Drill and Blast Engineer

The Company
ArcelorMittal Liberia (AML) is the country’s largest mining company and a key driver of Liberia’s economic growth. With iron ore mines in Nimba County and integrated rail and port infrastructure, AML ranks among the largest mining operations in West Africa. The company is dedicated to sustainable development, local workforce empowerment, and long-term investment, with expansion projects underway to significantly increase production capacity.
 
Join ArcelorMittal Liberia! Be part of a dynamic and innovative team, contribute to Liberia’s growth, and advance your career in a sustainable and impactful mining environment.
The Role
The Drill and Blast Engineer are essential to maintaining uninterrupted technical leadership, driving operational excellence, and supporting the strategic advancement of AML drilling and blasting functions.
The Drill & Blast Engineer is responsible for planning, designing, and optimizing drilling and blasting activities to ensure safe, efficient, and cost-effective ore extraction in an open pit mining environment. The role involves producing high quality drill and blast designs, monitoring field execution, analysing blast performance, and supporting continuous improvement initiatives aligned with operational, geotechnical, and production requirements.
This position interfaces closely with Mine Planning, Geology, Survey, Drill & Blast Operations, Load & Haul, and HSEC teams to ensure drill and blast activities meet short, medium, and long term mine objectives while maintaining compliance with company standards, regulatory requirements, and industry best practices.
 
The Key Responsibilities
 
    Short-Term Planning & Scheduling

• Develop drill and blast designs, patterns, charging plans, timing, and initiation sequences.
• Provide daily, weekly, and monthly drill & blast plans aligned with production schedules.
• Oversee QA/QC of drilling, charging, stemming, and tie‑ins to ensure design compliance.
• Conduct blast performance analysis (fragmentation, vibration, displacement, dilution).
• Optimize explosives usage, drilling accuracy, and blasting efficiency to reduce cost per tonne.
• Ensure adherence to all safety, environmental, and regulatory requirements.
• Support continuous improvement through field audits, data analysis, and technology adoption.
• Collaborate with cross‑functional teams to solve operational challenges and improve productivity.
• Leading the design, planning, & execution of complex drill and blast patterns for open-pit mining operations
• Driving continuous improvement initiatives to optimize fragmentation, reduce dilution, and enhance
• Utilizing advanced software & analytical tools for blast modelling, performance analysis, and reconciliation.
• Providing technical mentorship & guidance to junior engineers and operational personnel.
• Collaborating cross-functionally with geology, geotechnical, and production teams to ensure alignment with integrated planning objectives.
• Contributing to strategic planning & budgeting for drill and blast activities.

       Resource Allocation:

• Coordinate the allocation of resources (labour, materials, equipment) to ensure optimal utilization and efficiency in project execution.
• Identify potential resource constraints and develop mitigation strategies to compensate for these.

        Data Analysis and Reporting:

• Analyse project data and performance metrics to identify trends, potential issues/risks to the plan and any areas for improvement.
• Prepare and present reports to management on project status (actual vs plan), compliance to plan and resource utilization and availabilities.
• Responsible for managing Management Information System (MIS) database and reports on SharePoint.

       Risk Management:

• Identify project risks and develop appropriate risk management strategies to mitigate potential impacts on project timelines and objectives.
• Proactively address any issues that may affect delivery of the plan.

       Collaboration and Communication:

• Act as a liaison between the TSD Department and the production team, and stakeholders to facilitate effective communication and alignment.
• Participate in daily planning meetings to discuss progress, challenges, and solutions.

       Continuous Improvement:

• Contribute to the development and implementation of best practices in planning and scheduling processes.
• Identify opportunities for enhancing planning methodologies and tools.

 
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The Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in mining engineering, Geological Engineering, or related engineering discipline.
• A postgraduate specialization in Rock Engineering, Blasting Technology, or Explosives Engineering is an added advantage.
• Valid blasting certificate, shotfirer license, or competency accreditation (as per local regulations or company standards).   
• 3–5 years’ experience in Drill & Blast engineering within open pit mining (iron ore or hard‑rock preferred).

• Technical and operational practices of open pit mining engineering.
• Drill & blast design and scheduling.
• QAQC of drilling, charging, tie‑ins, and initiation systems.
• Blast performance analysis (fragmentation, heave, vibration, dilution).
• Working in high‑production mining environments with large equipment fleets.

 
The Rewards

• The position offers a 2-year contract with a competitive remuneration package on single status with a 7-3 FIFO roster.
• Full accommodation is provided on-site, including secure facilities and meals.

 
Contact Us
Please apply directly by submitting your resume, preferably as a Microsoft