What are the responsibilities and job description for the Tailings & Water Monitoring Technician position at Capstone Mining?
WHAT WE OFFER
Your journey with Capstone Copper starts here. At Capstone, our people are the heart of our organization. We are focused on growth and are committed to unlocking the full potential of ourselves, our teams and our resources. We invest in our people to develop a skilled and engaged workforce, not only for today, but for the future. If you are looking for a purposeful, performance-driven and dynamic work environment, join us!
Pinto Valley is an open-pit copper mine located at the west end of the historic Globe-Miami mining district of central Arizona, approximately 80 miles east of Phoenix. Pinto Valley has been in operation since 1972 and has produced more than four billion pounds of copper. Acquired by Capstone from BHP in 2013, the mine is fully permitted through 2039 and a study is underway to potentially extend the mine life through 2050.
Our proximity to the Greater Phoenix metro area provides prospective employees with the option to live in communities such as Mesa, Apache Junction, Gilbert, Chandler, San Tan Valley, or Florence. Our location offers a unique work-life balance, blending the rewarding opportunities of the mining industry with easy access to the vibrant energy of Downtown Phoenix, making it an ideal choice for both individuals and their families.
Capstone employees are eligible for an extensive total rewards package, designed to support your physical, mental, financial, and emotional well-being. This package includes, but is not limited to:
- 401(k) Savings Plan – Eligible from day one, contribute up to 30% of your salary with a dollar-for-dollar company match up to 6%, fully vested immediately.
- Retirement Boost – The company contributes 8.5% of your salary, increasing to 14.2% after reaching the Social Security wage base, with 100% immediate vesting.
- Employee Share Purchase Plan – After three months, contribute 2% to 7% of your salary (max $5,000/year) to buy company shares, with a 50% company match, fully vested upon grant.
- Annual Short Term Incentive Bonus – Up to 30%
- 4-day, 10-hour work schedule
- Affordable Medical, Dental, and Vision benefits (effective on start date), including Telehealth options and additional supplemental insurances
- Disability and Life Insurance (effective on start date)
- Paid time-off, including vacation, holidays, sick leave, and parental leave
- Employee Assistance Program
- Internal progression opportunities
- Tuition reimbursement
- Discounted insurance plans for pets, automobiles and homes
- Additional Potential Benefits:
- Relocation assistance available with additional funds provided to cover tax liabilities
POSITION RESPONSIBILITIES
Responsible for monitoring, maintaining and troubleshooting the Tailings and Water Monitoring Systems which includes, but is not limited to, piezometers, prisms, slope inclinometers, transducers, flow meters and radar scanning equipment.
- Demonstrate commitment to safety and Capstone’s Values in Action.
- Safety & Compliance: Demonstrate Capstone Copper Values and adhere to all MSHA requirements and Pinto Valley policies. Maintain required certifications and consistently apply safe work practices during field and monitoring activities.
- Field Verification & Access Management: Verify locations of all tailings and water monitoring system instrumentation and update mapping in AutoCAD as new equipment is added. Review access routes to monitoring points and coordinate with site personnel to restore or construct safe and reliable access.
- Instrumentation Protection & Maintenance: Develop and implement protection plans for piezometers, inclinometers, prisms, and other monitoring devices. Perform daily and weekly system health checks, troubleshoot offline or malfunctioning equipment, and maintain KPI reporting on monitoring system performance.
- Real-Time Monitoring & Alerts: Monitor real-time systems to identify variances or threshold exceedances. Promptly notify the Engineer of Record (EoR) and site engineers of system alerts and support follow-up actions.
- Installation & Data Collection: Coordinate with contractors on installation of new and replacement field instrumentation. Collect monitoring data—piezometers, inclinometers, prisms, and related measurements—for environmental reporting, EoR reviews, and engineering analyses.
- Technology Evaluation & Program Support: Assess the effectiveness of existing monitoring systems and research emerging technologies such as Sensemetrics, InSAR, and radar scanning. Assist site engineers in developing training materials and documentation to support the monitoring program.
- Operational Support: Provide field support for tailings and water operations, including sand sampling and KPI data collection such as freeboard, beach width, and seepage measurements. Perform additional duties as needed to support TSF monitoring and operational reliability.
- Take on additional tasks and responsibilities as assigned, demonstrating flexibility and initiative.
POSITION REQUIREMENTS
Required
- High School Diploma or equivalency.
- Minimum 1 year of experience in tailings or water operations/maintenance.
- Proficient in Microsoft Word and Excel.
- Ability to work effectively with diverse teams, including internal staff, contractors, instrumentation providers, and engineering consultants.
- Strong communication skills.
- SAP experience for notification entry and follow-up.
- Basic surveying techniques.
- Exposure to electronic system troubleshooting (e.g., battery systems, solar panels, cables).
- Understanding of operational areas including Mine, Mill, SXEW, and Tailings & Water Reclamation Facilities.
Combination of office and some mine site work with exposure to dust, loud noise, temperature extremes, wet conditions and uneven terrain.
Some off-site work may be required, including interactions with vendors and contractors.
All candidates will be required to complete a pre-employment medical exam, drug and alcohol test, and background check. All positions require a pre-placement physical examination to ensure candidates are 'fit for duty’. Additional training and/or testing may be required. Capstone maintains a drug and alcohol-free workplace.
CAPSTONE COPPER IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER.