The Engineering Manager is responsible for leading and integrating all engineering, technical, and interface management functions for a large, long-life mining development project in Alaska. This role serves as the single-point technical authority for the project, providing technical leadership and decision-making across all project phases including detailed engineering, construction, commissioning, and transition to operations.
Reporting to the Projects Director, the Engineering Manager provides senior technical leadership across multiple EPCm partners, contractors, and internal stakeholders. The role acts as the final escalation point for resolution of cross-EPCm technical issues, interface challenges, and engineering-related disputes, ensuring alignment with project objectives, execution strategy, and long-term operational performance.
Key Responsibilities:
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Provide direct leadership, direction, and performance management for the Interface Coordinator, BFS Coordinator, and Geotechnical Engineer.
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Establish clear roles, responsibilities, and performance expectations across engineering interface management, BFS development, and geotechnical functions.
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Ensure effective coordination and information flow between direct reports, EPCm engineering teams, and owner stakeholders.
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Mentor and develop technical staff to support high-quality execution and long-term capability building.
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Provide overall technical leadership for the project, ensuring engineering designs and technical solutions are safe, fit-for-purpose, constructible, and aligned with long-term operational objectives.
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Own and enforce project technical standards, design criteria, and engineering decision-making frameworks.
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Serve as a technical advisor to the Director, Projects and senior leadership team, providing clear, data-driven recommendations on technical risk, cost, schedule, and execution trade-offs.
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Establish and govern technical execution frameworks across all EPCm teams, including common design criteria, interface management requirements, and performance expectations.
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Own and govern technical, schedule, and data interface management across EPCm packages, directing the Interface Coordinator to proactively identify and resolve gaps, overlaps, and misalignment.
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Act as the primary technical integrator across EPCm teams, with authority to challenge assumptions and resolve misalignment.
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Support development and maintenance of integrated project execution plans, engineering schedules, and technical budgets.
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Identify, assess, and manage technical and execution risks, developing mitigation strategies and contingency plans.
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Coordinate technical change management across EPCm contractors, ensuring impacts to cost, schedule, risk, and scope are clearly identified, evaluated, and controlled.
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Provide technical oversight and integration for BFS development activities, ensuring assumptions, design maturity, and execution strategies align with downstream EPCm execution and long-term operational objectives.
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Provide senior technical oversight of geotechnical engineering activities, ensuring ground models, design assumptions, and risk mitigation strategies are fully integrated into engineering, construction, and execution planning.
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Ensure engineering designs account for transportation constraints, fabrication strategies, seasonal access, and site execution realities.
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Lead formal constructability reviews and ensure engineering solutions support safe, efficient, and practical field execution.
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Work closely with logistics, construction, and operations teams to align engineering deliverables with materials movement and installation strategies.
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Collaborate with project controls, procurement, construction, environmental, permitting, and operations teams.
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Support engagement with regulators, partners, and external stakeholders as required.
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Ensure accurate documentation of technical decisions, assumptions, risks, and lessons learned.
Qualifications
Education:
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Bachelor’s degree in Mining Engineering, Civil Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related technical field.
Experience:
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Minimum of 15 years of progressive experience in engineering or technical leadership roles on large-scale mining, energy, or heavy industrial projects.
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Demonstrated experience managing multiple EPC or EPCm contractors simultaneously.
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Experience working on projects in Alaska, remote, or logistically complex environments strongly preferred.
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Professional Engineer (PE) or equivalent professional certification preferred.
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Strong understanding of mining project development, engineering design, construction sequencing, and commissioning.
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Expertise in interface management, technical risk management, and change management processes.
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Proficiency in engineering management systems, project management tools, and technical reporting.
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Demonstrated ability to lead senior technical professionals and influence across organizational boundaries.
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Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to articulate complex technical concepts to diverse audiences.
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Ability to work collaboratively while confidently driving accountability and alignment across EPCm teams and internal stakeholders.
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High ethical standards and commitment to safety, environmental compliance, and responsible project execution.
Working Conditions:
This position may require periodic travel to the Donlin project site and other locations within Alaska. The role may involve work in both office and field environments and coordination with personnel working in remote, camp‑based conditions.
Donlin Gold LLC is an Equal Opportunity Employer, committed to hiring and advancing qualified local and shareholder candidates from Calista Corporation and The Kuskokwim Corporation. A post-offer criminal background clearance, physical and drug screening are required. Open until filled.
Candidates must have current authorization to work in the United States.
