Drilling Superintendent – Raisebore and Blindbore Projects

About the role

As a Drilling Superintendent – Raisebore and Blindbore Projects at Frontier-Kemper, you will lead safe, efficient, and high-production raisebore and blindbore drilling operations on underground mining and heavy civil construction projects. You will be responsible for the direct supervision of drilling crews, equipment performance, and overall execution of shaft and raise development activities while maintaining the highest standards of safety and quality.

Responsibilities

• Lead, supervise, and mentor drilling crews on raisebore and blindbore projects, ensuring all work is performed safely, on schedule, and to specification.
• Oversee mobilization, setup, operation, troubleshooting, maintenance, and demobilization of raise boring machines, blind drills, and supporting equipment.
• Develop and execute drilling plans, procedures, shift schedules, and production targets in coordination with Project Managers, Engineers, and clients.
• Champion a zero-incident safety culture; ensure full compliance with MSHA regulations (Parts 48/56/57), company policies, site-specific safety plans, and all permit requirements.
• Lead daily safety meetings, field audits, and incident investigations.
• Monitor drilling parameters, ground conditions, advance rates, and equipment performance; implement real-time adjustments to optimize production and minimize downtime.
• Manage crew logistics, scheduling, training, performance management, and development.
• Support cross-training between raisebore and blindbore techniques.
• Cook up drilling consumables, tooling, and spare parts inventory with vendors and internal resources to maintain operational readiness.
• Prepare accurate daily reports, production logs, cost tracking, and technical documentation.
• Support schedule updates and client progress reporting.
• Identify and mitigate risks associated with underground drilling (ground control, water inflow, equipment, etc.).
• Collaborate with project leadership on change orders, claims, and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Provide technical input for estimating and proposals on raisebore/blindbore scopes for new bids and projects.

Requirements

• Minimum 10+ years of progressive experience in underground drilling or mechanical excavation, with at least 5 years in a supervisory or superintendent capacity on raisebore, blindbore, shaft sinking, or similar projects.
• Proven hands-on expertise with raise boring and/or blind drilling equipment and techniques.
• Strong working knowledge of MSHA regulations and underground mining/construction safety standards.
• Demonstrated leadership ability to effectively manage, train, and motivate crews in demanding field environments.
• Excellent problem-solving, decision-making, and communication skills (written and verbal).
• Willingness and ability to travel extensively and work extended rotations on remote project sites as required.

Preferred Requirements

• Current or prior MSHA certifications (Mine Foreman Underground, Shaft & Slope Foreman, First Class Foreman, Shot Firer, or equivalent).
• Direct experience with major raisebore manufacturers (Robbins, Sandvik/Atlas Copco, etc.) and large-diameter blind drilling systems.
• Background in heavy civil construction, mine development, or federal/DOE project environments.
• Mechanical aptitude, welding, or heavy equipment maintenance/repair experience is a strong plus.