HSE Lead, DRC

About the Company 

The mining industry has steadily become worse at finding new ore deposits, requiring10Xmore 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 antiquated manual mining techniques– 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 Price and Canada Pension Plan Investments; technology venture capitalists Andreessen Horowitz, Breakthrough Energy Ventures, BOND Capital, Durable Capital, StepStone, and Standard Investments; and natural resources companies Equinor, BHP, and Mitsubishi.

About The Position:

The HSE Lead will play a critical role in supporting KoBold Metals’ commitment to operational excellence and zero harm. This role will build and drive the implementation of health, safety, and environmental initiatives across KoBold Metals’ DRC locations by developing and enforcing policies, facilitating training and inspections, managing data and reporting, and ensuring compliance with DRC regulations and KoBold’s global HSE standards. 

This role will report to the Director of HSE, and responsibilities will include:

• Drive the execution of KoBold Metals’ HSE strategy across DRC operations, aligning with corporate sustainability and safety objectives.
• Champion a strong safety culture through visible leadership, engagement, and communication at all organizational levels.
• Provide technical safety expertise and guidance to operational leaders, supervisors, and front-line employees on HSE matters.
• Develop, review, and implement HSE policies, standards, and procedures consistent with applicable regulations  and KoBold Metals global standards.
• Drive root cause analysis investigations for incidents and injuries that may occur.
• Maintain a library of HSE documentation and ensure accessibility and understanding across departments.
• Identify opportunities for continuous improvement in HSE management systems and operational practices.
• Collect, manage, and analyze HSE performance data to track progress against targets and identify trends.
• Prepare and submit regular HSE performance reports to leadership and regulatory bodies.
• Oversee the use of incident reporting and tracking systems, ensuring timely investigation and closeout of corrective actions.
• Develop and deliver HSE training for employees, contractors, and supervisors, including induction, hazard recognition, and leadership safety training.
• Conduct regular site audits, inspections, and risk assessments to ensure adherence to HSE policies and legal requirements.
• Enforce compliance with DRC mining and environmental regulations, including inspection of mining equipment for statutory compliance.
• Maintain the site Emergency Response Plan, ensuring readiness and effectiveness.
• Serve as an emergency coordinator and first responder during emergency events or drills.
• Act as the focal point for incident management, investigation, and lessons-learned dissemination.
• Monitor and report on environmental performance, including waste management, water usage, and emissions.
• Support initiatives that minimize environmental impact and promote sustainability across operations.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Occupational Health & Safety, Environmental Science, Engineering, or related field preferred.
• Minimum of 5 years of experience in a Health Safety and Environment (HSE) role with demonstrated success in driving safety culture. 
• Direct experience in Mining or Mineral Exploration
• Expert knowledge of DRC HSE legislation, mining standards, and best practices.
• Motivates the team to work together in the most efficient manner. 
• Mitigates team conflict and communication problems. 
• Excellent motivational and people skills. 
• Excellent communication skills (written and verbal). 
• Excellent computer skills. 
• Strong people leadership skills.
• Ability to drive a manual vehicle.
• Medically fit to perform moderately strenuous activity.

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, disability, or veteran status.

Location: Manono, Democratic Republic of Congo. All candidates must be legally authorized to live and work within Democratic Republic of Congo.

Contract: Indefinite