Principal Engineer- Hoisting And Headframe

Description

The Hoisting & Headframe Engineer will lead the technical delivery and coordination of shaft fit-out and permanent shaft infrastructure packages for underground mining projects. The role covers hoisting systems, headframes, shaft furniture, conveyances and the interfaces with associated surface and underground infrastructure.

The engineer will take package ownership from studies and design development through

procurement support, construction and commissioning, working with multidisciplinary engineering

teams, clients, contractors and equipment suppliers.

Responsibilities

• Lead hoisting, headframe and shaft fit-out engineering packages through feasibility, basic engineering, detailed design and construction support.
• Develop and maintain design criteria, design bases, calculations, technical specifications, reports and drawings.
• Lead or review hoisting studies, hoist duty calculations, production checks and system selection.
• Define skip, cage and counterweight arrangements, including conveyance sizing and operating

requirements.

• Develop rope, sheave, guide and fleet angle arrangements in coordination with the selected hoisting system.
• Coordinate the layout and technical requirements for headframes, backlegs, hoist houses, collar

structures and associated foundations.

• Lead the design integration of shaft furniture, buntons, guides, services, station steelwork and loading and unloading arrangements.
• Manage interfaces with shaft stations, loading pockets, ore bins, material handling systems and surface infrastructure.
• Coordinate structural, mechanical, electrical, controls, civil, mining and construction inputs into the package.
• Identify and manage technical interfaces, design risks, assumptions and battery limits.
• Plan and lead design reviews, constructability reviews and technical risk workshops.
• Review calculations, drawings, models and specifications prepared by internal teams, consultants and suppliers.
• Prepare procurement packages and support tender clarification, technical bid evaluation and vendor document review.
• Provide technical support during fabrication, installation, shaft conversion, commissioning and operational readiness.
• Support project managers with work planning, programmes, budgets, progress reporting and change management.
• Mentor engineers and designers and provide technical guidance across the wider shaft engineering team.

Qualifications

Qualifications and experience

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Mining Engineering, Structural Engineering or a related discipline.
• Approximately 10-15 years of relevant experience in mine hoisting, shaft engineering or heavy

industrial infrastructure.

• Demonstrated experience delivering hoisting, headframe or shaft fit-out packages on underground mining projects.
• Experience taking engineering packages through more than one project stage, including detailed

design or construction support.

• Experience coordinating multidisciplinary design teams and specialist equipment suppliers.
• Chartered Engineer, Professional Engineer or equivalent professional registration is preferred.

Required technical knowledge

• Friction and drum hoisting systems.
• Hoist duty calculations, cycle times, payloads, operating speeds and production requirements.
• Skips, cages, counterweights and associated conveyance systems.
• Hoisting ropes, balance ropes, sheaves and rope handling requirements.
• Fixed and rope guide systems and shaft clearance requirements.
• Headframe and hoist house layouts, load paths and equipment interfaces.
• Shaft furniture, supports, services and installation requirements.
• Loading, unloading, spillage, overrun and shaft bottom arrangements.
• Design safety, maintainability, operability and constructability.
• Engineering specifications, procurement support and vendor document review.

Desirable experience

• Deep shaft, shaft sinking, shaft deepening or shaft rehabilitation projects.
• Shaft conversion from sinking arrangements to permanent operation.
• Potash, hard rock, metalliferous or bulk commodity mining projects.
• Construction supervision, installation support or commissioning.
• International projects and delivery across multiple offices or regions.
• Experience working for an engineering consultant, owner, equipment supplier or shaft sinking contractor.