Principal Consultant – Mining Advisory

About The Business And The Role

SLR comprises over 4,500 staff across our global regions, with 35+ Technical Disciplines covering Engineering, Environmental, Scientific and Advisory Services. In the Asia Pacific region (SLR APAC), SLR has over 1,000 employees located throughout 24 offices. Our globally integrated Mining Advisory Group includes Geologists, Mining Engineers, Metallurgists, Geotechnical Engineers, Civil Engineers, and Environmental Scientists with extensive experience in the mining and exploration industries. With team members in Australia, USA, Canada, Europe and Africa, SLR’s Mining Advisory Group provides advisory services to the mining sector at all stages of project development from exploration and resource evaluation through scoping, prefeasibility and feasibility studies, financing, permitting, construction, operation, and closure and rehabilitation.

The position is a key technical and advisory role dedicated to bringing professional credibility and delivering high-value consulting projects across the mining lifecycle. Operating as part of a high-performing Mining Advisory team, this position provides expert, commercially relevant guidance on strategic assignments across diverse commodities, mining methods, and global jurisdictions.

Key deliverables include:

• Feasibility studies
• Independent technical reviews
• Due diligence
• Operational improvements
• Public reporting (e.g., Independent Technical Expert Reports, Competent Person Reports, Ore Reserve Statements)

Job Tasks And Responsibilities

A strong focus on the following is what we are ideally looking for in contributing to the team:

• Expert Delivery: Accountable for the end-to-end execution of complex technical studies.
• Team Coordination: Lead, manage, and mentor multi-disciplinary teams to ensure projects are delivered to scope, on time and within budget.
• Stakeholder Engagement: Act as a trusted advisor to stakeholders, utilising exceptional communication skills to translate complex engineering data into actionable strategic advice.
• Technical Proficiency: Maintain advanced working knowledge of industry-standard mine planning and scheduling software (e.g., Deswik, Vulcan, Spry, MinePlanner) to effectively guide the delivery of advisory projects.
• Business Development & Market Leadership: Actively generate leads and secure new project pipelines, particularly in the technical studies space.

Lead and Deliver High-Value Mining Advisory Projects

• Manage and execute strategic advisory assignments, including feasibility studies, independent technical reviews, due diligence projects, operational improvement programs, and public reporting engagements.
• Ensure work meets the necessary technical, commercial, and regulatory standards, including compliance with reporting codes (JORC, NI 43-101, SAMREC, etc.).
• Be responsible for the timely delivery of high-quality and innovative project outcomes that meet both the agreed scope of work, as well as the client’s needs and budget.
• Manage project commercials, such as project cost control and invoicing.

Provide Senior Technical Expertise Across Mining Disciplines

• Apply broad experience across multiple commodities, mining methods, and international jurisdictions to deliver credible, insightful, and commercially relevant advice.
• Act as a technical expert, offering guidance, peer review, and expert judgement on complex issues.

Manage Multi-Disciplinary Project Teams

• As a project manager, lead, coordinate, and mentor multi-disciplinary project teams to deliver integrated project outcomes.
• Oversee project planning, budgeting, scheduling, and risk management to ensure delivery on time and on budget.
• Lead the development and consolidation of project reports.

Commercial Leadership & Business Development

Driving business growth and bringing professional credibility to the firm are highly desirable aspects of this position. The Principal Consultant – Underground acts as a primary commercial driver, actively generating leads and securing new project pipelines to fuel sustainable growth.

• Pipeline Generation & Networking: Leverage an established, industry network and strong personal client base to identify, progress, and secure new consulting opportunities.
• Client Relationship Ownership: Act as the primary "relationship owner" for key projects and client initiatives.
• Strategic Proposal Development: Lead the end-to-end development of winning proposals.
• Market Presence & Thought Leadership: Elevate the company’s market profile by participating in key industry forums, delivering presentations, and contributing to published technical insights.
• Commercial Innovation: Actively participate in diversification, innovation, and go-to-market initiatives.

Skills And Experience

Education & Professional Credentials:

• Bachelor’s degree in Mining Engineering, or a closely related discipline.
• Experience in underground mining and underground planning.
• Postgraduate qualifications (e.g., Master’s in Mining Engineering, Mineral Economics, Geotechnical Engineering, or related field) are highly desirable.
• Chartered Professional status (e.g., AusIMM CP) or equivalent is strongly preferred.
• Eligibility to act as a Competent Person under JORC and/or a Qualified Person under NI 43-101 for relevant mining domains.
• Membership with the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy (AusIMM).

Technical Skills And Experience:

• Extensive experience (+15 years) in mining engineering, covering key areas such as pit limit optimisation, mine design, mine scheduling, and production planning.
• Demonstrated experience leading or contributing to scoping, pre-feasibility, feasibility, and due diligence studies.
• Ability to learn new software and processes quickly and then be able to train and support others.
• Strong understanding of the full mining value chain, from geology and resource development through to extraction, processing, logistics, and closure.
• Experience preparing or reviewing public reporting deliverables, including Independent Technical Expert Reports and Ore Reserve statements.

Software:

• Advanced knowledge of Excel, mine planning software, and scheduling tools is highly advantageous.
• Openness to using AI as tools develop.

Our Benefits:

We are proud of our unique culture where we work together to collaborate on projects to get the best possible outcome for our clients. Whether you’re working in the office, from home or a mix of the two, we recognise that every person is different, and our benefits aim to ensure that we cater for all.