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Apply to Senior Tailings Governance, Dam Safety & Independent Review Specialist — USTDA Critical Minerals
Axyde Analytics is assembling senior specialists for U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) critical-minerals project-scoping and technical-review assignments. This contingent, remote contract role will provide tailings governance, tailings-storage-facility (TSF) risk, dam-safety and independent-review expertise for mining, mineral-processing, reprocessing and closure-related assignments.
The specialist will help multidisciplinary teams determine whether proposed projects are technically sound, responsibly governed, financeable and capable of producing decision-grade evidence for USTDA and project stakeholders.
Responsibilities
• Evaluate TSF governance against the Global Industry Standard on Tailings Management (GISTM) and other applicable international and jurisdictional requirements.
• Assess governance structures, including the Accountable Executive, Engineer of Record, Responsible Tailings Facility Engineer and Independent Tailings Review Board.
• Review site selection, alternatives, design basis, consequence classification, failure modes, geotechnical and hydrogeological conditions, seismicity, water balance and climate resilience.
• Evaluate upstream, downstream, centerline, filtered/dry-stack and in-pit alternatives, including technology-selection tradeoffs.
• Review operating controls, surveillance, instrumentation, trigger-action-response plans, change management, emergency preparedness, dam-breach analysis, closure and post-closure obligations.
• Convert findings into clear risk registers, corrective-action roadmaps, monitoring requirements, acceptance criteria and implementation priorities.
• Support project-scoping reports, feasibility-study terms of reference, cost and schedule assumptions, technical due diligence and independent quality review.
• Identify material gaps, single-point dependencies and recovery actions without overstating project readiness.
Required qualifications
• At least 15 years of directly relevant mining, geotechnical, tailings, dam-safety or mine-water experience.
• Advanced degree in geotechnical, civil, mining, geological or environmental engineering, or a closely related discipline. Professional registration is strongly preferred.
• Documented responsibility for design, governance, operation, audit or independent review of multiple TSFs across different project stages.
• Demonstrated application of GISTM and familiarity with ICMM, Mining Association of Canada, CDA, ANCOLD or comparable tailings/dam-safety frameworks.
• Strong evidence of technical judgment involving failure modes, consequence classification, monitoring data, governance escalation and closure planning.
• Ability to produce concise, defensible written findings for government, lender, owner, investor and community audiences.
• Experience in emerging markets and multidisciplinary mining studies is preferred.
Independence and eligibility
Candidates must disclose current employment, technology or commercial interests, prior work on the project or facility under review, and any other actual or potential organizational conflict of interest. Independent-review assignments require genuine independence from the underlying designer, operator, technology provider and investment decision.
For proposal eligibility, candidates will be asked to self-attest whether they are a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident. Do not provide identity documents with the initial application. Candidates must also confirm availability for contingent assignments and willingness to travel internationally, when authorized, including to U.S. Department of State Level 1 or Level 2 destinations.
Engagement
This is a contingent remote contract opportunity. Work, level of effort and travel depend on contract award and individual USTDA assignment authorization; no minimum volume is guaranteed. Compensation will be commensurate with seniority, independence and the technical demands of each assignment.
To apply, submit a current comprehensive résumé and identify two or three nonconfidential tailings programs or reviews showing facility type, project stage, jurisdiction, personal role, governing standard, principal technical or governance issue and outcome.
The specialist will help multidisciplinary teams determine whether proposed projects are technically sound, responsibly governed, financeable and capable of producing decision-grade evidence for USTDA and project stakeholders.
Responsibilities
• Evaluate TSF governance against the Global Industry Standard on Tailings Management (GISTM) and other applicable international and jurisdictional requirements.
• Assess governance structures, including the Accountable Executive, Engineer of Record, Responsible Tailings Facility Engineer and Independent Tailings Review Board.
• Review site selection, alternatives, design basis, consequence classification, failure modes, geotechnical and hydrogeological conditions, seismicity, water balance and climate resilience.
• Evaluate upstream, downstream, centerline, filtered/dry-stack and in-pit alternatives, including technology-selection tradeoffs.
• Review operating controls, surveillance, instrumentation, trigger-action-response plans, change management, emergency preparedness, dam-breach analysis, closure and post-closure obligations.
• Convert findings into clear risk registers, corrective-action roadmaps, monitoring requirements, acceptance criteria and implementation priorities.
• Support project-scoping reports, feasibility-study terms of reference, cost and schedule assumptions, technical due diligence and independent quality review.
• Identify material gaps, single-point dependencies and recovery actions without overstating project readiness.
Required qualifications
• At least 15 years of directly relevant mining, geotechnical, tailings, dam-safety or mine-water experience.
• Advanced degree in geotechnical, civil, mining, geological or environmental engineering, or a closely related discipline. Professional registration is strongly preferred.
• Documented responsibility for design, governance, operation, audit or independent review of multiple TSFs across different project stages.
• Demonstrated application of GISTM and familiarity with ICMM, Mining Association of Canada, CDA, ANCOLD or comparable tailings/dam-safety frameworks.
• Strong evidence of technical judgment involving failure modes, consequence classification, monitoring data, governance escalation and closure planning.
• Ability to produce concise, defensible written findings for government, lender, owner, investor and community audiences.
• Experience in emerging markets and multidisciplinary mining studies is preferred.
Independence and eligibility
Candidates must disclose current employment, technology or commercial interests, prior work on the project or facility under review, and any other actual or potential organizational conflict of interest. Independent-review assignments require genuine independence from the underlying designer, operator, technology provider and investment decision.
For proposal eligibility, candidates will be asked to self-attest whether they are a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident. Do not provide identity documents with the initial application. Candidates must also confirm availability for contingent assignments and willingness to travel internationally, when authorized, including to U.S. Department of State Level 1 or Level 2 destinations.
Engagement
This is a contingent remote contract opportunity. Work, level of effort and travel depend on contract award and individual USTDA assignment authorization; no minimum volume is guaranteed. Compensation will be commensurate with seniority, independence and the technical demands of each assignment.
To apply, submit a current comprehensive résumé and identify two or three nonconfidential tailings programs or reviews showing facility type, project stage, jurisdiction, personal role, governing standard, principal technical or governance issue and outcome.