliance
• Cross-Functional Collaboration:
  
  Act as a key interface between Geology, Geotechnical Engineering, Hydrogeology, Processing, Environmental and Finance to ensure all technical and cost inputs are integrated and aligned within the strategic plan.
• Geotechnical & Hydrological Integration:
  Incorporate slope stability parameters, dewatering requirements, and other critical technical constraints into mine designs to ensure safety and practicality.
• Reporting & Compliance:
  Prepare technical documentation for Reserve Reporting (e.g., 43-101), permitting, and business case presentations for senior management and stakeholders.
• Reconciliation:
  Support the reconciliation process by comparing actual performance to the long-term plan, identifying variances, and updating the plan accordingly

Minimum Qualifications and

Education:

• Bachelor's degree: A bachelor's degree in Mining Engineering is required. A post-graduate degree is considered a strong asset.
• Experience:
  
  7-10+ years of proven experience in mine engineering in open pit operations, of which at least 2+ years as a short/medium term mine planning experience and 3+ years in long term mine planning, preferably in a similar operation.
• Mine Planning Software Procifiency:
  Expert-level knowledge of specialized mine planning and optimization software (e.g., Whittle, Hexagon Mine Plan 3D/MPSO, Deswik Go).
• Optimization Principles:
  Strong theoretical and practical knowledge of open pit mine optimization principles, NPV modeling, and strategic mine design.
• Financial Acumen:
  Competency in financial modelling and economic analysis, including DCF valuation and cost-benefit analysis.

Other Requirements:

Physical – The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to perform the essential functions of this job successfully. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While…