How to apply for Software Engineer (All Levels), United Kingdom

About KoBold Metals

KoBold Metals uses AI to find critical minerals like copper, lithium, and cobalt. The company's first discovery, Mingomba in Zambia, is a high-grade copper deposit found at a lower cost than the industry average. Working here means applying software to mineral exploration, a field where discoveries per dollar have dropped 10x in 30 years.

About the role

This is a software engineering role open to multiple levels, from mid to senior. You will own production systems and work in ambiguous problem spaces. The work supports data systems, sensor design, and workflows that test subsurface predictions on exploration projects.

A typical day

A typical day may involve writing or reviewing code for data pipelines that process geological and sensor data. You might join a meeting with geologists and data scientists to clarify what predictions the system needs to produce. Since the role is remote in the UK, most collaboration happens through written updates and video calls. Ask the hiring team how they coordinate across time zones and which projects you would join first.

Who KoBold Metals is looking for

• Has owned production systems end-to-end, including deployment, monitoring, and on-call.
• Can operate in highly ambiguous problem spaces without clear requirements or playbooks.
• Has experience integrating data systems or working with scientific, sensor, or geospatial data.
• Shows demonstrated ownership and impact, with a track record that justifies the level you apply for.

Tips for this application

• State the level you are targeting (mid, senior, staff) and give one concrete example of owning a production system to justify it.
• Describe a time you worked in an ambiguous problem space. Explain what you decided without full information and what happened.
• If you have worked with geospatial, sensor, or scientific data, name the specific systems or pipelines you built.
• Mention KoBold's Mingomba discovery and how software engineering supports exploration workflows like subsurface prediction.
• Apply through KoBold's careers page or a direct posting. Avoid generic recruiting platforms that may not route to the right team.

What to cover in your cover letter

Ownership of a production system, including what broke and how you fixed it. A decision you made in an ambiguous problem space and its outcome. Any experience with data systems, sensors, or scientific pipelines. Why mineral exploration and KoBold's AI-native approach fit your engineering background.

Research before applying

• Read KoBold's public materials on the Mingomba discovery in Zambia, including cost and grade details.
• Look up what 'AI native mineral exploration' means in practice. Check KoBold's blog or press for examples of their data systems and sensors.
• Understand the basics of subsurface prediction and why near-surface deposits are mostly found.
• Check the backgrounds of KoBold's engineering and data science teams on LinkedIn to understand the technical stack and project types.

Likely interview topics

Based on the job description, expect questions about:

• Walk through a production system you owned. How did you handle monitoring, incidents, and scaling?
• Describe a project where requirements were unclear. How did you decide what to build?
• How would you design a data pipeline that ingests sensor data and produces predictions for geologists?
• Tell us about a time you disagreed with a technical decision. How did you resolve it?
• What interests you about applying software to mineral exploration rather than a standard tech company?

Common mistakes to avoid

• Applying without stating a level. This role is level-agnostic, so the company needs to know where you fit.
• Giving generic examples of teamwork instead of specific stories about owning production systems or making decisions with incomplete information.
• Treating this like a standard tech job. Show you understand the mineral exploration context and why the problem is hard.