Motheo Copper Mine Jobs 2026: 6 Sandfire Roles, Apply by 23 Oct

Sandfire Resources is hiring for six positions at its Motheo Copper Mine in Botswana, and every one of them closes on 23 October 2026. Five of the roles are based at the mine near Ghanzi and one (Assistant Payroll Accountant) is in Gaborone. Two are entry-level graduate posts for mining engineering and surveying graduates from the 2023–2025 cohorts. Applications go through the official Sandfire Motheo careers portal only, there is no fee, and only shortlisted candidates are contacted.

Key takeaways

Employer: Sandfire Resources, operating Motheo through its Botswana subsidiary Tshukudu Metals Botswana (Pty) Ltd.
Six vacancies: Farm Manager, Assistant Payroll Accountant, Draughtsman, Survey Assistant, Graduate Mining Engineer and Graduate Mine Surveyor.
Closing date for all six: 23 October 2026.
Entry points for every level: BGCSE holders (Survey Assistant), fresh graduates (two graduate roles) and experienced professionals (Draughtsman, Farm Manager, payroll).
Apply online at sandfiremotheo.co.bw. The official form is free to submit; ignore anyone asking for a fee.

Which jobs is Sandfire advertising at Motheo?

The Sandfire Motheo "Job Opportunities" page lists the following six roles, all with a 23 October 2026 closing date. Requirements below are summarised from the official adverts; always read the full advert before you apply.

1. Graduate Mining Engineer (Ref 347) – Motheo, Ghanzi

Two-year structured graduate programme. Entry level.
Bachelor's degree in Mining Engineering or equivalent, with a First Class or Second Class Upper (2:1) pass.
Must have graduated between 2023 and 2025.
Registered, or eligible to register, with the Engineers Registration Board (ERB).
Valid Botswana Class B driver's licence.
Work covers mine planning and scheduling, drill-and-blast design reviews, contractor production reporting and production databases.

2. Graduate Mine Surveyor (Ref 348) – Motheo, Ghanzi

Two-year structured graduate programme. Entry level.
BSc in Surveying, Geomatics or Geodetic Sciences, with a First Class or 2:1 pass.
Graduated between 2023 and 2025.
Registered, or eligible to register, with the Botswana Institute of Geomatics (BIG) or the Institute of Mine Surveyors of Southern Africa (IMSSA).
Valid Botswana Class B driver's licence.

3. Survey Assistant (Ref 346) – Motheo, Ghanzi

Minimum BGCSE or equivalent. This is the most accessible role in the batch.
One year of survey experience and a Class B licence are listed as added advantages, not requirements.
Basic arithmetic, familiarity with measuring tools, attention to detail and Microsoft Office skills help.

4. Draughtsman (Ref 345) – Motheo, Ghanzi

Diploma in mechanical, civil or electrical engineering, or design and draughting technology, with strong CAD skills or certification.
Registration (or eligibility) with the ERB as a Professional Technologist is essential.
About five years' post-qualification draughting experience, ideally in mining or heavy industry, across civil, structural, mechanical, piping and electrical/instrumentation design.
Valid Botswana Class B driver's licence.

5. Assistant Payroll Accountant (Ref 344) – Gaborone

Supports payroll for Tshukudu Metals Botswana and Tshukudu Exploration Botswana.
Diploma or degree in Accounting or Finance, AAT or equivalent, plus BICA registration or eligibility.
Three to five years of payroll administration experience, preferably in mining, with payroll ERP experience (PaySpace is an advantage).
Duties include monthly payroll and general ledger reconciliations, statutory tax forms such as ITW8, and audit support.
Valid Botswana Class B driver's licence.

6. Farm Manager (Ref 343) – Motheo, Ghanzi

Oversees land management, maintenance and security of the mine's farm assets in a remote setting.
Three to five years' experience in land management, agriculture or farm maintenance; formal agricultural or land management training is desirable.
Ability to operate machinery and utility vehicles, plus a valid Class B licence.

How to apply for Sandfire Motheo jobs

Go to the official Sandfire Motheo "Job Opportunities" page at sandfiremotheo.co.bw and open the role you want. Each advert has an "Apply for this job" button that opens an online form.
Prepare a PDF CV that clearly shows your qualification, class of degree and graduation year (the graduate adverts screen on all three), plus your ERB, BIG, IMSSA or BICA registration status and driver's licence.
Fill in the form: name, contact details, residential status (citizen, permanent resident or work visa) and upload your CV. A cover letter is optional but worth adding for the graduate roles, where many applicants share the same qualification.
Submit before 23 October 2026. Sandfire's recruitment process can include a telephone interview, behavioural interviews, reference and background checks and a pre-employment medical.
Wait for contact. Sandfire states that it only responds to candidates who are shortlisted and invited to interview.

If none of the six roles fits you, the same page accepts expressions of interest for future vacancies by email to the Human Resources Manager at Tshukudu Metals Botswana (careersbw@sandfire.com.au). Keep it short and attach a CV; use the CV format guide if yours needs a refresh.

What is Motheo and why does it keep hiring?

Motheo is an open-pit copper and silver operation in the Ghanzi District, in the central part of the Kalahari Copper Belt. Sandfire owns 100% of it and runs it through Tshukudu Metals Botswana. First built at 3.2 million tonnes a year of processing capacity, the plant has been expanded and now runs at about 5.6 million tonnes a year, with a second open pit developed alongside the first. Sandfire has said it employs more than 2,000 people at Motheo, that over 95% of direct employees are Batswana and that over 78% of managers are Batswana.

That citizen-first staffing profile is why most of the adverts ask for Botswana registrations (ERB, BIG, BICA) and a Botswana driver's licence. Vacancies also come in regular batches: job boards in Botswana carried separate Sandfire rounds closing in May, June and September 2026 before this October set, so if you miss this deadline it is worth checking the portal again in a few weeks.

Other copper mines hiring in Botswana

Motheo is not the only Kalahari Copper Belt operation recruiting. MMG's Khoemacau mine in the north-west is in the middle of a US$936 million (about P13 billion) expansion that is designed to lift output from 60,000 to 130,000 tonnes of copper a year by mid-2028. MMG says the site already has more than 2,200 employees and contractors, 90% of them Botswana citizens, and that numbers will peak above 4,000 during construction. Khoemacau advertises its roles, including a two-year graduate internship programme, on the MMG careers portal (careers.mmg.com); its most recent batch of adverts closed on 8 October 2026, and new ones are posted regularly.

For graduates who are not yet in the 2023–2025 window or who miss these mining deadlines, the government's Botswana Internship Programme remains open year-round.

Scam warning: how to spot a fake Sandfire or Khoemacau job

The official Sandfire Motheo application form asks for no payment of any kind, and no legitimate mining employer in Botswana charges application, processing, medical or "work permit" fees. Anyone asking for money is a scammer.
The only application routes are the sandfiremotheo.co.bw online form, the careersbw@sandfire.com.au address for expressions of interest, and careers.mmg.com for Khoemacau. Be wary of WhatsApp numbers, Gmail addresses or Facebook pages claiming to recruit for the mines.
Genuine adverts carry a reference number and a closing date. Offers that arrive without you having applied, or that promise a job before an interview, are not real.
Never send your Omang, bank details or certificates to anyone outside the official portals.

Once you are employed, your contract has to meet Botswana's statutory minimums; our Botswana labour law guide and minimum wage guide explain what those are.

Frequently asked questions

When is the closing date for Sandfire Motheo jobs?

All six roles advertised in October 2026 close on 23 October 2026. Submit through the online form on sandfiremotheo.co.bw before that date.

Can I apply for the Graduate Mining Engineer role if I graduated in 2022 or 2026?

Not under the current advert. It asks for graduates from 2023 to 2025 with a First Class or 2:1 degree in mining engineering and ERB registration or eligibility. If you fall outside that window, send an expression of interest for future intakes instead.

Do I need experience for the Survey Assistant job?

No. The minimum requirement is a BGCSE or equivalent. One year of survey experience and a Class B driver's licence are listed as advantages only.

Where is the Motheo Copper Mine?

Motheo is in the Ghanzi District in western Botswana, within the Kalahari Copper Belt. Five of the six roles are site-based there; the Assistant Payroll Accountant post is in Gaborone.

Does Sandfire charge an application fee?

No. The official application form on sandfiremotheo.co.bw asks for no payment, and the company says it only contacts shortlisted candidates. Any request for payment in Sandfire's name is a scam.

Sources

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Written by the Jobsiz Editorial Team. Last updated 16 October 2026. Vacancy details were checked against the Sandfire Motheo careers portal on 16 October 2026; always confirm on the official advert before applying.