📍 Location: Kiena Mine Complex ⏳ Employment Type: Permanent, Full-Time 📅 Work Schedule: 5/2
Your Role at a Glance
Reporting to the General Manager the Chief Geologist, Underground Exploration leads the underground exploration drilling and resource definition programs at the Kiena Mine.
What You’ll Be Doing
Exploration Strategy and Drilling Programs
- Plan and prioritize annual, quarterly, and rolling underground drilling programs for exploration, resource conversion, and resource definition based on geological potential, resource requirements, mine plans, and available drill platforms.
- Define, prioritize, and document exploration targets; interpret geological structures, gold mineralization, and their continuity.
- Coordinate drilling activities based on drill platform availability, exploration development, mine planning sequences, and required services.
Execution, Budgets, and Performance
- Prepare and manage annual underground drilling budgets, contractor scopes of work, schedules, and cost controls.
- Establish key performance indicators (KPIs) and monthly production forecasts, including meters drilled per rig, drill utilization, productivity, cost per meter, assay turnaround times, core logging backlogs, and program progress against plan.
- Oversee drilling contractors and coordinate mobilization, drill rig allocation, priorities, technical specifications, downhole surveys, hole deviation control, and contractor performance.
Team Leadership and Cross-Functional Collaboration
- Lead, coach, and evaluate underground exploration geologists, core logging geologists, geological technicians, and support staff; establish priorities, development objectives, and performance expectations.
- Ensure effective information sharing and coordination among underground exploration, mine geology, resource modelling, engineering, and mine operations.
- Provide technical mentorship, maintain effective communication across shifts and departments, and foster a culture of collaboration, accountability, and safety.
Geological Data, Quality Control, and Technical Standards
- Ensure the quality of geological and structural core logging, core photography, sample selection, preparation protocols, chain of custody, and timely updates to the geological database.
- Improve and audit Quality Assurance and Quality Control (QA/QC) programs.
- Collaborate with the Mineral Resources team on model updates and data used for resource classification.
Health & Safety, Procedures, and Compliance
- Promote safe underground work practices and effective contractor supervision, including hazard identification, risk assessments, field inspections, incident follow-up, and compliance with mine safety requirements.
- Review, improve, and develop Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for drilling, core handling, core logging, sampling, QA/QC, surveys, and data management, train teams and monitor compliance.
What Makes You the Ideal Candidate
- Approximately 10 years of relevant experience in mineral exploration and mining operations, including significant experience with underground diamond drilling and gold deposits; previous team management experience is required
- Bachelor’s degree in Geology or Geological Engineering; a graduate degree is considered an asset.
- Member of the Geological Order, ‘Ordre des géologues du Québec (OGQ) ’, and/or the Engineering Order ‘Ordre des ingénieurs du Québec (OIQ).’
- Excellent command of French, both spoken and written, is required.
- Functional English is preferred to support collaboration with corporate teams and contractors outside Québec.
What You Bring
- Demonstrated ability to manage multiple underground drill rigs, contractors, drilling schedules, budgets, and multidisciplinary technical teams.
- Advanced working proficiency with GeoticLog and Leapfrog Geo.
- Knowledge of Datamine, Deswik, or similar mining software is considered an asset.
- Strong understanding of gold mineralization, structural geology, Archean and orogenic gold systems, and resource definition principles.
- Excellent communication, leadership, organizational, and problem-solving skills, combined with a strong commitment to health and safety.
What You’ll Find at Wesdome
💼 Employees benefits 💰 Group pension plan
📈 Competitive salary with bonus 🚀 Career advancement opportunities within a growing company 🎉 Social activities and a welcoming, close-knit work environment ✈️ Travel may be required based on business needs
Commitment to Equal Opportunity
Wesdome is an equal opportunity employer committed to providing an inclusive and respectful workplace that values diversity. All applications are considered without discrimination based on age, gender, ethnic or national origin, religion, disability, sexual orientation, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.
If you require accommodation during the recruitment process, please let us know so that we can make reasonable arrangements.
How to Apply
Submit your resume and cover letter through our Career Centre. Applications will be reviewed as they are received.
