Chief Specialist Accelerating discovery to development (Exploration & Resource Development Business Partner)

About the Role

Maaden is seeking a Chief Specialist, Accelerating Discovery to Development (E&RD Business Partner) to join their team in Riyadh, Riyadh. This full-time role focuses on transforming the application of technology in mineral exploration, aiming to accelerate the process from initial insights to scientifically validated, decision-ready evidence. The specialist will integrate frontier technologies such as automation, advanced sensing, Data & AI, subsurface analytics, and laboratory science to enhance exploration capabilities.

Role Purpose and Impact

As an enterprise technical authority, this role is responsible for shaping the selection, validation, and application of emerging technologies across the exploration lifecycle. It connects field acquisition, laboratory validation, and digital intelligence to shorten learning cycles, improve confidence in exploration findings, and strengthen the technical basis for investment decisions. The role's primary accountability is how exploration technology is applied and validated, rather than direct ownership of exploration outcomes or platforms.

Key Responsibilities

• Shape the enterprise exploration technology roadmap to accelerate discovery and validation through automation, advanced sensing, AI-enabled targeting, and intelligent drilling.
• Translate emerging technologies into deployable exploration capabilities, ensuring scientific validity, technology readiness, field applicability, and business value.
• Advance AI-enabled exploration by integrating geological, geophysical, geochemical, and remote-sensing information to strengthen subsurface interpretation and target ranking.
• Apply advanced analytics, including predictive modeling, deep learning, physics-informed AI, and probabilistic approaches, to enhance exploration insights.
• Transform the field-to-lab validation cycle by connecting sensing, drilling, and sampling with high-throughput analytical methods and digital sample traceability.
• Design scalable field-lab-digital workflows that integrate field acquisition, laboratory analysis, and AI-enabled interpretation.
• Evaluate frontier technologies for practical exploration value, considering scientific robustness, readiness, deployment constraints, cost, risk, and scalability.
• Accelerate the transfer of proven cross-industry innovation into mineral exploration, particularly in autonomous systems, subsurface analytics, and remote sensing.

Qualifications and Experience

• A minimum of 10 years of relevant experience in technology application within exploration or related fields.
• Demonstrated ability to translate emerging technologies into practical, deployable solutions.
• Experience with advanced analytics, AI, and data integration in subsurface science.
• Background in adapting technologies and practices from sectors such as Oil & Gas, space exploration, OEMs, academia, and research institutions.

Measures of Success

• Achieving shorter field-to-validated-result cycle times, enabling faster decision-making.
• Reducing laboratory turnaround time and avoidable re-analysis, with improved quality and reproducibility of results.
• Increasing confidence in drill-ready targets through integrated data and scientifically defensible validation.
• Faster progression from exploration concept to drill-ready target via effective application of automation, AI, and advanced sensing.
• Demonstrating improved exploration efficiency through reduced costs, re-sampling, re-testing, and decision latency.
• Successful adoption and scaling of high-value technologies, including AI-enabled exploration and cross-industry innovations.

Application Process

Candidates who meet the specified qualifications are encouraged to apply for this position.