---
title: 'Field Operations Lead at KoBold Metals Zambia'
canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/field-operations-lead-kobold-metals-zambia-zambia-nc77pc776rp8'
type: 'job'
last_seen: '2026-09-10'
---

# Field Operations Lead at KoBold Metals Zambia

- **Company:** KoBold Metals Zambia
- **Location:** Zambia
- **Posted:** 2026-01-28
- **Last confirmed live:** 2026-09-10
- **Apply:** https://job-boards.greenhouse.io/zambold/jobs/4654507005

## Job description

## About the Company

The mining industry has steadily become worse at finding new ore deposits, requiring >10X more capital to make discoveries compared to 30 years ago. The easy-to-find, near-surface deposits have largely been found, and the industry has chronically under-invested in new exploration technology, relying on the manual techniques of yesteryear – even as demand accelerates for copper, lithium, and other metals to build electric vehicles, renewable energy, and data centers.

KoBold builds AI models for mineral exploration and deploys those models—alongside our novel sensors—to guide decisions on KoBold-owned-and-operated exploration programs. In the six years since founding, KoBold has become by far both the largest independent mineral exploration company and the largest exploration technology developer. Our data scientists and software engineers, who come from leading technology companies, jointly lead exploration programs with our renowned exploration geologists.

KoBold has proven its first discovery with materially less capital than the industry average and found one of the best copper deposits ever discovered: the copper is far more concentrated than the global average of copper mines, and this asset alone is expected to generate meaningful revenue for decades. KoBold has a portfolio of more than 60 other projects, each of which has the potential for another high-quality discovery.

KoBold is privately held; investors include institutional asset managers T. Rowe Price and Canada Pension Plan Investments; technology venture capitalists Andreessen Horowitz, Breakthrough Energy Ventures, BOND Capital, Durable Capital, StepStone, and Standard Investments; and strategic natural resources companies BHP and Mitsubishi.

## About the Position

In the role of Field Operations Lead, you will plan and execute our field activities to meet our business objectives without causing harm to our people, our contractors and partners, or the communities and environments where we operate. You will report to our Field Operations Manager for North America, and also work closely with the COO, the leaders for our field programs, and other members of the operations team. Your primary responsibility will be to serve as the leader of field operations for 1-3 projects per year.

## Responsibilities

For 1-3 projects per year, the Field Operations Lead will be responsible for:

- Operations Control Center: Maintain daily contact with and monitor the status of KoBold personnel and contractors while in the field. Maintain close communication with the Project Geologist, Project Data Scientist, and the Senior Project Planner
- Reporting: Execute and maintain KoBold’s system for tracking health & safety incidents and provide periodic reporting
- Compliance: Understand applicable local laws and regulations and the practices of our joint venture partners and ensure that we follow them in all our operations
- Field Service Contractors: Identify, evaluate, contract with, and manage  contractors and vendors for a wide range of field operations, from camp construction to helicopter transport to emergency medical services
- Logistics: Arrange for the shipment of equipment and material to and from KoBold’s project sites
- Local Management: Deploy to remote project locations as required to implement and manage programs
- Process Improvement: Creating ways of working that allow us to continue to work more effectively and to be nimble so that we can support machine-learning-driven dynamic field programs, where we adapt our plan based on the data we collect at each stage
- Stakeholder Engagement: WIth leadership direction and support, help represent KoBold Metals with local stakeholders

## Qualifications

You must have:

- At least 5 years of experience conducting field operations in mineral exploration & mining, oil & gas or a related industry
- Demonstrated commitment to and familiarity with developing and implementing high standards of health & safety in the workplace
- The ability to problem-solve in remote environments
- The ability to work in remote, physically demanding, and isolated locations for extended periods of time
- A high degree of independence and the ability to work effectively with limited supervision
- Familiarity with Project Management principles and managing projects remotely
- Enjoyment in working with people in a wide variety of disciplines and different parts of the world
- Interest in contributing broadly to the success of the company and eager to pitch in where needed
- Valid First Aid Certification (Level 3 or Wilderness First Aid is preferred)

It is helpful but not required to have:

- Run programs in different countries and/or remote environments
- Worked in a small company or as a member of a very small team with a broad mandate working in a fast paced project environment.
- Project Management Professional (PMP) designation, CRSP designation, Red Seal designation (electrical, carpentry, plumbing), trained or experience operating heavy equipment

KoBold Metals is an equal opportunity workplace and an affirmative action employer. We are committed to equal employment opportunity for people of any race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, marital status, national origin, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, or veteran status.

Location: This posting is limited to Zambian National only. Must reside in the Copperbelt Province.

What to Expect

Joining KoBold means getting the opportunity for hands-on exposure to our exploration projects around the world. All employees are expected to travel to project sites, with a minimum of one week per year. Field-facing and technical roles spend significantly more time in the field.

## About KoBold Metals Zambia

## Company Overview
- **One-liner**: KoBold Metals Zambia is the Zambian subsidiary of KoBold Metals, a scientific mineral exploration and development company that uses AI and human expertise to discover critical minerals like copper and lithium for the energy transition.
- **Entity Type**: Private (subsidiary of privately held KoBold Metals)
- **Headquarters**: Lusaka, Zambia (with operations in Chililabombwe and the Northern Copperbelt)
- **Founded**: Not publicly available
- **Founders**: KoBold Metals was co-founded by Kurt House (CEO) and Josh Goldman (President); the Zambia entity is led by Mfikeyi Makayi (CEO of KoBold Metals Africa) [koboldmetals.com/team](https://koboldmetals.com/team/)

## Core Business
- **Primary industry**: Mineral exploration and mine development, focused on copper, lithium, nickel, and other battery metals
- **Target customers**: B2B – partners in the energy and mining sectors (e.g., ZCCM-IH joint venture at Mingomba)
- **Mission statement**: “Finding the materials of the future with AI and HI” – combining artificial intelligence with human intelligence to make exploration a repeatable science [koboldmetals.com](https://koboldmetals.com/)

## Products & Services
- **Mingomba Copper Deposit**: One of the world’s largest undeveloped copper deposits, located in Zambia, being developed in partnership with ZCCM-IH [koboldmetals.com/mingomba](https://koboldmetals.com/mingomba/)
- **AI-Powered Exploration Platform**: Proprietary predictive models, data systems, and novel sensors that integrate geological, geophysical, and geochemical data to identify drill targets faster
- **Global Exploration Projects**: 100% owned and joint-venture projects across Zambia, DRC, and other regions
- **Talent Development Program**: Masters of Science scholarships in Data Science and Exploration Geology in partnership with Stanford University, Copperbelt University, and University of Zambia [koboldmetals.com/mingomba](https://koboldmetals.com/mingomba/)

## Market Standing
- **Valuation**: Not disclosed
- **Key Metric**: Total investment in the Zambian economy exceeds $200 million to date; employs 200+ Zambian nationals and contractors [koboldmetals.com/mingomba](https://koboldmetals.com/mingomba/)
- **Notable Investors/Partners**: Not explicitly listed in provided sources; publicly known investors include Breakthrough Energy Ventures, Andreessen Horowitz, and others (not verifiable from given sources)
- **Growth Signals**: 
  - 99% of the Zambia team are Zambian nationals
  - Described as “the largest American investor in Zambia”
  - Active recruitment across geology, engineering, IT, finance, and operations roles [koboldmetals.com/careers](https://koboldmetals.com/careers/) | [job-boards.greenhouse.io/zambold](http://job-boards.greenhouse.io/zambold)

## Competitive Advantages
- **AI + Human Intelligence**: Combines machine learning with world-class geoscientists to make exploration more predictive and efficient
- **Scientific Rigor**: Bayesian approach to decision-making – form hypotheses, make predictions, test, and update
- **Ethical Foundation**: Strong anti-corruption, anti-discrimination, safety, and environmental protection principles; never compromises on ethics [koboldmetals.com](https://koboldmetals.com/)
- **Local Commitment**: Deep integration with Zambian talent, suppliers, and communities; “Built by Zambians” ethos

## Strategic Focus
- **Mingomba Mine Development**: Advancing one of the best copper deposits ever found toward production
- **Global Expansion**: Exploring in Zambia, DRC, and other regions for copper, lithium, and nickel
- **Talent Pipeline**: Investing in local education and training to build the next generation of exploration geologists and data scientists
- **Technology Scaling**: Deploying new sensors and AI models across projects to accelerate discovery

## Why Work Here
- **Culture**: Described as “Bayesian” – data-driven, hypothesis-testing, and collaborative; “We are all owners” culture with equity for employees [koboldmetals.com/careers](https://koboldmetals.com/careers/)
- **Work Model**: Mix of on-site and remote roles; field positions in Zambia (Copperbelt, Chililabombwe) and office roles in Lusaka
- **Team**: Multidisciplinary teams of geoscientists, data scientists, software/hardware engineers, and operations staff solving meaningful problems
- **Impact**: Directly contributing to the energy transition by discovering critical minerals; opportunity to work on world-class deposits
- **Perks**: Not explicitly listed; emphasis on ownership, collaboration, and professional growth

## Sources
1. [koboldmetals.com](https://koboldmetals.com/) – Main company site
2. [koboldmetals.com/mingomba](https://koboldmetals.com/mingomba/) – Mingomba project and Zambia operations
3. [koboldmetals.com/team](https://koboldmetals.com/team/) – Leadership team
4. [koboldmetals.com/careers](https://koboldmetals.com/careers/) – Careers page and culture
5. [job-boards.greenhouse.io/zambold](http://job-boards.greenhouse.io/zambold) – Current job openings in Zambia

## Other roles at KoBold Metals Zambia

- [Site HR Superintendent](https://feeny.ai/job/site-hr-superintendent-kobold-metals-zambia-chililabombwe-fj9qz7n3t9v8) — Chililabombwe, Zambia
- [Senior Engineering & Integration Manager](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-engineering-integration-manager-kobold-metals-zambia-remote-f7e2gcfc74kn)
- [Commercial Director](https://feeny.ai/job/commercial-director-kobold-metals-zambia-remote-kbsdz0eq41sw)
- [Personal Assistant, CEO](https://feeny.ai/job/personal-assistant-ceo-kobold-metals-zambia-lusaka-x3aje7vp1fss) — Lusaka, Zambia / Chililabombwe, Zambia
- [Chief Mining Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/chief-mining-engineer-kobold-metals-zambia-lusaka-gz6hff7kn1p0) — Lusaka, Zambia
- [Senior Accountant - Payable](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-accountant-payable-kobold-metals-zambia-lusaka-vpxhe4zcfent) — Lusaka, Zambia
- [Executive Analyst Africa](https://feeny.ai/job/executive-analyst-africa-kobold-metals-zambia-lusaka-ehw0rq8yy9f1) — Lusaka, Zambia
- [Security, Manager](https://feeny.ai/job/security-manager-kobold-metals-zambia-zambia-m6emhyakrfyq) — Zambia
- [Senior Hydrogeologist](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-hydrogeologist-kobold-metals-zambia-northern-copperbelt-p0078tc3hmn4) — Northern Copperbelt, Zambia
- [Software Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/software-engineer-kobold-metals-zambia-zambia-wcmx5e622h87) — Zambia