How to apply for Staff Client Platform Engineer (CPE) (Remote)

About KoBold Metals

KoBold Metals uses AI to find critical minerals like copper, lithium, and cobalt. The company's first discovery, Mingomba in Zambia, was found for less than the industry average cost. Working here means applying data science and engineering to mineral exploration, which the company says has seen 10x fewer discoveries per dollar over 30 years.

About the role

As a Staff Client Platform Engineer, you will build and run the systems that KoBold's data scientists, engineers, and geologists use daily. You will support the compute, storage, and tooling that turn subsurface data into predictions across exploration projects and the Mingomba development. This is a remote, full-time role focused on internal platform reliability and developer productivity.

A typical day

You might start by checking device compliance and patch status across the fleet, then work on automation to improve provisioning or software delivery for data scientists and engineers. Later you could troubleshoot an access or performance issue for a remote user on an exploration project and document the fix for the platform team. The exact daily rhythm is not described in the job posting, so ask about team structure, on-call expectations, and which user groups you would support.

Who KoBold Metals is looking for

• Has staff-level experience in client platform or endpoint engineering, managing fleets of laptops and workstations for technical users.
• Can automate device provisioning, patching, and configuration across macOS, Windows, and Linux in a remote-first environment.
• Understands identity, access, and security controls for a company handling sensitive geological and exploration data.
• Has supported compute-heavy workflows such as data processing, modeling, or scientific software used by engineers and data scientists.

Tips for this application

• Show how you have managed endpoint fleets for users who run data-heavy or scientific workloads, since KoBold's teams build data systems and sensors.
• Name the specific tools you have used for device management, identity, and automation, and give examples of scale such as number of devices or users supported.
• Connect your platform work to KoBold's operating context: remote teams, exploration projects in multiple locations, and a mine development at Mingomba.
• If you have worked in research, industrial, or field-adjacent environments, describe how you handled unreliable networks or remote sites.
• Keep the resume focused on client platform outcomes: provisioning time, patch compliance, support load, and security posture.

What to cover in your cover letter

Explain how you have built client platform systems for technical teams that process large datasets. Describe a time you automated device management or reduced manual IT work. Show you understand the constraints of supporting remote users on exploration and mine development projects. State why you want to apply platform engineering to mineral exploration rather than a generic software company.

Research before applying

• Read KoBold's public materials on its AI-native exploration approach and the Mingomba copper discovery in Zambia.
• Look up the critical minerals KoBold targets (copper, lithium, cobalt) and why demand is growing for electric infrastructure and data centers.
• Check what KoBold has published about its data systems, sensor design, and subsurface prediction workflows.
• Find out how KoBold organizes remote teams across exploration projects and mine development, and prepare questions about the client platform team's scope.

Likely interview topics

Based on the job description, expect questions about:

• How you would design endpoint management for a remote-first company with data scientists, engineers, and geologists.
• Your approach to securing client devices that access sensitive subsurface and exploration data.
• How you have automated provisioning, patching, and software delivery for macOS, Windows, and Linux fleets.
• How you would support compute-heavy workflows on client machines used for modeling or data processing.
• How you would handle IT support across time zones and remote field locations.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Treating this as a generic IT support role instead of a staff-level platform engineering position with automation and security ownership.
• Ignoring the remote-first and field-adjacent context, such as unreliable networks or users at exploration sites.
• Focusing only on end-user support tickets without showing how you build systems that scale across a technical user base.