---
title: 'Land & Permitting Lead, DRC at KoBold Metals DRC'
canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/land-permitting-lead-drc-kobold-metals-drc-lubumbashi-m4e748nxarb8'
type: 'job'
last_seen: '2026-09-10'
---

# Land & Permitting Lead, DRC at KoBold Metals DRC

- **Company:** KoBold Metals DRC
- **Location:** Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic of the Congo
- **Posted:** 2026-04-06
- **Last confirmed live:** 2026-09-10
- **Apply:** https://job-boards.greenhouse.io/koboldmetalsdrc/jobs/4680029005

## Job description

Land & Permitting Lead, DRC

## 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. Since our founding in 2018, 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 Role

KoBold holds over 3,000 km² of exploration rights across numerous Research Permits in the DRC and is constantly growing the portfolio. You will be responsible for obtaining new Research Permits through the mining cadastre (CAMI), which registers tenure and provides opinions on which the Minister of Mines grants the licence. Once granted, you will manage the PAR (environmental permit) process, a separate approval process involving CAMI, DPEM, and ACE, before exploration activity can begin. Every licence will also require ongoing engagement with provincial governors and their administrations, Administrateurs de Territoire (ATs), provincial CAMI offices, provincial mining divisions, and the Geology Department, which have both authorisation and periodic reporting requirements tied to exploration activity. You will serve as the primary liaison with these groups and build effective working relationships with these offices.

Our DRC compliance register spans dozens of distinct obligations (9 external registers and over 10 actions per license annually) across water protection, buffer zones, rehabilitation, community consultation, work program adherence, and statutory reporting, and is submitted, per licence, to the relevant provincial, territorial, and national authorities. You will be responsible for ensuring our portfolio is properly monitored, documented, and compliant across all licences.

## Responsibilities

- Primary in-country contact for CAMI, DPEM, ACE, Direction des Mines, the Geology Department, provincial CAMI offices, provincial mining divisions, provincial governors, and Administrateurs de Territoire
- Research Permit applications, renewals, fee payment, and deadline management,  including all CAMI coordination to Direction des Mines licence grant and in-country due diligence for new permit acquisitions
- PAR coordination with selected Study Office, managing local authority sign-offs, agency lodgement, and follow-up across multiple departments
- Statutory and compliance reporting per licence to provincial and territorial authorities
- Compliance coordination with HSE, Community Relations, and Field Operations to verify activities stay within permit conditions and work program commitments
- Chain-of-custody management for all original permit documents and certified records
- DRC mining legislation monitoring and flagging of compliance implications to leadership
- Support for new permit applications through in-country due diligence and stakeholder engagement

## Qualifications

- Minimum 5 years in mineral tenure, land permitting, or operational compliance in Sub-Saharan Africa. DRC experience and direct familiarity with CAMI, DPEM, ACE, and Direction des Mines processes strongly preferred
- Demonstrated ability to build relationships with government officials at national, provincial, and territorial levels, traditional authorities, and community stakeholders, and to represent a company's interests in-country independently
- Practical experience with environmental permitting and regulatory approval workflows, with a demonstrated ability to absorb and navigate evolving compliance frameworks
- Experience with land tenure management systems and record management across a multi-licence portfolio
- Proficiency in GIS principles and software applications for mapping land holdings and permit boundaries
- Intellectual curiosity, a drive to learn across all aspects of mineral exploration, and enthusiasm for taking on an evolving range of responsibilities in a fast-growing company
- A strong communicator who enjoys working on technical problems with colleagues across the company
- Both French and English fluency required

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.

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, disability, or veteran status.

Location: Democratic Republic of the Congo, Lubumbashi preferred

This position is Full Time Exempt

## About KoBold Metals DRC

## Company Overview
- **One-liner**: KoBold Metals DRC is the Democratic Republic of Congo subsidiary of KoBold Metals, a scientific mineral exploration and development company that uses artificial intelligence and human expertise to discover critical minerals like copper and lithium.
- **Entity Type**: Private (Subsidiary of KoBold Metals, a private company)
- **Headquarters**: Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC office); parent company based in Berkeley, California, USA
- **Founded**: Parent company founded 2018; DRC subsidiary established with office opened in February 2026
- **Founders**: Parent founded by Kurt House, Ph.D. (CEO), Josh Goldman, Ph.D., and others

## Core Business
- **Primary industry**: Mineral exploration and development (copper, cobalt, lithium, nickel)
- **Target customers**: B2B – mining companies, metal buyers, joint venture partners; indirectly serves the global energy transition supply chain
- **Mission or purpose statement**: “Finding the materials of the future with AI and HI” – combining artificial intelligence and human intelligence to make discoveries faster, turning exploration into a repeatable science.

## Products & Services
- **Predictive Exploration Platform**: Proprietary AI/ML models that integrate geological, geophysical, and geochemical data to predict mineral deposit locations. (Type: SaaS/Data Science Platform)
- **Data Systems & Novel Sensors**: Centralized earth‑crust knowledge system and state‑of‑the‑art hardware/software to collect more and better data faster. (Type: Hardware/Software)
- **Mine Development (Mingomba, Zambia)**: Developing one of the world’s largest copper mines in Zambia, located near the DRC border. (Type: Mining Operation)
- **Joint Ventures & Exploration Projects**: 100% owned projects and partnerships globally, including the Manono lithium deposit in DRC (pending acquisition agreement with AVZ). (Type: Exploration Service)

## Market Standing
- **Valuation / Market Cap**: Not publicly available (private company)
- **Key Metric**: Total funding raised by parent company is not disclosed in available sources; focus on operational growth: new DRC office opened February 2026; agreement to acquire AVZ’s interests in the Manono lithium deposit (May 2025); agreement with Burundi to digitize geological data (2025).
- **Notable Investors/Partners**: AVZ (Manono deposit partner), Government of Burundi (geological data digitization agreement), and a network of JV partners
- **Growth Signals**:
  - Grand opening of KoBold Metals DRC office in Lubumbashi (February 2026)
  - Active hiring for Field Operations Lead, Security Coordinator, Exploration Geologists, Community Liaison, and Lab Supervisor in DRC
  - Development of the Mingomba copper mine in Zambia (one of the world’s largest)
  - Expanding presence across the Copperbelt on both sides of the DRC-Zambia border

## Competitive Advantages
- **AI‑First Exploration**: Combines machine learning, proprietary data systems, and world‑class geologists to systematically reduce exploration risk, making discovery more repeatable.
- **Integrated Team**: Multidisciplinary teams of data scientists, software and hardware engineers, geologists, and mining experts working co‑creatively.
- **Ethical & Safety‑Focused**: Strong emphasis on integrity, anti‑corruption, environmental protection, community support, and safety as core operational principles.
- **Data Moat**: Centralized knowledge of the earth’s crust and novel sensor technology that competitors cannot replicate quickly.

## Strategic Focus
- **DRC Expansion**: Deepening presence in the DRC through local hiring, a new Lubumbashi office, and advancing the Manono lithium project.
- **African Operations Leadership**: Appointing a CEO of KoBold Metals Africa (Sitwala Mulonda) and a Directeur Général for DRC (Benjamin Katabuka) to drive regional growth.
- **Digitization & Collaboration**: Partnering with governments (e.g., Burundi) to digitize geological data, opening new exploration frontiers.
- **Mine Development**: Progressing the Mingomba copper mine toward production, which will be a major revenue driver.

## Why Work Here
- **Culture**: “We are all owners,” “We are Bayesians” (data‑driven decision‑making), and “We seek the truth” – a culture that values curiosity, humility, and open dialogue over hierarchy.
- **Work Style**: Multidisciplinary teams; remote and on‑site options available (positions listed as both remote and on‑site depending on role).
- **Perks & Environment**: Opportunity to work on hard, meaningful problems at the intersection of AI and natural resources, with a mission to supply materials for the energy transition. Employees are encouraged to share work early and often, and to challenge ideas constructively.
- **Locations**: DRC (Lubumbashi, Manono), Zambia (Lusaka, Mingomba), and globally; roles in field operations, geology, security, legal, and corporate communications.

## Sources
1. [koboldmetals.com](https://koboldmetals.com/) – Company overview, solution, and values
2. [koboldmetals.com/team](https://koboldmetals.com/team/) – Leadership and team structure
3. [koboldmetals.com/careers](https://koboldmetals.com/careers/) – Culture description and open positions
4. [job-boards.greenhouse.io/koboldmetalsdrc](http://job-boards.greenhouse.io/koboldmetalsdrc) – DRC specific job listings (8 positions)
5. [koboldmetals.com/blog/kobold-metals-drc-opens-new-office-in-lubumbashi](https://koboldmetals.com/blog/kobold-metals-drc-opens-new-office-in-lubumbashi/) – News: new DRC office opened February 2026
6. [koboldmetals.com] (referenced in blog) – Agreement with AVZ for Manono lithium (May 2025) and Burundi geological data digitization

## Other roles at KoBold Metals DRC

- [Drilling Superintendent](https://feeny.ai/job/drilling-superintendent-kobold-metals-drc-manono-jg1nppve9y8r) — Manono, Democratic Republic of the Congo
- [Security Coordinator, DRC](https://feeny.ai/job/security-coordinator-drc-kobold-metals-drc-manono-q9y2dqt097kv) — Manono
- [HR Lead, DRC](https://feeny.ai/job/hr-lead-drc-kobold-metals-drc-lubumbashi-nzecwqb4etkb) — Lubumbashi
- [Field Operations Supervisor I, DRC](https://feeny.ai/job/field-operations-supervisor-i-drc-kobold-metals-drc-manono-c8m8df0xjb5p) — Manono, Democratic Republic of the Congo
- [DRC Accounting Operations Lead](https://feeny.ai/job/drc-accounting-operations-lead-kobold-metals-drc-remote-y73yf4n023a6)
- [IT & Data Support Specialist](https://feeny.ai/job/it-data-support-specialist-kobold-metals-drc-lubumbashi-g9100159d9qt) — Lubumbashi
- [Software Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/software-engineer-kobold-metals-drc-democratic-republic-of-the-congo-sqt81t7d3wh3) — Democratic Republic of the Congo
- [Data Scientist](https://feeny.ai/job/data-scientist-kobold-metals-drc-remote-h0kqrwt83w6z)
- [Exploration Geologist - Democratic Republic of Congo (Copper)](https://feeny.ai/job/exploration-geologist-democratic-republic-of-congo-copper-kobold-metals-drc-m1my39zqkcnn) — Democratic Republic of the Congo
- [Senior Exploration Geologist - Democratic Republic of Congo (Copper)](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-exploration-geologist-democratic-republic-of-congo-copper-kobold-metals-sfzspth5tbe4) — Democratic Republic of the Congo