Specialist Engineer Tailings & Dams (Governance)

Rio Tinto

Posted on:  4th Apr 2025

Specialist Engineer – Tailings & Dams (Governance)

  • Be part of a collaborative, dynamic, creative and innovative team who are creating and shaping innovation and investment pathways towards a better future for our business

  • Grow your career and expertise

  • Based in Central Park – Perth CBD with adhoc travel to site as needed

Where we’re all welcome

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 who we are.

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 acknowledge that all people are different and believe that our differences are our strength.  The diversity of skills, life experiences and perspectives within our team enhances our way of working and our ability to achieve success together.

About the role

We are looking for a collaborative and talented Specialist Engineer to join the Process Engineering & Major Hazards team who will be responsible for structuring, planning, coordinating and undertaking governance activities to ensure the integrity, compliance and serviceability of current and future tailings facilities and water dams.

Reporting to the Manager – Tailings & Dam and working as part of dynamic and exciting team, you will:

  • Lead assurance to ensure compliance with relevant standards, including D5, GISTM (Global Industry Standard for tailings Management), and other commitments, and manage risk at the program level.

  • Oversee the review and update of technical Standards and the Tailings Management System, ensuring procedures align with RioTinto D5 standards

  • Coordinate 1LoD (First line of Defense) activities, including planning and tracking governance verifications, maintenance planning, and completion report

  • Develop periodic tailings reports and manage the Major Hazards dashboard.​

  • Provide input and provide technical assurance to the development of future tailings storage facilities including new methods and technologies, ensuring industry accepted practice, at minimum, is implemented

  • Support and provide guidance to Responsible Dam Engineers (RDEs) to improve their assurance and governance activities

  • Lead improvements and consistency across all sites for governance and assurance activities

  • Support Principal Engineers in their technical governance roles

What you’ll bring

  • A commitment to the safety of yourself and your team

  • A C Class Manual drivers licence

  • Tertiary qualified and ideally registered civil or geotechnical engineer with experience in management of dam safety in design and/or operational environment​

  • Exposure to tailings engineering​

  • Project Management skills

  • A positive and inclusive mindset

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

  • Full relocation provided to Western Australia from elsewhere in Australia

  • A competitive base salary reflective of your skills and experience with annual incentive bonus

  • 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, cultural leave)

  • To better suit different family needs, our paid parental leave approach gives all parents the option to take 18 weeks of paid leave after a new child arrives – at a time that suits them

  • Exclusive employee discounts including hotel stays, banking, accommodation, cars, retail and more

We are committed to elevating Indigenous voices and increasing cultural knowledge in our business. Diversity of skills, life experiences and perspectives within our team enhances our way of working and our ability to achieve success together. To help you on your journey with us, you’ll also have access to:

  • Specialist Indigenous Support Advisors are always there for our Indigenous employees and available to support through any aspect of your employment

  • Indigenous leadership programmes across some professional and operational roles to ensure that we are developing Indigenous Leaders

Where you’ll be working

You and your team will be Perth-based with opportunity to work flexibly from home combined with time in our Central Park offices. There will be the opportunity for some Pilbara site travel from time to time, however this will be done on an ad-hoc basis.

In the Pilbara region of Western Australia, we own a world-class, integrated network of 17 mines, four independent port terminals, a rail network spanning nearly 2,000 kilometres and related infrastructure – all designed to respond rapidly to changes in demand. We are one of the world’s leading producers and exporters of iron ore.

Who we are 

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.

About Rio TintoRio 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 situations and meet opportunities.

Every Voice MattersAt 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.

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