Principal Engineer Strategic Production Planning

Principal Engineer Strategic Production Planning

• Rare opportunity to contribute to the long term strategic direction of Rio Tinto’s Copper business
• Global, collaborative, and inclusive working environment
• Permanent position, location negotiable

Finding better ways to provide the materials the world needs.

About the role

The purpose of Rio Tinto Copper’s (RTCu’s) Strategic Production Planning team is to advise Studies, Operations and Senior Leadership in the strategic options available to develop and grow the copper group’s asset base.

Due to an internal movement, we are looking for a Principal Engineer - Strategic Production Planning to work collaboratively within RTCu’s business to identify and quantify strategic production options that develop current and future resources for maximum asset value. This role is a rare opportunity for an experienced professional to draw on their extensive background and creative thinking to further enhance the long term value of the Copper’s business.

Reporting to the Manager Strategic Production Planning, you will:

• Lead technical specialists in the strategic production process to develop, identify and communicate strategic pathways for RTCu’s current and future assets.
• Prepare strategic scoping workshops and own the process that will define strategic production options.
• Work with asset stakeholders to confirm and consolidate production data and define a range of assumptions for modelling including production scale and asset performance.
• Reconcile and validate ore body knowledge, schedules and resulting business valuations.
• Lead the development of production models and optimised strategic production plans. This includes engagement with Business Analysts in the development of valuation models.
• Analyse and understand outcomes, synthesising results to allow effective communication to a wide range of stakeholders including senior leaders across the copper business.
• Actively engage and influence Business Analysists and Operational Teams within each of RTCu’s assets to ensure alignment and use of strategic production models.
• Provide analysis to support Life of Mine (LOM) plans and year-end disclosure of mineral resources and reserves.
• Close engagement with Rio Tinto’s group Strategic Planning team to ensure work programs are aligned with group standards, systems and outcomes. 
• Contribute to a culture of continuous improvement, learning and development within the Strategic Planning team.

About you

To be successfully considered for this role, you will have:

• A hands on approach with regards to completing projects with demonstrated leadership of small technical teams.
• Strong skills in engaging, influencing and respectfully challenging technical personnel to achieve commonly agreed assumptions and work direction.
• Ability to breakdown and communicate complex conclusions to senior leadership.
• Strong stakeholder management and project management skills, with demonstrated ability to deliver outcomes within a corporate environment.
• Bachelor degree in Engineering, Mining, Processing, Geology, or a similar technical discipline. Ideally combined with a commercially oriented qualification or demonstrated commercial experience in a corporate environment.
• Extensive knowledge of the mining value chain with significant experience in mine planning, mining studies and business improvement.
• Experience with LOM plan preparation and Reserves and Resource reporting processes. Prior experience or familiarity with resource strategy highly regarded.
• Proficient with Microsoft Office especially with Excel, Powerpoint and other data analysis packages.
• Experience with coding languages such as R, VBA or python.
• A proficient understanding of linear programming and how optimisation tools are used in mine planning.

 What we offer 

Be recognised for your contribution, your thinking and your hard work, and go home knowing you’ve helped the world progress. 

• A work environment where safety is always the number one priority
• A permanent position working directly for Rio Tinto
• A competitive 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
• Company provided insurance cover
• Extensive salary sacrifice & salary packaging options
• Career development & education assistance to further your personal growth and 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)
• Possible domestic relocation assistance if required 

About Rio Tinto

Rio Tinto is a leading global mining and materials company. We operate in 35 countries where we produce iron ore, copper, aluminium, critical minerals and other materials needed for the global energy transition and for people, communities, and nations to thrive. We have been mining for 150 years and operate with knowledge built up across generations and continents. Our purpose is finding better ways to provide the materials the world needs – striving for innovation and continuous improvement to produce materials with low emissions and to the right environmental, social and governance standards. But we can’t do it on our own, so we’re focused on creating partnerships to solve problems, create win-win and meet opportunities.

Where you will be working

The role location is negotiable though it will have a global responsibility and some travel will be expected where conditions allow.

The Rio Tinto Copper group is a global organisation with operations in the U.S. (Kennecott Utah Copper, “RTKC”, and Resolution), Mongolia (Oyu Tolgoi) and Western Australia (Winu Cu-Au project). The portfolio also includes interests in a non-managed joint venture in Chile, in addition to exploration & evaluation interests and other minor investments. 

Our operations across the globe including a range of open pit and underground mines that supply key materials to global markets. Our copper operations supply products in China, Japan and the US which plays an important role in almost every home, office and vehicle.

Every Voice Matters

At Rio Tinto, we particularly welcome and encourage applications from Indigenous Peoples, women, the LGBTQIA+ 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. 

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