Autonomous Drilling System (ADS) Coordinator

We have an exciting position for an Autonomous Drilling System (ADS) Coordinator who will coordinate and manage manual and autonomous drilling operations to ensure safe, productive, and efficient delivery of the daily drilling schedule and mine plan requirements.

 

Be part of the team.

The team that makes it happen.

 

Guided by our purpose and our values, we enable both high performance and purposeful action as we aim to “re-imagine mining to improve people’s lives", delivering the metals and minerals that make modern life possible.

 

Kumba Iron Ore

We produce high-grade iron ore, the key component in steel widely used in construction and manufacturing across the world. Our activities include all aspects – exploration; mining; processing and blending; shipping; marketing and selling. In South Africa, we have mining operations in the Northern Cape province, as well as a head office in Gauteng, and a port operation in Saldanha Bay, Western Cape.

As an Autonomous Drilling System (ADS) Coordinator you will provide services as required and your responsibilities will include but not limited to:

• Apply safety and health principles in all interactions, ensuring compliance within and beyond own area.
• Act as area owner for approved drilling patterns and optimise autonomous drilling resources across multiple areas.
• Manage end-to-end drilling and blasting operations with minimal disruption to other mining activities.
• Allocate drilling tasks and communicate operational requirements clearly to all stakeholders.
• Enforce compliance with daily schedules and mine plans, adapting where performance risks arise.
• Control access to drill and blast patterns for both autonomous and manual drilling environments.
• Ensure critical controls (e.g., no-dig lines, geofences, ADA requirements) are in place and verified before drilling.
• Monitor ADS production and system performance throughout each shift to ensure alignment with the schedule.
• Capture planned and unplanned events influencing productivity, including delays, durations, affected assets, and controls.
• Validate and finalise shift logs before the end of the shift.
• Conduct structured handovers highlighting safety events, drilling conditions, equipment availability, schedule changes, ADS issues, and readiness of upcoming patterns.
• Review shift logs, emails, and meeting notes to ensure accurate, complete communication.
• Ensure all personnel involved in ADS operations are trained, competent, and authorised.
• Support a performance-driven culture and continuous improvement.
• Uphold established planning, scheduling, and operating practices for safe autonomous drilling execution.
• Ensure ADS technology layers, systems, and machines operate at high availability with redundancy and failover capability.
• Monitor real-time data reporting systems and escalate performance issues as required.
• Maintain accurate and up-to-date competency records and ensure periodic re-training where applicable.
• Allow personnel to perform only tasks for which they are trained and authorised, including supervised development where needed.

This role is in the Mining (Min) discipline at a Band 6 level (D1 Grade) reporting to the Section Manager Drill & Blast.

• Relevant Mining qualification, e.g., Advanced Certificate in Mining Operations/Mineral Resource Management/Mining Engineering at NQF6 Level.
• Valid SA Drivers Licence

Experience

• 3-5 years of relevant experience in drilling and autonomous drilling systems in a mining environment.
• Demonstrate understanding of autonomous drilling technology and its limitations to ensure safe operation.
• Understand the mining sequence, daily drilling, and maintenance schedule, and articulate how drill fleet performance influences broader mining activities.
• Demonstrate experience in autonomous drilling operations, including ADS behaviour and system health monitoring.
• Experienced in the analysis of operational data, identifying issues, and developing workable solutions based on judgment and experience.
• Know how to exercise autonomy within defined operational parameters and respond effectively to unexpected events.
• Understand how to integrate people, process, and technology requirements to maintain high ADS performance.

What we offer

When you join Anglo American, you can expect to enjoy a competitive salary and benefits package. But more than this, you’ll find yourself in an environment where the opportunities for learning and growth are second to none. From technical training to leadership programmes, we bring out the best in our people. There are plenty of opportunities to move onwards and upwards too. We’re a large, successful multinational company – and we’re still growing all the time.

 

Who we are?

Anglo American is a global diversified mining business. Our portfolio of world-class mining operations provides the metals and minerals that make modern life possible. We use innovative practices and the latest technologies to discover new resources and mine, process, move and market our products to our customers around the world.

 

As a responsible miner – of diamonds (through De Beers), copper, platinum and other precious metals, iron ore, coal and nickel – we are the custodians of what are precious natural resources. We work together with our key partners and stakeholders to unlock the sustainable value that those resources represent for our shareholders, the communities and countries in which we operate and for society at large. Anglo American is re-imagining mining to improve people’s lives.

 

Inclusion and Diversity

Anglo American is an equal opportunities employer. We are committed to promoting an inclusive and diverse workplace where we value and respect every colleague for who they are and provide equality of opportunity so that everyone can fulfil their potential.

 

How to Apply

To apply for this role, please complete our online application form. You will have the opportunity to upload your CV and other relevant documentation as part of this process.