The Walnut Creek Coal Mine is a prominent surface coal mine featuring state-of-the-art equipment, including an 80-cubic-yard dragline, a 29-cubic-yard mass excavator, a 24-cubic-yard hydraulic backhoe, and a fleet of 150-ton end-dump trucks. The Walnut Creek Mine is a captive lignite operation with an impressive capacity, producing over 2 million tons of lignite annually. Additionally, the mine operates a blending program to ensure consistent quality lignite for fueling a 308-megawatt power plant.

Opportunity Summary

The Mine Engineer will be integral in driving production optimization and ensuring strict adherence to safety standards at Walnut Creek Mining Company. This role involves creating and executing strategic production plans, managing GPS design files, and leveraging advanced drone technology for accurate data collection to enhance mine planning and operational performance. By fostering cross-departmental collaboration and championing continuous improvement, the Mine Engineer will play a crucial role in achieving production targets while upholding the highest standards of safety and compliance.

Primary Functions

Your scope of responsibility as Mine Engineer includes the following primary functions:

Engineering

• Perform all tasks in strict compliance with the Walnut Creek Mining Company Safety Handbook, prioritizing safety above all else.
• Participate in Job Hazard Analysis (JHA) to assess work area conditions and identify potential risks, mitigating them before commencing work.
• Communicate via radio, email, TEAMS, and phone systems in compliance with FCC and Walnut Creek Mining Company regulations to facilitate coordination and information sharing with team members.
• Ensure a safe, healthy, and clean environment by upholding NAES's values and standards in all work-related activities.
• Develop, implement, and communicate bi-weekly plans that optimize production and meet budget/forecast KPIs.
• Develop, maintain, and communicate a soil sampling map and database on a weekly basis to optimize production and comply with permit obligations.
• Assist in the development and communication of all designs associated with bi-weekly plans.
• Manage GPS design files by ensuring only active and up-to-date designs are loaded onto each GPS device, minimizing errors, and improving field accuracy.
• Conduct and process regular monthly and weekly drone surveys to gather accurate aerial data for analysis, ensuring up-to-date information is available for mine planning and operational decision-making.
• Maintain and update the equipment sheet database, ensuring accurate documentation of all mining activities are captured.
• Continuously seek opportunities to optimize operations, reduce bottlenecks, and enhance overall efficiency, while advocating for continuous improvement through innovative strategies and challenging the status quo.
• Cultivate and maintain strong relationships with all departments to ensure that all operational and production plans are well-informed, realistic, and executable, promoting seamless collaboration across teams.
• Report weekly and monthly mine production statistics, including detailed material production data, equipment availability, and utilization rates, providing comprehensive production reports and KPI analyses to stakeholders for informed decision-making.
• Lead bi-weekly mine planning, KPI, and production performance meetings, coordinating with relevant teams to review progress, analyze key metrics, and address any issues to keep production on track.
• Assist with field surveying and perform other reasonable tasks as assigned.

NAES Safe

Safety is a core value at NAES, and as a condition of employment, all employees are expected to remain mentally alert and work safely at all times. Employees must also adhere to all safety warnings and posted signs while on company property. Additionally, they are required to follow all NAES safety rules and procedures. Adherence to these safety responsibilities is one of the key factors in the evaluation of each employee's performance.

Working Relationships

The Mine Engineer reports to the Mine Engineering Manager and may also take direction from the Mine Manager.

Physical Requirements and Working Conditions

This position requires standing for extended periods, climbing stairs and ladders, working from elevated platforms, and routinely lifting up to 50 pounds. Work is performed in a mining environment and may involve entering confined spaces, crawling through narrow areas, walking on uneven, rocky terrain, and handling hazardous materials. Employees may be exposed to dust, fumes, extreme temperatures, loud noise, and high heat near operating equipment, as well as varying outdoor weather conditions.

Some duties require the use of personal protective equipment (PPE), which may include hard hats, safety glasses or goggles, respirators or air masks, ear protection, steel-toe boots, and hearing protection. Strict smoking restrictions apply in and around the work area.

Fitness for Duty

All personnel will participate in the Fitness for Duty Program, which includes a post-offer physical examination, drug screening, and post-employment random drug screening.

Work Schedule

The regular work schedule follows a Monday through Friday workweek during standard day shift hours. This position will occasionally necessitate extended working hours and flexible shifts as needed, including weekends and holidays, in response to schedules, workload demands, and mine conditions. Periodic callouts or "On call" status may also be required. Some travel may be involved to participate in offsite meetings.

Compensation

The starting compensation for this position will range from $65,000 to $105,000 with the addition of an annual performance bonus.

Job Qualifications

We are seeking a Mine Engineer with a passion for operational excellence in mining activities, a track record of progressively increasing responsibilities, and prior experience in a mining or heavy industrial environment.

• Bachelor's degree in mining Engineering or a related field is required. Relevant work experience may substitute education on a year-for-year basis.
• Preferred experience of 0 to 3 years in mine engineering, ideally in surface mining or heavy industrial operations
• Preferred experience in mine surveying, including fieldwork and data processing with scanners, drones, and related tools.
• Basic understanding of mine planning, civil design, and production tracking through academic projects, internships, or early career roles.
• Experience using mine planning and reporting software such as AutoCAD, Carlson, and Vulcan, with experience using Trimble, Pix4D, DJI, and Wingtra surveying systems, and skilled in Microsoft Office and other data analysis tools.
• Knowledge of MSHA regulations, coupled with an understanding of environmental and regulatory standards related to mine reclamation and compliance.
• Experience supporting surveying tasks, including data collection, mapping, and spatial analysis.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities to support operational challenges, contribute to technical reports, and offer data-driven recommendations under supervision.
• Understanding of financial principles related to operational planning.
• Exceptional verbal and written communication skills for effective interaction with team members, supervisors, stakeholders, and collaboration in cross-functional teams, including site and corporate personnel.
• Effective organizational skills to manage multiple responsibilities, including short range mine planning, production tracking, budget support, and regulatory compliance.
• Must possess a valid and unrestricted driver's license, ensuring it remains in good standing at all times.

About NAES

NAES Corporation is a leading provider of operations, maintenance, and engineering services for energy facilities. We have built a reputation as a reliable partner for clients in North America and internationally, offering services across the power generation, oil and gas, and renewable energy sectors. Our growing family of companies allows us to address the entire life cycle of power generation and other industrial plants.

NAES is committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace. We prioritize selecting employees based on merit and competence, seeking individuals of the highest quality, without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, disability, military status, or affiliation protected under USERRA, or any other form of discrimination prohibited by applicable local, state, and federal law.

Equal Opportunity Employer

This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws.
For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.