Water Resources Engineer II

Job Description

Job Description

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 15%
• 4-day, 10-hour work schedule (shifts may vary depending on position)
• 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

POSITION OVERVIEW

The Water Resources Engineer II is responsible for developing, implementing, and optimizing integrated water management strategies that ensure the sustainable, reliable, and cost-effective use of water resources across Pinto Valley Mine. This role provides technical leadership for site-wide water supply, groundwater management, dewatering systems, tailings water recovery, water infrastructure planning, and operational water stewardship. The position leads water balance development, forecasting, hydrologic and hydrogeologic evaluations, climate resilience planning, and strategic water resource assessments to support current operations and long-term mine planning. The Water Resources Engineer II serves as the primary technical resource for water management initiatives and collaborates closely with Operations, Tailings, Environmental, Geotechnical, Maintenance, and Corporate teams to support business objectives while maintaining compliance with regulatory requirements, ICMM Water Stewardship commitments, and GISTM requirements.

POSITION RESPONSIBILITIES

• Ensure all work is conducted in accordance with Pinto Valley Mine safety standards, environmental requirements, and applicable regulations.
• Provide technical leadership for site-wide water management programs and water infrastructure systems.
• Develop and implement short- and long-term water supply strategies to support operational continuity and future mine development.
• Manage and optimize multiple water sources, including production wells, booster stations, reclaim systems, surface water capture systems, and water distribution networks.
• Lead development, maintenance, calibration, and continuous improvement of site-wide and regional water balance models using GoldSim, spreadsheets, or equivalent tools.
• Conduct scenario-based evaluations to support operational planning, climate change adaptation, drought preparedness, pit expansion, tailings growth, and closure planning.
• Support groundwater monitoring, hydrogeologic investigations, wellfield management, aquifer performance evaluations, and dewatering programs.
• Evaluate water infrastructure performance and develop recommendations for system optimization, reliability improvements, and operational efficiency.
• Manage technical studies and engineering projects related to water supply, conveyance, storage, pumping systems, and monitoring infrastructure.
• Provide technical oversight of water monitoring systems, including piezometers, vibrating wire instrumentation, transducers, flow meters, telemetry systems, DCS integration, PI Vision, and Sensemetrics platforms.
• Establish and maintain QA/QC procedures for water data collection, validation, monitoring systems, and water balance inputs.
• Support permitting activities, agency reporting requirements, and regulatory compliance initiatives related to water resources.
• Support implementation and continuous improvement of Capstone’s Tailings Management System and Global Industry Standard on Tailings Management (GISTM) requirements.
• Lead water stewardship initiatives and support ICMM reporting, ESG metrics, sustainability reporting, and corporate water management programs.
• Manage consultants, contractors, and technical service providers supporting water-related projects and studies.
• Develop scopes of work, cost estimates, budgets, and capital project justifications for water infrastructure improvements.
• Track project schedules, budgets, and performance metrics to ensure successful project execution.
• Mentor and provide technical guidance to Water Resources Engineers, interns, and other site personnel.
• Support continuous improvement initiatives that enhance operational performance, data quality, water efficiency, and business processes.
• Demonstrate Capstone’s Values: Always Accountable, Execute with Excellence, Deliver Results, and Work Responsibly.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

POSITION REQUIREMENTS

Education

• Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering, Water Resources Engineering, Hydrology, Geological Engineering, or a related discipline.

Experience

• 5–10 years of experience in water resources, hydrology, or hydrogeology.
• Experience with mine water management systems, water balance development, groundwater monitoring, or dewatering operations preferred.
• Experience managing consultants, technical studies, and engineering projects preferred.
• Mining industry experience strongly preferred.

Key Competencies / Skills

• Demonstrated expertise in site-wide water balance development, forecasting, and water management planning.
• Strong understanding of hydrologic, hydrogeologic, hydraulic, groundwater, and water infrastructure systems.
• Experience with GoldSim, HEC-HMS, MODFLOW, FEFLOW, or equivalent modeling software preferred.
• Strong proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, particularly Excel.
• Experience with ArcGIS, AutoCAD, Civil 3D, Power BI, SQL databases, PI Vision, or equivalent data management tools.
• Familiarity with ICMM Water Stewardship Framework, GISTM, Arizona water regulations, and environmental permitting processes.
• Strong analytical, organizational, project management, and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to communicate effectively with operations personnel, management, consultants, regulators, and corporate stakeholders.
• Experience developing budgets, scopes of work, and contractor management plans.
• Valid Arizona driver’s license.
• Proficiency in English.

WORK ENVIRONMENT / PHYSICAL DEMANDS

• Combination of office-based technical work (70%) and field verification activities (30%).
• Frequent travel throughout the site to water infrastructure, pumping systems, pipelines, monitoring locations, wellfields, and tailings facilities.
• Walking on uneven terrain, loose rock, wet surfaces, and active mining areas. Ability to climb ladders, stairs, and access remote monitoring locations.
• Exposure to desert conditions including heat, sun, dust, wind, and seasonal storms.
• Work near operating heavy equipment, process facilities, and active mining operations.
• Ability to lift up to 50 pounds and wear required PPE in all operational areas.

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.