Principal Geotechnical Engineer (Underground)

Principal Geotechnical Engineer (Underground)

• Join a global organisation at the forefront of mining innovation
• Excellent work environment where people are valued and respected
• Join an encouraging leadership group, committed to your growth and development
• Permanent role based in Brisbane with periodic international travel

About the role

We are looking for a Principal Geotechnical Engineer to provide caving and other massive mining technical expertise to the Rio Tinto Copper assets, studies and merger and acquisition opportunities. This is a pivotal role in helping Rio Tinto’s realise its vision to become the World’s Best Operator. The role will see you representing the Central Technical function to operational teams, senior management, third party consultants and JV operators.

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.

Reporting to the Chief Underground Mining Engineer and working within a dynamic and innovative environment, you will provide technical leadership and direction to:

• Provide technical leadership and direction to caving and other massive mining methods, ensuring lessons learned and best practices are incorporated appropriate to the individual orebody conditions for optimal business performance.
• Undertake performance monitoring and evaluation of managed studies and operations, recommend improvement measures and support implementation as required.
• Lead geotechnical risk and major hazard management activities associated with studies, projects, and operations.
• Develop, document, and continually improve caving and other massive mining lessons learned, best practice standards guidelines, processes and procedures.
• Develop caving and other massive mining expertise and capability across the group, including effective collaboration between assets in maximizing the collective capability in underground mining.
• Improve technical systems and processes within the business unit, including data quality and utilisation
• Provide strategic advice to senior leaders as well as internal and external stakeholder groups as appropriate.

What you will bring

• A commitment to the safety of yourself and your team
• Recognised bachelor’s degree in geology or engineering with a Postgraduate qualification in geotechnical engineering
• Extensive underground geotechnical experience in underground caving and other massive mining studies, projects and operations
• Excellent stakeholder engagement capability
• Demonstrated commercial insight, strategic thinking and business acumen.
• Knowledge of risk assessment and management practices
• Sounds leadership, coaching and mentoring capability

What we offer

Be recognised for your contribution, you’re 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 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)
• Relocation assistance where necessary

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.

Where you will be working

The Rio Tinto Copper group is a global organisation with operations and projects in the U.S. (Kennecott Utah Copper, “RTKC”, and Resolution Copper Project), Mongolia (Oyu Tolgoi), Simandou (Guinea) 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. 

The role is based in Brisbane, Australia. We offer a flexible working arrangement with a balance of office-based and work from home. There is an ongoing requirement for additional hours outside the standard working day to support colleagues in alternative time zones. You will be required to travel internationally on a periodic basis (conditions permitting).

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.

Application close Monday 30^th January (Rio Tinto reserves the right to close the applications period earlier than the stated date)