Manager, Western Australia

KoBold Metals is a mineral exploration company using AI to explore for the metals we need for our transition to a low-carbon economy. KoBold’s business is discovering, defining, expanding, and developing mineral resources, and KoBold’s objective is to achieve a step-change improvement in exploration success: we aim to discover more tier 1 resources, faster, and with fewer failures.

KoBold has a global portfolio of more than 50 exploration properties targeting nickel, copper, cobalt, and lithium, which range from 100%-owned to partnerships with both majors, junior explorers, and prospectors.

Our team includes the best of the industry in exploration geoscience, data science, software engineering, operations, and business personnel. Prior to joining KoBold, KoBold team members have made nearly 20 discoveries. Our exploration programs are co-led by our geoscientists and data scientists, who develop exploration hypotheses, rigorously quantify uncertainty in our understanding of the subsurface, and design data collection programs that most effectively reduce uncertainty, drawing upon a large suite of proprietary exploration technology built by our data scientists and software engineers. Our field programs validate and improve the system and have demonstrated material improvements over conventional exploration methods

KoBold is privately held and our investors include: institutional asset managers T. Rowe Rice and Canada Pension Plan Investments; technology venture capitalists Andreessen Horowitz, Bill Gates’s Breakthrough Energy Ventures, BOND Capital, Standard Investments, and Sam Altman’s Apollo Projects; and leading natural resources companies Equinor, Mitsubishi, and BHP.

 About the Position

In this role, you will be responsible for managing a wide range of mineral exploration activities and help KoBold Metals establish its presence in Western Australia. You will report to the COO and work closely with the technical leaders for our Australia projects to plan and safely and conscientiously execute our field exploration programs. You will also represent KoBold Metals with local stakeholders, vendors, and counterparties. You will help us build our team in Western Australian from the ground up.

Responsibilities

 
The Manager - Western Australia position will be responsible for:

• Managing safe, conscientious, and effective mineral exploration operations for KoBold Metals’ Australia projects, often in remote environments
• Help build corporate presence in the country, including establishing bank accounts, renting facilities, securing permits and licenses, and recruiting staff.
• Sourcing and securing local vendors to carry out the execution of field operations
• Arranging for the shipment of equipment and material to and from KoBold’s project sites
• Working with our Director of Mineral Rights, secure exploration rights of both open ground and acquisitions and/or partnerships with existing claims holders
• Working with our Director of Community Engagement, represent KoBold Metals with local stakeholders, including aboriginal groups, and reflect KoBold Metals’ values, including operating conscientiously and as a “good neighbor”
• Representing the company with local, regional, and national regulators

Qualifications

You must have:

• At least 10 years of experience conducting mineral exploration in Western Australia, ideally having run exploration programs in remote environments
• Demonstrated commitment to high standards of health & safety in the workplace
• Demonstrated experience with the Western Australian business and personnel infrastructure.
• Familiarity with stakeholders in the Western Australia mineral exploration industry 
• Demonstrated ability to take initiative, think critically, and solve problems
• Ability to work effectively independently with limited supervision
• Enjoyment in working with people in a wide variety of disciplines
• Interest in contributing broadly to the success of the company and eager to pitch in where needed
• Flexible schedule to accommodate semi-frequent calls with North America
• [Resident in Western Australia and a legal authorization to work therein]

It is helpful but not required to have:

• Worked in a small company or as a member of a very small team with a broad mandate

KoBold Metals is an equal opportunity workplace and an affirmative action employer. We are committed to equal employment opportunity for people of any race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, marital status, national origin, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, or veteran status.

This position is full-time, exempt.

Location: Western Australia, preferably in the Perth metropolitan area.