Chief Specialist, Accelerating discovery to development (Exploration & Resource Development Business Partner)

Role purpose

Exploration technology leadership

• Shape the enterprise exploration technology roadmap through automation, advanced sensing, AI-enabled targeting, and intelligent drilling.
• Select deployable solutions based on scientific validity, technology readiness, field applicability, and business value.
• Adapt relevant technologies and practices from Oil & Gas, space exploration, OEMs, academia, and research institutions.

Data, AI, and subsurface intelligence

• Integrate geological, geophysical, geochemical, and remote-sensing information to strengthen interpretation, target ranking, and uncertainty management.
• Apply predictive modelling, deep learning, physics-informed AI, and probabilistic approaches to improve exploration insight.
• Establish confidence-based metrics for uncertainty, reproducibility, and learning rate.

Field-to-lab validation

• Connect sensing, drilling, and sampling with high-throughput analytical methods, automated core analysis, and digital sample traceability.
• Accelerate independent, reproducible validation and reduce analytical turnaround, rework, and delays.
• Establish certified analytical technologies, traceable data, and defensible methods for technical review, external reporting, and portfolio decisions.

Integrated operating model and value

• Design scalable field-lab-digital workflows connecting field acquisition, laboratory analysis, and AI-enabled interpretation.
• Enable productivity through automation, digital twins, sensor fusion, autonomous or remote technologies, and AI-assisted decision workflows.
• Evaluate technology value against scientific robustness, readiness, deployment constraints, cost, risk, and scalability.
• Measure value through faster learning and validation, reduced retesting and resampling, improved target confidence, and efficient workflows.

Minimum qualifications and experience

• Advanced degree in Geoscience, Geophysics, Mining Engineering, or a related discipline; MSc or PhD is preferred.
• 20+ years of relevant experience in mineral exploration, subsurface science, or adjacent Oil & Gas exploration domains.
• Experience applying Data & AI, automation, advanced sensing, or subsurface analytics in exploration or comparable technical environments.
• Experience with advanced analytical laboratories, mineral characterization, high-throughput testing, certified analytical methods, or regulatory acceptance processes.
• Experience applying AI-enabled QA/QC, anomaly detection, confidence estimation, or uncertainty analysis, with a strong understanding of field exploration constraints.

Skills and expertise

• Mineral exploration technology and subsurface science; advanced sensing, drilling, and field technologies.
• Data, AI, predictive subsurface analytics, laboratory analytics, and mineral characterization.
• Scientific validation, QA/QC, uncertainty quantification, technology assessment and scaling, and exploration workflow optimization.
• Cross-industry technology transfer, executive-level technical advisory, and collaboration across geoscience, digital, engineering, R&D, OEMs, and academia.

Success measures