{"id":1113712,"url":"https://alion.io/job/job-mail-drill-rig-operator","title":"Drill Rig Operator","company":{"id":701519,"name":"Job Mail","domain":"jobmail.co.za","url":"https://alion.io/company/job-mail","size_band":null,"is_staffing_agency":true,"employer_type":"agency","is_intermediary":true,"listed_via":"jobmail.co.za","ats_vendor":"Schema","truth_index":{"grade":"C","score":65,"open_postings":6893,"ghost_share":0.489,"stale_share":0,"repost_share":0.711,"time_to_fill_p50_days":7,"computed_at":"2026-10-22T06:10:10Z"}},"role":"Field & Service","role_family":"Field & Service","seniority":"senior","employment_type":"full_time","work_mode":"on_site","remote_scope":null,"remote_scope_basis":null,"remote_working_hours":null,"hiring_geo_confidence":"structured","locations":["Polokwane, South Africa"],"countries":["ZA"],"hiring_countries":[],"hiring_countries_total":0,"salary":{"min":240000,"max":264000,"currency":"ZAR","period":"year","gross":null,"usd_annual":15987},"salary_estimate":null,"experience_years_min":5,"visa_sponsorship":false,"relocation_package":false,"has_equity":false,"technologies":[],"status":"live","first_seen_at":"2026-09-22T13:45:00Z","employer_posted_date":"2026-10-16","last_verified_at":"2026-10-16T04:22:03Z","board_verified":false,"closed_at":null,"days_open":29,"trust":{"level":"ok","repost_count":2,"flags":["repost"],"days_open":29},"description":"Drill Rig Operator - Underground Chrome Mining\nLocation: Underground Mine - Tsibeng/Moeijelijk Communities, Ga-Wannankaye District, Limpopo Province (between Polokwane and Burgersfort)\nCost-to-company: R240 000 - R264 000 Per Annum.\nPurpose of the Position\nWe are seeking an experienced, competent and safety-conscious Drill Rig Operator to operate underground drilling equipment and accurately drill blast holes according to approved drilling patterns, plans and specifications.\nThe role requires proven underground trackless mining experience, strong equipment operating skills and the ability to safely position, operate and monitor drill rigs while identifying and reporting equipment or drilling-related issues.\nKey Responsibilities\nSafely and efficiently operate underground drill rigs and associated equipment.\n\nPosition and align drill rigs according to approved drilling plans and patterns.\n\nDrill blast holes to the required depth, angle, spacing and position.\n\nMonitor drilling progress, penetration rates, pressure and other operating parameters.\n\nAdjust drilling parameters where required and ensure drilling remains within required tolerances.\n\nConduct equipment inspections before, during and after operations.\n\nMonitor ground conditions and immediately report unsafe or abnormal conditions.\n\nCorrectly use and maintain drill rods, bits and other consumables.\n\nAssist with changing drill bits, rods and components within competency.\n\nConduct daily pre-start inspections and report equipment defects.\n\nOperate equipment according to OEM procedures and site requirements.\n\nPerform basic operator-level troubleshooting within training and competency.\n\nReport mechanical, hydraulic or electrical faults and breakdowns.\n\nMaintain equipment cleanliness and good housekeeping.\n\nComplete operator checklists, inspection records and production documentation.\n\nPark, isolate and secure equipment correctly when not in use.\n\nComply with all mine health and safety requirements, drilling/blasting procedures and machine safety protocols.\n\nConduct workplace inspections and identify/report hazards and unsafe conditions.\n\nFollow isolation and lock-out/tag-out procedures and wear required PPE.\n\nParticipate in toolbox talks, safety meetings, inspections and training.\n\nAchieve required drilling targets without compromising safety or quality.\n\nWork closely with miners, supervisors, blasting teams, engineering and other underground personnel.\n\nProvide accurate feedback on drilling progress, ground conditions and equipment performance.\n\nMinimise downtime through efficient operation and early reporting of defects.\n\nMinimum Requirements\nGrade 12 / Matric - Required\n\nOEM Drill Rig Operator training/competency - Required\n\nRelevant OEM competency for other underground mining machines will be advantageous.\n\nMinimum 5 years' underground trackless mining experience.\n\nMinimum 2 years' proven Drill Rig Operator experience.\n\nProven experience operating underground drilling equipment in a mining environment.\n\nAbility to accurately follow drilling patterns, instructions and specifications.\n\nPractical understanding of underground mining and drilling operations.\n\nAdditional Requirements\nMedically fit and able to obtain a mine-entry medical certificate.\n\nPhysically fit and comfortable working underground in confined, demanding and challenging conditions.\n\nAble to obtain a clear criminal background check.\n\nGood verbal and written English communication skills.\n\nReliable, responsible and disciplined.\n\nAble to follow instructions and established safety and operational procedures.\n\nWilling to work as part of an underground mining team.\n\nWilling to work shifts, overtime, weekends and public holidays when required.\n\nNon-local candidates must be willing to relocate at their own expense.\n\nMust comply with all mine-specific safety, induction, medical, access and competency requirements.\n\nSkills & Competencies\nStrong commitment to occupational health and safety.\n\nProven ability to operate underground drill rigs safely and efficiently.\n\nStrong understanding of drilling patterns, hole positioning, depth and angle requirements.\n\nGood knowledge of underground trackless mining practices.\n\nGood spatial awareness, hand-eye coordination and attention to detail.\n\nAbility to monitor drilling parameters and identify deviations.\n\nBasic mechanical and equipment troubleshooting ability.\n\nGood understanding of machine pre-start inspections.\n\nAbility to identify and report equipment defects and unsafe conditions.\n\nStrong problem-solving skills.\n\nAbility to work independently and as part of a team.\n\nGood communication and interpersonal skills.\n\nReliable, disciplined and able to work under pressure in a production-driven environment.\n\nWillingness to comply with instructions, procedures and safety standards.\n\nIdeal Candidate\nThe ideal candidate will have substantial underground trackless mining experience and proven hands-on Drill Rig Operator experience. The candidate must be technically competent, safety-focused and able to accurately position and operate drilling equipment according to approved patterns and specifications.\nExperience with OEM underground drill rigs and other trackless mining equipment will be advantageous. Strong concentration, discipline and attention to detail are essential, as drilling accuracy directly impacts the blasting and mining cycle.\nApplication Requirements\nInterested candidates must submit:\nComprehensive and updated CV detailing underground mining and drilling experience.\n\nGrade 12 / Matric certificate.\n\nRelevant OEM Drill Rig Operator certificates/competency certificates.\n\nAdditional relevant mining, machinery and operator certificates.\n\nDetails of relevant underground trackless mining and Drill Rig Operator experience.\n\nImportant: Only candidates meeting the minimum requirements and required experience/competencies will be considered. Shortlisted candidates may undergo medical, criminal background, competency and mine-entry screening.\nCandidates must comply with all mine safety requirements, induction procedures, site rules and operational policies.\nIf you do not receive feedback within 30 days of the closing date, please consider your application unsuccessful.","description_format":"text","description_chars":6226,"description_truncated":false,"requirements":{"experience_years_min":5,"management_years_min":null,"team_size_min":null,"manages_managers":false,"education":null,"security_clearance":false,"languages":[{"language":"English","level":"Upper-Intermediate (B2)","optional":false}]},"benefits":[],"hiring_locations":[],"hiring_excludes":[],"relocation_offered":true,"industries":[],"lifecycle":[{"event":"open","at":"2026-09-22T13:45:00Z"},{"event":"close","at":"2026-09-22T23:13:17Z"},{"event":"reopen","at":"2026-10-05T13:51:17Z"},{"event":"close","at":"2026-10-05T20:13:48Z"},{"event":"reopen","at":"2026-10-16T04:22:03Z"}],"visa":[],"liveness":{"score":6,"band":"cold","label":"Long shot","p_open":1,"p_active":0.172,"p_room":0.35,"age_days":29,"expected_fill_days":7,"reasons":["seen:6","repost:2","agency","velocity","win:tail","comp:brand"],"computed_at":"2026-10-22T06:10:10Z"},"pay":{"stated_usd_annual":15987,"is_top_pay":false},"html_url":"https://alion.io/job/job-mail-drill-rig-operator","json_url":"https://alion.io/job/job-mail-drill-rig-operator.json","meta":{"generated_at":"2026-10-22T06:54:28Z","cache_seconds":300,"methodology":"https://alion.io/methodology","terms":"https://alion.io/terms","contact":"https://alion.io/contact","api":"https://alion.io/developers","about":"Alion is a live layer of people, companies and AI agents: who they are, whether they are real and active right now, what they do and how to work with them, readable by people and by agents and paid per call.","catalog":"https://alion.io/catalog.json","usage":{"tier":"crawler_verified","counted_by":"address","units_charged":1,"used_today":2120,"day_limit":null,"remaining_today":null,"minute_limit":300,"resets_at":"2026-10-23T00:00:00Z"}},"offers":[{"id":"company.slices","title":"One company in depth, by slice","status":"live","price":{"credits":0.02,"usd":0.002,"plus_per_slice":{"credits":0.05,"usd":0.005}},"unit":"per company, plus each slice with data","note":"the employer in depth","call":{"mcp_tool":"get_company","arguments":{"id":701519},"rest":"https://alion.io/mcp/rest/get_company?id=701519"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=company.slices&for=job%2Fjob-mail-drill-rig-operator"},{"id":"market.stats","title":"A market slice: pay, demand and time to fill","status":"live","price":{"credits":1,"usd":0.1},"unit":"per slice","note":"pay, demand and time to fill for this role and place","call":{"mcp_tool":"market_stats"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=market.stats&for=job%2Fjob-mail-drill-rig-operator"},{"id":"job.search","title":"Open jobs by role, technology, place, pay and visa","status":"live","price":{"credits":0.02,"usd":0.002},"unit":"per posting in a list","note":"similar open postings","call":{"mcp_tool":"search_jobs"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=job.search&for=job%2Fjob-mail-drill-rig-operator"},{"id":"company.verify","title":"Is this company real and active right now","status":"pilot","price":null,"unit":"per company","request":{"url":"https://alion.io/catalog/request","method":"POST","body":"{\"offer\": \"company.verify\", \"for\": \"job/job-mail-drill-rig-operator\", \"note\": \"what you need it for\"}"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=company.verify&for=job%2Fjob-mail-drill-rig-operator"}]}