Principal Engineer

Principal Engineer, Perth - Australia

Rio Tinto is building a world-class software engineering capability.

Within our company-wide Information Systems & Technology function, we are building an internal software development and delivery team focussing on high-value and strategic products for the digital transformation of Rio Tinto.

We are recruiting for junior, experienced and leadership roles to establish this capability for scaling as we shift our technology landscape to products and platforms. We are building a culture that is value driven, diverse and inclusive, innovative and fun with challenging problems and opportunities to solve.

If you are a passionate and experienced technical leader ready to take on the challenge of shaping the future of our software products, we invite you to apply for this exciting opportunity. Join us in pushing the boundaries of innovation and contributing to the success of our dynamic and growing company.

About the role 

As Principal Engineer, you will play a pivotal role in shaping the technical solutions and design of our software products. You will collaborate closely with solution architects, software developers, DevOps engineers and testing specialists to set and implement the technical strategy to ensure the successful delivery of high-quality software solutions. 

This role encompasses involvement across the full software development lifecycle, including development, DevOps, testing, industrialization, and deployments.

You will be expected to use your wide-ranging technical skills to work across multiple products to ensure standardisation, reuse and adherence to best practice. 

Responsibilities

• Define and implement technical strategies and designs. 
• Mentor engineers, fostering a culture of innovation, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
• Collaborate with solution architects to define and refine technical solutions that align with business objectives.
• Collaborate with software developers to ensuring adherence to best practice, coding standards, and quality benchmarks. 
• Work closely with DevOps specialists to ensure robust and efficient deployment pipelines and infrastructure so that value is delivered regularly and consistently. 
• Collaborate with testing specialists to establish effective testing strategies and ensure the delivery of high-quality, bug-free software.
• Drive industrialisation efforts to optimize and scale complex software products that have progressed from R&D. 
• Stay abreast of industry trends and emerging technologies, integrating relevant advancements into our technical strategies.
• Contributes to the development of organisational policies, standards, and guidelines for software development.
• Contributes to the capability development of the Products and Software function through participating in recruitment and sourcing activities, coaching and supporting talent including juniors, having input into learning and career pathways.

About you

Essential

• Proven experience in a technical leadership role, with a strong background in software development and engineering.
• In-depth knowledge of software development methodologies, DevOps practices, and testing strategies.
• Hands-on experience with a variety of programming languages, tools, and frameworks.
• Wide exposure to a variety of programming languages (Python, .Net, C++, etc.)
• Exposure to CICD and Infrastructure as Code tools.
• Strong problem-solving skills and the ability to make informed decisions in a dynamic and fast-paced environment.
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills, with the ability to work effectively with cross-functional teams.

Desirable

• Bachelor's or higher degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field.
• In-depth knowledge with one or more complex technical domains, including Distributed Systems, Digital Twins, Simulation, Optimisation, Operational Technology, etc. 
• In-depth knowledge of one or more cloud platforms (e.g., AWS, Azure) 
• Experience with Data Warehouse, ETL, dashboard, and associated reporting solutions is a big plus. 

Working At Rio Tinto

Be recognised for your contribution, your thinking and your hard work, and go home knowing you’ve helped the world progress. Our benefits for permanent Rio Tinto employees include:

• Your base salary reflects your skills, experience, and impact in the role you are performing in. Our salary ranges are reviewed annually to ensure they remain fair internally and externally.
• Health & Wellbeing. We care about your health. We offer flexible, comprehensive medical benefits to look after your total health and wellbeing to suit your needs and life stages. This includes subsidised private health insurance for employees and immediate family.
• Flexible Work Arrangements. We have a hybrid work model (in-office & from home), with our office always open to balancing flexibility and connection.
• Supportive Leave Policies. We enable leave for all of life’s reasons (vacation, sick, paid parental). Our inclusive parental leave policy supports all parents and carers throughout their parenting and caring journey.
• Growth & Development. We will support you to pursue growth and development opportunities aligned with your career aspirations.
• Employee Discount & Offers. We have established partnerships with several providers who offer access to exclusive employee discounts (banking, accommodation, car, retail and more).
• Superannuation & Shares. Extensive salary sacrifice and salary packing options. Plus, we offer an award-winning employee share plan – myShare.

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 diverse 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.

Apply today if you want to work with the latest technology and innovation, in an environment where we challenge you to drive positive change.

Please note, to be successfully considered for this role you must complete all pre-screening questions.

“Rio Tinto reserves the right to remove job postings prior to the stated closing date, therefore, if you are interested in applying for this vacancy, please submit your application as soon as possible.”