Senior Technical Advisor - Drill & Blast

Job highlights
  • Democratic Republic of the Congo
Job ID 1982 Closing date 20/08/2026 Last Updated 22/07/2026

Kamoto Copper Company Société Anonyme, KCC SA in acronym, is a Congolese company operating in Kolwezi, capital of the province of Lualaba, in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

KCC SA exploits copper and cobalt ores on a large scale. It includes an underground mine, open-pit mines and integrated metallurgical facilities. The operation has one of the largest copper reserves in the world, with a current life of over 25 years.

As an industrial mining company, we provide safe workplaces and support the sustainable development of the local economy. We maintain a constructive and open dialogue with the communities that host us, as well as with the provincial and national government.

 

 

Under the direct supervision of the Technical Services Manager OP Planning, the role of the incumbent will be to provide high-level technical expertise in the planning, design and optimization of drilling and blasting activities to support open pit mining operations. In collaboration with the planning, geotechnical, production teams and partner companies, he/she will ensure that safety, blast quality, slope stability, ore fragmentation and overall operations performance are improved. The position contributes to the achievement of production objectives through continuous improvement, technical innovation and rigorous risk management related to drilling and mining operations.

He/She will have, among others, the following responsibilities (non-exhaustive):

 

  • Manage drilling and blasting activities. This includes planning, coordinating and optimizing the entire chain of drilling and blasting operations to ensure safety, quality, productivity and operational performance objectives are met.
  • Ensure compliance with health and safety requirements. This includes promoting a safety culture, conducting risk assessments, implementing control measures, complying with explosives regulations, and participating in audits and incident investigations.
  • Develop and oversee quality assurance and quality control (QA/QC) systems. This includes the implementation of processes to control the accuracy of drilling, the loading of explosives and the execution of shots, as well as the continuous evaluation of the quality of operations to ensure results that comply with technical requirements.
  • Analyze and optimize shot performance. This includes tracking performance indicators such as fragmentation, vibration, material displacement, dilution and ore losses, as well as developing recommendations to continuously improve the results of operations.
  • Manage technical data and produce performance reports. This includes maintaining reliable databases of fire designs, QA/QC results and explosives use, as well as preparing technical reports and analyses to support decision-making and performance improvement.
  • Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams and partner companies. This includes coordinating with geotechnical, surveying, mine planning, operations teams and specialized contractors to ensure the alignment of shot designs with geotechnical, operational and production requirements.
  • Provide technical leadership and develop the skills of the teams. This includes mentoring engineers, technicians and operational teams, disseminating best practices, providing technical support and continuously developing skills in the field of drilling and blasting.
  • Optimize the fragmentation and performance of the mining chain. This includes developing fired designs tailored to processing facilities, improving ore fragmentation, and optimizing initiation sequences to increase the overall performance of mining operations.
  • Ensure the mastery of the geotechnical aspects related to blasting. This includes incorporating wall control and slope stability requirements into shot designs to preserve the integrity of mining infrastructure and reduce geotechnical risks.
  • Promote continuous improvement and technical innovation. This includes leveraging operational data, identifying opportunities for improvement, implementing new technologies and ways of working, and making recommendations to make operations safer, more efficient, and more cost-effective.

 

Job Requirements

 

Qualifications and Experience

 

  • University degree (Bachelor's, Master's degree or equivalent) in Mining Engineering, Geology or a related discipline.
  • Minimum of 8 years of experience in drilling and blasting engineering, ideally in a large-scale open pit mine.
  • Demonstrated experience in optimizing shot designs, QA/QC systems, and specialty contractor management.
  • Experience in the use of digital drilling and blasting management systems (e.g. BlastIQ or equivalent).
  • Experience in designing and simulating shots using specialized software.
  • Good knowledge of fragmentation analysis and mining performance optimization techniques.
  • Experience in technical supervision, mentoring and skills development of multidisciplinary teams.
  • Excellent command of French and English, both oral and written, would be an asset

 

Technical skills.

 

  • Mastery of the design, planning and optimization of drilling and blasting operations.
  • Good knowledge of QA/QC systems, explosives management and applicable safety requirements.
  • Proficiency in specialized software such as Deswik, ShotPlus, BlastIQ (or equivalent) as well as the Microsoft Office suite.
  • Knowledge of firing simulation and fragmentation analysis software (BlastPlan, Aegis, WipFrag, Split-Desktop, FragTrack).
  • Understanding of the geotechnical principles applied to wall control and slope stability.
  • Ability to analyze operational data and lead continuous improvement initiatives.
  • Experience in contractor management, technical coordination and leadership of mining projects.

 

Attitude and behaviour

  • Technical leadership and ability to support the development of teams.
  • Exemplary commitment to health, safety and the environment.
  • Results orientation and the search for operational excellence.
  • Analytical, problem-solving and decision-making skills.
  • Excellent communication and multidisciplinary collaboration skills.
  • Sense of organization, rigor and attention to detail.
  • Integrity, professionalism, and commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI).

 

  

 

 

 

KCC SA does not accept applications submitted by people under the age of eighteen (18). In accordance with article 1 of the Labor Code of the Democratic Republic of Congo, KCC SA receives all applications without distinction or discrimination. However, as part of its Equal Opportunity, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion program, applications from women are strongly encouraged.

In accordance with our Compliance Policy and Code of Conduct, KCC SA or its employees do not receive any remuneration or benefits of any kind at any stage of the recruitment process. Violators are subject to legal action.

Any act or attempt of bribery related to this job application must be reported via the Glencore Group Raising Concerns Programme channels. Please scan the QR code to access the channels.

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Furthermore, KCC SA pursues the objective of a transparent, fair and equitable recruitment process and, therefore, does not tolerate any interference or intervention in any way whatsoever in its recruitment process. Any failure on this point will result in the immediate disqualification of the candidate concerned.