Freelance Consultant / SME (Underground Development & Drill & Blast Specialist)
About this role
About dss+
At dss+, you don’t just deliver projects, you help save lives, improve performance, and build a more sustainable future.
We are a purpose-led global consultancy partnering with organisations in high-risk and asset-intensive industries to solve complex operational challenges across safety, operational excellence, and sustainability.
With a heritage rooted in DuPont’s industrial operations, we combine deep expertise, practical problem-solving, and digital innovation to deliver measurable and lasting impact for our clients.
Why This Role
This opportunity focuses on supporting a major underground mining expansion project in Latin America through the review, development, and improvement of operational procedures related to underground mine development and drill & blast activities.
As a specialist SME, you will bring extensive operational experience to challenge existing practices, assess procedural effectiveness, identify operational and safety risks, and recommend practical improvements aligned with industry leading practices and Critical Control Management principles.
Why This Industry
The Metals & Mining industry continues to evolve as operations transition into increasingly complex underground environments while striving to improve safety, operational performance, and long-term asset value.
As underground mining projects expand, organisations must ensure that operational procedures effectively address technical challenges, operational risks, and critical control requirements.
At dss+, we partner with mining leaders to strengthen operational resilience, improve risk management practices, and support safer, more productive operations across the mining value chain.
Your Impact at dss+
You will provide specialist technical expertise to assess, challenge, and improve operational procedures, ensuring that operational and safety risks are appropriately identified, understood, and controlled.
Working closely with dss+ and client stakeholders, you will apply your underground mining expertise to strengthen risk management practices and support safer, more effective operations.
Key Accountabilities
Review operational procedures covering the underground mine development cycle, including drilling, charging, blasting, ventilation, scaling, ground support, mucking, haulage, and mine service installation
Assess alignment between documented procedures, field execution, and industry good practice
Evaluate operational and safety risks associated with underground development activities
Identify hazards, credible scenarios, control gaps, and Critical Controls
Review procedures from both operational and risk management perspectives
Support the development and enhancement of risk-based operational procedures and standards
Define operational hold points, authorization requirements, and stop-work criteria where appropriate
Conduct technical reviews, field observations, interviews, and specialist workshops
Engage with operators, supervisors, engineers, and contractors to validate procedural effectiveness
Develop recommendations that improve operational performance and strengthen risk controls
What You'll Experience at dss+
Deliver on our Purpose
Be part of a values-led organisation where your work helps save lives, improve performance, and advance sustainability for our clients and their people.
Develop your Trusted Expertise
Apply your specialist expertise to complex operational challenges while collaborating with mining and risk-management professionals across the globe.
Thrive in a Culture of Respect
Join an inclusive and collaborative environment where your expertise is valued and where diverse perspectives help create better outcomes.
Shape your Impact
Contribute to projects that improve operational performance, strengthen critical controls, and support safer workplaces across the mining industry.
Who You Are
You are a highly experienced underground mining professional with strong operational credibility and deep practical expertise in underground development and drill & blast activities.
You are comfortable reviewing procedures, identifying risks and gaps, challenging existing practices, and translating technical knowledge into practical improvements that support both operational effectiveness and risk management.
Experience
Minimum 10 years of experience in underground mining operations
Minimum 5 years directly involved in underground mine development activities
Hands-on experience with mechanized underground development
Practical experience with drilling equipment, charging systems, explosives, LHDs, and underground haulage equipment
Experience managing or supervising underground development contractors
Experience reviewing, developing, implementing, or improving operational procedures and SOPs
Experience supporting underground mine construction, expansion, Operational Readiness, or ramp-up activities
Experience implementing risk-based operational procedures and Critical Control Management principles
Experience in Latin American underground mining operations is advantageous
Capabilities
Deep understanding of underground mine development cycles and sequencing
Strong expertise in development drilling, charging, blasting, and explosives management
Knowledge of blast clearance requirements, exclusion zones, and post-blast re-entry criteria
Understanding of mucking, haulage, ground support interfaces, and underground services installation
Ability to identify gaps between documented procedures and actual operational practices
Ability to identify hazards, credible scenarios, and Critical Controls
Ability to translate operational experience into practical and executable procedures
Strong facilitation, stakeholder engagement, and workshop leadership capability
Ability to establish operational hold points, authorization requirements, and stop-work criteria
Strong technical writing skills in English
Education & Languages
Bachelor’s degree in Mining Engineering
Professional engineering registration or equivalent preferred
Additional qualifications in underground mining or blasting are advantageous
Advanced English required
A Bit More About Us
We are implementers and change-makers. Our teams work from the boardroom to the shop floor, helping organisations build resilience, improve performance, and sustain results over time.
Our expertise spans industries including metals and mining, energy, chemicals, manufacturing, and private equity, combining deep operational knowledge with transformation and capability-building expertise.
Diversity & Inclusion
dss+ is committed to building a diverse workforce and fostering an inclusive culture where everyone is respected, valued, and able to contribute fully.
We believe diversity strengthens our organisation and drives better outcomes for our people, our clients, and the communities we serve.
Originally posted on Himalayas