Drill and Blast Engineer

Drill and Blast Engineers – Yandi or Paraburdoo

• Apply your technical knowledge to truly make a difference
• Access to industry-leading technical development programmes
• Choose work-life balance with an 8 days on, 6 days off FIFO roster ex Perth or Busselton

About the role

Finding better ways to provide the materials the world needs.

Rio Tinto Iron Ore’s Mine Technical Services is seeking an industry experienced, mining degree qualified Drill and Blast Engineers to join their team supporting either the Yandi or Paraburdoo mining operations in the Pilbara. These key roles will be responsible for drill and blast design and planning activities to ensure the safe and efficient delivery of the mine plan.

Reporting to the Senior Mining Engineer, key responsibilities will include:

• Creating effective drill patterns, electronic initiation and charging designs
• Exploring new ways to increase drill and blast productivity
• Effectively implement designs in the field
• Operating drones for blast capture and visualisation technology for efficient drill unit performance tracking

These permanent positions will be offered on a fly in, fly out work roster of 8 days on site and 6 days off, out of Perth or Busselton.

About you

To succeed in this role, you will have:

• Tertiary qualification in Mining Engineering
• Demonstrated drill and blast experience gained within a large scale, open pit iron ore mining environment.
• Proficient skills in using mining software such as Vulcan and Blast Plan
• Demonstrated experience operating drone equipment in a mining environment
• A current C Class driver’s licence is essential
• The ability to obtain and maintain a dangerous goods security card

It will also be advantageous if you have:

• Prior drill and blast design experience along with wall control and vibration modelling experience
• An RPAS, sub 25kg multirotor drone licence

You will have full and unrestricted eligibility for permanent employment in Australia. The point of hire will be Perth and this position will suit a Perth resident or someone willing to relocate to Perth on a permanent basis. 

Where you will be working

Located 95km north-west of Newman, Yandicoogina offers a range of fly in fly out rosters. As one of Australia's largest-producing iron ore mines; operating a fleet of autonomous trucks and drills, it generates more than 55 million tonnes of Hammersley Iron Yandi (HIY) fines each year.

Yandicoogina is known for its culture of teamwork, can-do attitude and pioneering spirit, leading the way with innovation and technological advances in autonomous operations and robotics.

Rio Tinto’s Paraburdoo Operation commenced iron ore production in 1972and has the capacity to produce 25 million tonnes (MT) perannum.  The geographic spread of the Paraburdoo Operation consists ofChannar and Eastern Ridge feeding the ore into our main hub processingplant.  With the Western Ridge green field project kick starting, thelife of the Paraburdoo Operation will be extended to 2045. 

What we offer

We are an open, connected international team of technical specialists using some of the most exciting data and tools on the planet. We are the world leader in automation and smart mining. We have technical development programmes that are industry-leading and recognise the unique nature of your role. These provide opportunities to grow your career through a dedicated technical path while being rewarded for your unique skills.

Be recognised for your contribution, your critical thinking, and your hard work, and go home knowing you’ve helped the world advance by producing the materials essential to human progress

• A work environment where safety is always the number one priority
• A competitive salary reflective of your skills and experience with annual incentive program
• Comprehensive medical benefits including subsidised private health insurance for employees and immediate family
• Attractive share ownership plan and extensive salary sacrifice & salary packaging options
• Career development & education assistance to further your technical or leadership ambitions
• Ongoing access to family-friendly health and medical wellbeing support
• Leave for all of life’s reasons (vacation/annual, paid parental, sick leave)
• Exclusive employee discounts (banking, accommodation, cars, retail and more)
• Domestic relocation assistance provided for residential applicants

Applications close 28 May 2023 (Rio Tinto reserves the right to remove advertised roles prior to this date)

About Rio Tinto

Every idea, every innovation, every little thing the world calls ‘progress’ begins with a first step, and someone willing to take it: explorers, inventors, entrepreneurs. Pioneers.

For nearly 150 years, Rio Tinto has been a company of pioneers – generations of people spanning the globe, all with the grit and vision to produce materials essential to human progress. Our iron ore has shaped skylines from Shanghai to Sydney. Our aluminium – the world’s first to be certified “responsible” – helps planes fly and makes cars lighter. Our copper helps wind turbines power cities, and our boron helps feed the world and explore the universe. Our diamonds help us celebrate the best parts of life.

Every voice matters

At Rio Tinto, we particularly welcome and encourage applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, women, the LGBTI+ community, mature workers, people with disabilities and people from different cultural backgrounds.

We are committed to an inclusive environment where people feel comfortable to be themselves. We want our people to feel that all voices are heard, all cultures respected and that a variety of perspectives are not only welcome – they are essential to our success. We treat each other fairly and with dignity regardless of race, gender, nationality, ethnic origin, religion, age, sexual orientation or anything else that makes us different.