---
title: 'Geotechnical Engineer at KoBold Metals Zambia'
canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/geotechnical-engineer-kobold-metals-zambia-northern-copperbelt-vszxwgbmdrc6'
type: 'job'
last_seen: '2026-09-10'
---

# Geotechnical Engineer at KoBold Metals Zambia

- **Company:** KoBold Metals Zambia
- **Location:** Northern Copperbelt, Zambia
- **Posted:** 2025-10-10
- **Last confirmed live:** 2026-09-10
- **Apply:** https://job-boards.greenhouse.io/zambold/jobs/4618168005

## Job description

About the company:

KoBold Metals Zambia is a Zambian-led company exploring for the ore deposits that will become the next generation of new mines in Zambia.

KoBold Metals Zambia is the Zambian affiliate of KoBold Metals, a U.S.-based company exploring around the world for battery metals using proprietary AI to guide exploration decisions. Our business is discovering, defining, expanding, and developing mineral resources, and our objective is to achieve a step-change improvement in exploration success resulting in more tier 1 resources discovered faster, with fewer failures, and with far less exploration capital.

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.

KoBold Metals Zambia is building a rapidly growing team of Zambian geologists, operators, and executives to identify, acquire, explore, and develop exploration opportunities and mineral resources drawing upon KoBold’s technology and the expertise of colleagues worldwide.

We are hiring a Geotechnical Engineer to help accelerate our mission.

## About the position

The Geotechnical Engineer will be responsible for providing geotechnical expertise to support the safe and efficient design, operation, and monitoring of underground mining activities. This role involves assessing ground conditions, designing support systems, conducting stability analyses, and ensuring compliance with geotechnical standards and mining regulations. The Geotechnical Engineer will report to Lead Geotechnical Engineer and will work closely with mine planning, geology, hydrology, Safety and operations teams to mitigate geotechnical risks and optimize production.

## Responsibilities

Ground Control & Stability

- Conduct rock mass characterization (RMR, Q-System, GSI, RQD) and develop geotechnical models.
- Perform stope, drift, shaft, and pillar stability analyses using empirical methods and numerical modelling (Map3D, FLAC3D).
- Design, specify, and optimize ground support systems (bolts, cable bolts, shotcrete, mesh, etc.).
- Monitor and assess performance of excavations and ground support.

Geotechnical Data Collection & Monitoring

- Log core and map underground exposures to identify structures, discontinuities, and rock mass conditions.
- Install and interpret geotechnical instrumentation (extensometers, stress cells, convergence monitoring, etc.).
- Develop and maintain geotechnical databases and records.
- Monitor Geotechnical compliance on shaft sinking

Mine Planning & Risk Management

- Provide geotechnical input into short-, medium-, and long-term mine designs.
- Conduct risk assessments for potential ground control hazards.
- Advice on excavation sequencing, stope design, and backfill strategies to optimize safety and ore recovery.
- Enforce and manage Ground control Management Plan (GCMP)

Reporting & Compliance

- Prepare technical reports, geotechnical assessments, and recommendations for management and regulators.
- Ensure compliance with statutory mine safety and ground control standards (GCMP).
- Support audits and reviews of geotechnical practices.

Collaboration & Training

- Work with multidisciplinary teams (geology, ventilation, mine planning, operations).
- Train and mentor junior engineers, technicians, and operators on geotechnical awareness and support practices.

## Qualifications

A great Geotechnical Engineering candidate will have:

- Bachelor’s degree in Geotechnical Engineering, Mining Engineering, Geological Engineering, or equivalent.
- Professional registration (EIZ) as an Engineer is an advantage.
- 5 years’ experience in underground mining
- Proficiency in geotechnical software (e.g., RocScience suite, Map3D, Leapfrog, Deswik).
- Strong knowledge of rock mechanics, ground support design, and underground excavation stability.
- Good understanding of safety systems and statutory mine regulations.

We are committed to equal employment opportunities for all people.

This position is a full-time contract role.

At this time, we are only accepting applications from Zambian nationals.

Location: Northern Copperbelt (i.e., Chingola or Chililabombwe).

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