Driller

Employer description

Durin is building the technology stack that finds America's next 100 mines. We design, build, and operate purpose-built autonomous drilling rigs, not retrofits, because diamond drilling automation hasn't been done before, and retrofits won't get us there. First to market is the only acceptable outcome.

We're seeking experienced Drillers who will run our automated diamond core platform in the field and shape how the next generation of the rig is built.

A drill rig tells an experienced operator what it is doing long before a gauge does, and the same holds true for an automated platform. Durin drillers run the rig, read its behavior, and catch a developing mechanical fault while the correction is still simple. The work carries the ordinary demands of diamond core drilling, including the ground, the weather, the hours, and the client on site, alongside the added demand of proving new equipment under real conditions. A driller here works at the point where operating skill and platform development meet, and what a driller reports from the drill site shapes what engineering builds next.

WHAT YOU’LL DO

• Run a diamond core drilling rig through full shifts, delivering the core quality, recovery, and advance rates clients expect
• Operate and learn an automated drilling platform, adapting conventional technique to new equipment and new controls
• Complete daily shift checks and equipment inspections, tracking scheduled servicing and identifying the need for field repairs so the rig remains available and in compliant working order
• Diagnose mechanical, hydraulic, and functional issues early, raising a developing fault before a failure takes the rig down
• Set up and tear down drill sites, from rig moves and leveling through water supply and site housekeeping
• Manage drill holes from collar to completion, including rod handling, core retrieval, casing, and downhole problem solving
• Lead the crew on shift, setting the pace, upholding an exceptional and uncompromising safety standard, and bringing helpers along
• Sustain exceptional housekeeping and equipment upkeep on a new machine, taking the same care for Durin's interest as for the client's
• Maintain accurate shift reports covering advance, consumables, fluid use, downtime, and equipment condition
• Stop the operation whenever conditions warrant, without hesitation and without regard to schedule pressure
• Communicate clearly with the client geologist, the operations manager, and the engineering team throughout the shift
• Report rig behavior, failure modes, and design shortcomings to engineering, contributing directly to the next revision of the platform
• Support field trials of new tooling and new automation features as the platform develops

WHO YOU ARE

• 7+ years running a diamond core drilling rig as the driller, counted as time at the controls rather than time on the helper side of the rig
• Direct experience on diamond core rigs in surface operations, underground operations, or both
• Strong mechanical understanding of how a drill rig works, spanning hydraulics, the drive head, the rod handling system, pumps, and the power unit
• Disciplined about inspection and maintenance routines, with a strong eye for early warning signs in gauges, sound, vibration, and returns before a breakdown occurs
• Proficient across the full range of tooling used on a diamond core rig, from bits and reaming shells to core barrels, overshots, casing, and wireline equipment
• Practiced at downhole problem solving such as cementing, wedging, rod recovery, and lost circulation
• Safety-first in every decision, with the will to hold the same standard for everyone on the drill site
• Strong communicator with crew members, geologists, and clients, with the confidence to raise a concern early
• Strong personal code of ethics, honest about what happened on shift and reliable when no one is watching
• Takes pride in the condition of the equipment and the drill site, with the integrity to hold both to a high standard without being asked
• Curious about how the equipment could work better, and willing to put the thinking into words engineering can use
• Based in the southwestern United States near a major airport, available to travel on short notice and to work a rotation matched to our operating programs
• Valid driver's license and the ability to obtain MSHA certification
• Commercial driver’s license is highly desirable

HOW WE WORK

This is the part of the job description most worth your time. If the way we work doesn't sound like the environment you want, this isn't the right role for you.

• Responsible Engineer. Every subsystem has one owner, regardless of seniority. If it's yours, you own it from requirements through field performance. There is nowhere to hide, and no one to pass the buck to.
• Field-first. Heavy equipment does not prove itself in CAD. We test on drill pads, iterate in hours, and expect engineers to spend real time with the operators who run our systems.
• Two continents, one team. El Segundo and our South African office hand off overnight. This demands disciplined written communication: clear specs, decisions written down, assumptions surfaced. Verbal-only decisions don't survive the handoff.
• 24/7. Drilling doesn't stop. Neither does engineering. On-call rotations and occasional field response come with the territory.
• Made in America. We buy American-made where we can. We are building the industrial base this country forgot it needed, and our supply chain reflects that commitment.
• Uncompromising safety. No hole, no deadline, no customer is worth getting someone hurt. If you see something unsafe, you have the obligation to stop the operation, no matter who is watching.