KoBold Metals

Field Operations Lead

Remote

Not SpecifiedCompensation
Senior (5 to 8 years), Expert & Leadership (9+ years)Experience Level
Full TimeJob Type
UnknownVisa
Mining, Biotechnology, Artificial Intelligence, ExplorationIndustries

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 Rice and Canada Pension Plan Investments; technology venture capitalists Andreessen Horowitz, Breakthrough Energy Ventures, BOND Capital, and Standard Investments; and natural resources companies Equinor, 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 abi

Skills

Field Operations
Exploration Technology
AI Models
Mineral Exploration
Data Science
Software Engineering
Geology
Project Management
Risk Management
Safety
Environmental Compliance
Community Relations

KoBold Metals

AI-driven mineral exploration for clean energy

About KoBold Metals

KoBold Metals focuses on discovering new deposits of essential minerals like lithium, cobalt, copper, and nickel, which are crucial for clean energy technologies. The company employs artificial intelligence to enhance the mineral exploration process, making it more efficient and predictable. Their proprietary AI tool utilizes a concept known as Efficacy of Information (EOI) to guide data collection during exploration, helping to reduce uncertainty. KoBold invests over $60 million annually in more than 60 projects across three continents, leading extensive research and development efforts in the field. Unlike traditional exploration methods, KoBold aggregates comprehensive data about the Earth's crust's physics and chemistry, allowing for a more scientific approach to mineral discovery. The company's goal is to locate and sell mineral deposits to clean energy companies, providing them with the necessary resources while maintaining a competitive advantage in the market.

Berkeley, CaliforniaHeadquarters
2018Year Founded
$909MTotal Funding
SERIES_CCompany Stage
Data & Analytics, Energy, AI & Machine LearningIndustries
201-500Employees

Benefits

Remote Work Options
Flexible Work Hours

Risks

Increased competition from Chinese producers may impact market share.
Aggressive expansion in Zambia exposes KoBold to geopolitical risks.
Reliance on AI technology could face challenges from technological failures.

Differentiation

KoBold Metals uses AI to discover lithium, cobalt, copper, and nickel deposits.
Their proprietary AI tool, Efficacy of Information, reduces exploration uncertainty.
KoBold aggregates comprehensive data on Earth's crust for precise mineral exploration.

Upsides

KoBold raised $537M, planning to convert projects into mining sites.
Partnerships with tech giants enhance AI capabilities in mineral exploration.
Growing demand for AI-driven tools aligns with sustainable mining practices.

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