Senior Software Developer

About Orica

At Orica, it’s the power of our people that leads change and shapes our futures.  Every day, all around the world, our people help mobilise vital resources essential to progress. Established in 1874, we have grown to become the world leader in mining and civil blasting with a diverse of team of more than 13,000 across the world. 

It’s an exciting time to join us – we are shaping the future of mining through digital and automated technologies, embracing new ways of thinking, pioneering innovation and reimagining the way we work.

About the role

We're excited to announce an opportunity for a Senior Software Developer to join Orica's Digital Solutions team and help shape the future of OREPro 3D. OREPro 3D is used by mining operations around the world to simulate rock movement before and after blasting, helping geologists separate ore from waste and define the dig boundaries excavators follow. 

We seek a Senior Software Developer who enjoys working in a small team solving complex problems with simple solutions. You will work alongside a Senior Product Manager (PM), a Business Analyst (BA) and three other developers, within the wider Digital Solutions group. You will report to the lead developer, who is in the code every day.

There's plenty of opportunity to make your mark, whether that's delivering new functionality, improving existing workflows, or helping shape the future direction of the product.
The team is a mixture of remote and hybrid (Newcastle based). You will work with other teams geographically distributed across Australia and overseas.

What you will be doing

• Building features and fixing bugs across the whole application, from the data model through the 3D rendering to the React interface and web APIs.


• Keeping large datasets fast. A project can hold millions of blocks and still has to run on a site laptop, so memory and performance shape nearly every feature.


• Connecting OREPro 3D to Predict, our blast simulation: inputs, job tracking, tuning sweeps, results and replays. The solver itself is written by another team.


• Industrialising the optimisation and geometry algorithms that cut dig polygons, so a geologist can run them under production pressure.

The Tech Stack

• Electron desktop application built with React, TypeScript and MobX.


• Performance critical work in Rust.


• 3D rendering with Three.js on WebGPU.


• Node.js web APIs and a MySQL database.


• It all works offline on a site laptop. Blast simulation runs on cloud GPUs.

What you will bring

• You have built web applications, from the interface through to the API and database behind it. We work in TypeScript and React, and we care more about how you think than which stack you have used.


• You have owned something end to end: you picked the approach, shipped it, and were still looking after it a year later.


• You have good judgement in a mature codebase about what to fix now, what to raise a ticket for, and what to leave alone.


• You say so when something is wrong. A spec that will not work on site, a design that will frustrate a geologist, a piece of the codebase that needs fixing. We would rather hear it early than be polite about it.


• You are comfortable profiling and working inside a memory budget. 


• You get real work out of AI tooling, or you would like to. We use it heavily and are still working out how to use it well.


•  You have a track record of working effectively in cross-functional teams and delivering high-quality software.

Also useful: Three.js or other real-time 3D, Rust, Electron, optimisation algorithms, vector maths and spatial data structures, physics or simulation software, and mining data.

What we offer

As part of a truly global company, you will have the ability to grow and learn in a diverse, collaborative culture. We foster relationships and learning through connected global and local teams, promote flexible and diverse career paths and support the development of your knowledge and skills. 

You will be paid a competitive salary, learn from talented individuals across multiple disciplines and be able to thrive in a safe workplace within a collaborative culture. Ignite your career at a place where your distinct potential can find its home.

We respect and value all

Orica is committed to building a diverse, equitable and inclusive culture where our people feel engaged, respected, and connected. Our vision is to inspire and enable our people, together, to shape the future, into a more diverse, inclusive and equitable place to work, live and thrive.

Orica promotes and fosters a culture of inclusion and Equal Opportunity Employment everywhere we operate. We treat our people and applicants with fairness, dignity, and respect, getting the best of everyone’s contributions. 

Orica has a board approved Diversity, Equity and Inclusion policy, a strategy built to delivery the policy and regional sub committees setup to do the work on the ground. We are here to do this properly.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, sexual orientation, gender perception or identity, nationality, age, military, or veteran, marital or disability status.