HME Engineer

Principal Advisor, Mine Electrification

• Join a newly created global team with big aspirations
• Help us minimise the impact of our operations on the environment
• Access to industry-leading technical development programmes
• Based in Perth

About the role

All progress begins with pioneers. At Rio Tinto, it begins with you.

In order to progress the electrification pathway to zero emissions surface mines, we are looking for Principal Advisors, Mine Electrification. With works currently in the proof of concept stage, this is a unique opportunity to be on the leading edge and provide meaningful input into the development and deployment of zero emissions heavy mobile equipment in our surface mining operations.

These roles will partner with Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs), vendors and industry to accelerate our electrification pathway and are great opportunities to apply your knowledge of electrical power, heavy mobile equipment (HME) and/or systems thinking to the design and development of a safe, operationally ready and productive electric mine.

You'll support the technology product requirements definition and interpret specifications and drawings, to ensure compliance to Rio Tinto electrical safety, quality standards, policies and procedures. You’ll take your skills to the field where you’ll work through a development lifecycle to prove up solutions ready for deployment across the business.

The roles are broad in scope, covering energy systems, HME electrification and HME engineering.

We don’t expect a single person can cover the full scope, so if you:

• are an electrical engineer,
• are a HME focused mechanical engineer or
• have significant HME operational experience

who has a subset of the skills, knowledge and experience described following, we encourage you to apply.

Energy Systems

Your energy systems skills will enable you to determine the distribution infrastructure and mine site high voltage (HV) reticulation requirements for the design and development of the electric mine’s static energy transfer (e.g. battery charging, cable electric dig units, etc), dynamic energy transfer (e.g. nextgen trolley) and potentially ultimate connection to the HME.

You'll be knowledgeable and experienced with “smartgrids and microgrids”, enabling you to match HME fleet demand to an intermittent renewable supply. In particular; demand forecasting, load balancing, load shedding, load scheduling and storage.

HME Electrification

HME electrification skills will enable you to determine the requirements for the ultimate connection to HME (battery charging, cable electric, next gen trolley) and storage (battery, etc). You’ll have deep knowledge and experience of HME electrical systems and batteries.

 HME Engineering

HME Engineering skills will enable you to determine the operation and maintenance requirements for the non-electrical portions of the HME. For difficult to electrify equipment this will also include reducing emission through fuel efficiency and alternative fuel options. Your experience will help us understand the impact of electrification on HME non-electrical systems, HME parasitic loads, HME vehicle dynamics and HME reliability.

 Working within the Surface Mining and Technology team, these roles will work collaboratively to identify applicable standards and ensure that new technology product installation and operations conform develop test procedures for new technology products, supervise testing and analyse an report on results, and develop maintenance practices and safe working procedures for new technology products. 

We are an open, connected global team that includes some of the industry’s best and brightest minds. We offer competitive, performance-focused remuneration and a wide range of benefits to reward your contribution. With a global reach, the opportunities to develop and grow your career are broad and exciting.

What you’ll bring

We're looking for highly experienced electrical and HME engineering professionals who embrace a growth mindset and able to work collaboratively in multidisciplinary teams to drive inclusivity, excellence, and build meaningful partnerships as we shape and deliver the future of surface mining.

You may have similar or related experience across one or more of the mentioned focus areas such as electrification within the rail industry, power distribution and reticulation, draglines and/or exposure to HME engineering.

What we offer

• Be recognised for your contribution, your thinking and your hard work, and go home knowing you’ve helped the world progress.
• An excellent base 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.
• Extensive salary sacrifice & salary packaging options.
• Career development & education assistance to further your technical or leadership ambitions.
• Exclusive employee discounts (banking, accommodation, cars, retail and more). 

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.