Senior Project Engineering Manager - Major Copper Project
Australia, Western Australia, Perth
Experience: > 10 Years
Mining
Introduction
Brunel is currently seeking experienced Senior Engineering Managers / Senior Project Engineering Managers to support a major copper project in Chile.
These are long-term project roles supporting multiple major project packages, including concentrator, tailings storage facility, sulfolix and desalination plant scopes.
The roles will be offered on a rotational 8/2 roster, initially based in engineering office environments before transitioning to site-based support in Chile. The positions are offered on a FIFO basis from point of origin, with accommodation and business class travel provided.
Working closely with the Project Director, Director of Engineering, EPCM partners, technology vendors, site leadership and broader project functions, these roles will provide day-to-day leadership across detailed engineering and engineering execution phases.
The successful candidates will be responsible for driving engineering delivery across scope, cost, schedule, quality and safety, while ensuring alignment between the project team, technology providers, EPCM contractors and site operations.
About this role
You will provide senior leadership across the engineering execution of a major mining and metallurgical process facilities project, supporting delivery from early scope definition through detailed engineering, procurement, construction interface, field erection and commissioning support.
Depending on the package, this may include engineering leadership across process plant, tailings, leaching, infrastructure, utilities or desalination-related scopes.
This will include managing the development of engineering work packages, monitoring technical performance, supporting design reviews, managing engineering change, overseeing QA/QC processes and ensuring engineering deliverables meet the requirements of the project and site operations team.
You will also work closely with procurement, construction, commissioning and project controls teams to ensure engineering schedules, staffing forecasts, project reporting and execution planning are aligned with broader project objectives.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead day-to-day engineering management across detailed engineering and engineering execution phases.
- Review and manage engineering work packages, deliverables, schedules and project requirements.
- Monitor engineering progress, technical performance, cost, schedule, safety and quality.
- Interface with EPCM contractors, technology vendors, site leadership and internal project teams.
- Support design reviews, execution planning and schedule development.
- Lead the review, management and approval of engineering changes.
- Ensure QA/QC systems are in place across engineering tasks and deliverables.
- Contribute to project reporting, including design progress, cost, issues, risks and recommended corrective actions.
- Support development of the Project Execution Plan alongside procurement, project controls, construction and commissioning.
- Coordinate early input from procurement, construction and commissioning teams during design.
- Review engineering team structure, staffing forecasts and capability requirements.
- Ensure engineering systems, document control, 3D design environments and reporting processes are effectively used.
- Support engineering risk assessments, HAZOPs and resolution of identified issues.
- Provide leadership, coaching and technical guidance to project staff and contractors.
Is this you?
You will be an experienced senior engineering leader with a strong background in major mining, resources, infrastructure or heavy industrial project delivery.
You will bring proven capability managing engineering across large-scale project environments, ideally within EPCM, owner's team or major contractor settings. You will be comfortable working across multi-discipline engineering, project controls, procurement, construction and commissioning interfaces.
To be successful, you will ideally bring:
- Proven project and engineering management experience on projects exceeding US$500 million.
- Degree qualification in engineering or a related discipline.
- Significant experience across project management systems, processes and terminology.
- Strong understanding of engineering work packages, schedules, progress measurement and controls.
- Experience working with EPCM contractors, technology vendors, owners' teams and site operations.
- Strong knowledge of procurement, contracts, expediting, logistics, construction and commissioning interfaces.
- Ability to lead multi-discipline engineering teams and influence senior stakeholders.
- Strong communication skills across client, contractor, site and project leadership groups.
- Experience managing engineering risk, HAZOPs, QA/QC and design assurance.
- Ability to work internationally on a rotational FIFO basis.
- Spanish language fluency will be highly regarded, given the project location and stakeholder environment.
Prior EPCM experience, Professional Engineer registration, major mining project construction experience and exposure to projects exceeding US$1 billion will also be highly regarded.
Experience across copper, mining process plants, metallurgical facilities, tailings, leaching, water infrastructure, desalination, utilities or large-scale infrastructure packages would be advantageous.
What we offer
- This is an excellent long-term senior contract opportunity offering highly competitive remuneration for experienced project engineering leaders.
- The roles are offered on a rotational 8/2 roster, with FIFO travel from point of origin, accommodation and business class flights provided.
- The company offers strong net rates, with in-country tax covered by the company, meaning the advertised / agreed rates are intended to be received net by the contractor.
- You will join a major international copper project in a senior capacity, contributing to technically complex, high-value project packages across engineering, procurement, construction interface and site execution.
- The roles offer exposure to a large-scale mining and metallurgical project environment, with the opportunity to work closely with senior project leadership, EPCM partners, technology vendors and site operations teams.
About Brunel
Brunel is a recruitment and flexible workforce solution provider which connects talented people with opportunities throughout Australasia and around the world. We specialise in highly skilled roles across a variety of technical, professional, trades and craft disciplines, pairing candidates with industry-leading projects and organisations on a contract, permanent or secondment basis.
Operating in Australasia since 1997, Brunel has major bases of operation in Perth, Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne and Port Moresby, which are further backed by the strength and reach of a truly global network spanning over 45 countries, 120 offices and 50 years of successful operation.
Brunel is proud to be equal opportunity employer and encourages applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and female candidates.
Do you have questions?
If you have any questions or would like to discuss the details of this role, please contact Scott McAdam: 0404 653 603 | s.mcadam@brunel.net