Senior Research and Development Adviser

Senior Research & Development Adviser - Research, Development & Technology

• Be part of a group that is safety driven and values inclusion
• An exciting opportunity to join us in bringing our technological vision to life and taking our Iron Ore business into the future
• Partner with Rio Tinto’s dynamic R&D community across the globe on cutting edge technologies
• Flexible and agile working - Perth based role

About the role

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

Rio Tinto has a long history of being a leader in innovation and the development and deployment of technology within the mining industry. Innovation will continue to play a critical role in improving health and safety outcomes, delivering new mines of the future and decarbonising the industry.

Rio Tinto Iron Ore (RTIO) has recently established a dedicated Research, Development & Technology (RDT) division to accelerate our RDT programme. The RDT team are courageous in the pursuit of innovation, curious in the development of emerging technologies and caring towards our people and partners. We are responsible for managing the Iron Ore Research and Development (R&D) portfolio and ensuring alignment with our R&D roadmap and strategic objectives. We are highly collaborative and work in close partnership with Rio Tinto’s global R&D community, and external bodies such as research institutes, suppliers and industry partners.

Reporting to the Principal Research & Development, we are seeking a Senior Research & Development Adviser to join the R&D Team where we empower your programme management and systems thinking skills to support the R&D Team Principals in the strategies and plans to deliver the Iron Ore R&D objectives. The new role will be working in a challenging and exciting environment within the RDT team. 

One of your primary responsibilities will be to support R&D Team Principals in the coordination and execution of R&D activities to advance the Iron Ore R&D portfolio. With a focus on early phases of technology development, your stakeholder skills will be key to understanding the needs of the customer and ensuring these are well-represented as you engage with internal and external subject matter experts, researchers and inventors as required. Additional responsibilities include:

• Support the development and delivery of selected RDT projects, including facilitation of the early discovery and study phases, evaluation activities, and general project management activities
• Conducting effective options analysis, engagement and planning for technology trials within RTIO operations.
• Support the effective management of complex change in existing or new operations arising from technology implementation.
• Gathering information to create and manage project documentation and artefacts.
• Contribute to the development of leading R&D practices and support governance activities.
• Periodic site / supplier visits may be required.

What you’ll bring

To be successful in this role you will have:

• A commitment to the safety of yourself and your team
• A bachelor’s degree or equivalent relevant qualification in a transferrable field (including although not limited to Science, Technology, Engineering or Math fields).
• Exceptional partnering and collaborative behaviours, including a willingness to engage, constructively challenge and trust partners to deliver to meet customer needs in their areas of responsibility.
• Effective communication skills as you influence and gather information & negotiate with a diverse range of stakeholders, internal and external to the Rio Tinto R&D group.
• high aptitude for critical thinking and systems integration understanding
• Desirable to have some experience in technology programme management and/or technology development with multi-disciplinary teams in a complex environment.
• Desirable to have technology and/or project management, change management, risk management and business acumen experience for delivery of technology option evaluations, project valuations, project justifications and budgets.

Where you will be working

This role is based in Perth, Western Australia, out of our Central Park office, working Monday – Friday, with ad hoc travel to sites in the Pilbara. We support and encourage flexible working arrangements.

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.

What we offer

• 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 programme
• 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) 
• Possible domestic relocation assistance 

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.

This role is for applicants residing in or willing to permanently relocate to Western Australia.  

Applications close on 31st August 2022 (Rio Tinto reserves the right to remove advertised roles prior to this date)