Commercial & Scientific Analyst/Lead

About the company

In the coming decades, demand for critical minerals such as copper, lithium, and cobalt will continue to grow. These minerals are needed to build electric infrastructure, vehicles, data centers, and electronics. However, the mining industry is making 10x fewer discoveries per dollar spent on exploration compared to 30 years ago because the easy-to-find, near surface deposits have largely been discovered.

KoBold was founded to be the first AI native mineral exploration, mine development, and technology development company. Our goal is to turn mineral exploration into a repeatable science to discover the minerals the world needs—by integrating artificial intelligence, human intelligence, and new technology. Our multidisciplinary teams of data scientists, engineers, and geologists work together to build data systems, design new sensors, and establish industry-leading workflows to develop and test subsurface predictions on our exploration projects.

Our first discovery, Mingomba, is a high-grade copper deposit in Zambia, found after spending materially less than industry average. We are developing Mingomba with the same technical rigor that we apply to exploration. The Mingomba team brings together mine and processing engineers, geologists, data scientists, software engineers, and community, health & safety, construction, and operations specialists. By combining industry knowledge and cutting edge technology, we are developing Mingomba into a world class project that has safer and more predictable outcomes for ourselves, partners, and communities. It is expected to create thousands of good jobs for generations.

KoBold runs exploration programs in eight countries, all with the potential for another discovery.

KoBold is privately held; investors include institutional asset managers T. Rowe Price and Canada Pension Plan Investments; technology venture capitalists Andreessen Horowitz, Breakthrough Energy Ventures, BOND Capital, Durable Capital, StepStone, and Standard Investments; and strategic natural resources companies BHP and Mitsubishi.

About the position

In this role, you will report to a Lead or Manager within the Commercial Analytics team, and work closely within a remote team of 5 - 7 (across North America and Europe) to structure ambiguous problems, build financial and operational models, and provide recommendations to the C-suite for key decisions.

The work will span a variety of topics and include traditional market analyses such as creating supply/demand forecasts and writing commodity outlook reports, and non-traditional analyses as-needed to advance KoBold’s mission – e.g., operational and financial modeling for KoBold’s exploration programs, build vs. buy decisions for KoBold’s technology, mine economics modeling, and scientific communication materials for external audiences s, to name a few.

This is an ideal role for a recent graduate looking to acquire a wide range of skills very quickly. The learning curve will be steep, and the work will be varied and intellectually demanding.

Responsibilities

The Commercial & Scientific Analyst/Lead will:

• Aggregate existing research and/or conduct original research to build forecasts and models related to commodity markets, KoBold operations, mine development, and more
• Work with the Commercial Analytics and Financial Planning & Analysis team to answer strategic questions from leadership
• Prepare materials for the Board of Directors and investors or partners
• Use a first-principles approach in collaboration with various KoBold functions to help make decisions or improve operational efficiency (e.g., cost models for technology, HR, exploration programs, carbon emissions reporting, trade-off/sensitivity analyses)
• Conduct analytics for critical workstreams in mine development and exploration
• Build and maintain financial models assessing project economics
• Support others on the Commercial Analytics team on various analytical assignments

Qualifications

A great candidate will have:

• Education in a STEM discipline or economics (physics, chemistry, astronomy/astrophysics, or mathematics is preferred)
• At least 1 year of experience in technology, natural resources, finance, or professional services
• Experience with Python or other scientific computing language and/or financial modeling
• Excitement about working on a wide array of problems
• Excellent communication and organizational skills
• Regardless of formal training, a strong orientation toward thinking from first principles with respect to science, technology, economics, and business

Work practices and motivation:

• Demonstrated ability to quickly absorb and synthesize complex information, with a keen eye for detail and intellectual rigor
• Exceptional curiosity and eagerness to learn, with a proactive approach to exploring new concepts and technologies
• Excitement about joining a fast-growing early-stage company, comfort with a dynamic work environment, and eagerness to take on a range of responsibilities
• Ability to independently prioritize multiple tasks effectively

What to Expect

Joining KoBold means getting the opportunity for hands-on exposure to our exploration projects around the world. All employees are expected to travel to project sites, with a minimum of one week per year. Field-facing and technical roles spend significantly more time in the field.

KoBold Metals is an equal opportunity workplace and an affirmative action employer. We are committed to equal employment opportunities for people of any race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, marital status, national origin, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, or veteran status.

This position is full-time, exempt.

The US base salary range for this full-time exempt position is $105,000 - $190,000 + 401K and equity.

Location: KoBold is a remote first workplace, we are open to candidates currently residing anywhere in the United States, Canada, or United Kingdom. All candidates must be authorized to legally work in either the United States, Canada, or United Kingdom.