Drill & Blast Supervisor
$180,000 – $250,000
About the role
The Drill & Blast Supervisor is the statutory leader of the crew responsible for the highest-consequence activity on a mine site. They coordinate drill patterns with the mine planning engineers, supervise drill rig operators, plan and sign off charge plans, manage the blast crew during charging, and take legal responsibility for firing the shot and clearing re-entry. The role sits at the intersection of production, safety and regulation — and because a poor blast can destroy weeks of production, injure people, or trigger a regulator investigation, mines pay well to attract and retain experienced Drill & Blast Supervisors. Base salaries typically start around $180,000 and climb toward $250,000 on remote FIFO sites and complex underground operations. A typical shift involves reviewing the previous fire, walking the pattern with the drillers, checking charge plans, briefing the crew, and overseeing charge-up in accordance with the site's Ground Control Management Plan. Underground Drill & Blast Supervisors in gold and nickel mines carry additional responsibility for ventilation and re-entry — the fumes from a large development fire can take hours to clear. Career progression paths include Mining Superintendent, Underground Mine Manager and Operations Manager. Because the role sits on the statutory register in states like WA, movement between operators is straightforward for experienced supervisors and pay is pushed by direct competition.
Certificates & qualifications required
- State Shot Firer's Permit
- Cert IV in Leadership and Management or equivalent
- S1/S2/S3 statutory supervisor tickets (WA)
- Standard 11 Generic Mining Induction
- Underground induction (for underground roles)
- Advanced First Aid, Low Voltage Rescue
How to get a job in this field
- Work 3–5 years as a Shot Firer with a strong safety record.
- Complete Cert IV Leadership and Management and state statutory supervisor tickets.
- Step up as Leading Hand or Acting Supervisor on your existing crew.
- Target roles at gold, nickel and underground base metal operators.
- Move toward Mining Superintendent after 5+ years as a Supervisor.
