Senior Long Term Planning Engineer

Tucson, United States | Posted on 08/13/2026

Our client is looking for a Senior Long Term Planning Engineer who will be 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. Role accountabilities include:

• Strategic and Long Range Mine Planning & Mine 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

• 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 Proficiency:
  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.