Plant Operators – Northern Ops

Plant Operator (Northern Operations)

• Work the Lifestyle roster 4,5,5 – 2 weekends off in the month
• Very good skill development & career progression opportunities
• Must already have accommodation and be living in Weipa

About the role

We are looking for experienced Plant Operators to join us at our Northern Operations (Andoom) to operate, inspect and maintain a variety of fixed plant and mobile equipment including crushers, screens, conveyors, dozers, stackers, reclaimers and ship loaders. Although we are ideally looking for those with prior experience, we welcome applications from anyone with a good work ethic, a high level of safety awareness, and a strong commitment to team success.

Reporting to the Plant Supervisor and working the NOps lifestyle roster (4,5,5) you will be:

• Monitoring and carrying out daily plant inspections and cleaning on the various work fronts of the fixed plant operations and reporting any defects found during inspections;
• Working across all streams including sampling, tunnel attendant, mooring operations, ship loader operations and stockpile operations
• Operating mobile plant equipment including dozers as required, if qualified
• Monitoring and operating fixed plant equipment via FT View Scada;
• Working closely with the maintenance team assisting Electrical and Mechanical personnel;
• Working mostly outdoors in hot, humid, and challenging environmental conditions
• Constantly on-the-job training and upskilling

What you’ll bring:

• Prior experience in operating, cleaning and inspecting fixed plant equipment is preferred
• A manual ‘C’ class drivers’ licence
• Prior experience operating D11 Dozers will be highly regarded
• A good attitude, a strong work ethic and a willingness to work collaboratively as part of a team
• A commitment to the safety of yourself and your team

What we offer  

• Full on the job training
• Competitive base salary
• Various benefits including remote area allowance, Weipa accommodation benefit and remote area holiday travel allowance
• A work environment where safety is always the number one priority
• A permanent position working directly for Rio Tinto
• 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 (annual, paid parental, sick leave)
• Exclusive employee discounts (banking, accommodation, cars, retail and more)

We are committed to promoting diversity within Rio Tinto and as a special measure to we strongly encourage women to apply.

Where you will be working

Our Weipa Operations includes two bauxite mines, processing facilities, ship loaders, an export wharf, two ports, power stations, a rail network and ferry terminals. Located on the Western Cape York Peninsula in Far North Queensland, each year the operation produces more than 35 million tonnes of bauxite.  

Our operations are supported by a 1,900-strong workforce—including 30 per cent who are women and 32 per cent Indigenous employees. Activities include mine operations, maintenance, asset management, ports, cultural heritage management, and processing facility management.  

The development of Amrun mine, which was completed in 2018, will extend the life of our Weipa bauxite operations by decades to come and significantly build on our 55-year history on the Western Cape.

Applications close Sunday 15th February 2026

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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 situations and meet opportunities.

Respect and Inclusion

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.

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