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 Salt Lake City with periodic international travel

We’re Finding Better Ways™ to provide materials the world needs, now and in the future. Our values – care, courage and curiosity – guide how we work and how we treat each other.

About the role

We are looking for a Principal Geotechnical Engineer – Underground to provide technical expertise to the Rio Tinto Copper assets and studies including the Resolution Project, Kennecott Underground and Oyu Tolgoi Mine. 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 support operational, study and project teams.

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, this role will:

• Provide technical support to our underground mines, particularly the Kennecott Underground Mine and Resolution project.
• Support major hazard management activities by ensuring geotechnical hazards are managed appropriately at our operating sites and within our mining studies
• Undertake performance monitoring and evaluation of underground projects and operations, recommend improvement measures and implementation as required.
• Develop, document, and continually improve our operations, including lessons learned, best practice standards guidelines, processes and procedures.
• Develop underground geotechnical 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, 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 bachelors degree in mining engineering, geotechnical engineering or civil engineering
• A minimum of 12 years post graduate experience
• Proven background in geotechnical engineering at operating underground mines
• Operational experience including geotechnical design, stability assessments, ground support, monitoring system design and data analysis
• Experience in hazard identification, risk management and communication of major hazards to business leaders
• Familiarity in both open stoping and cave mining would be highly favourable, as would experience in mining studies and long term and strategic planning
• Sound understanding of numerical modelling
• Excellent stakeholder engagement capability
• Demonstrated commercial insight, strategic thinking and business acumen.
• Knowledge of risk assessment and management practices
• Sound leadership, coaching and mentoring capability

What we Offer

We are committed to providing our employees with a generous benefits package. Be recognized for your contribution, your thinking, your hard work, and go home knowing you’ve helped the world progress, we provide:

• A safety-focused and inclusive working environment 
• Advantageous salary package with annual cash incentive awards (STIP) for eligible employees
• Access to top-tier family-friendly health programs including medical, prescription drug, dental, vision, life insurance coverage, and various voluntary benefits.
• Excellent retirement plan including up to 6% defined company contribution; Generous 401k matching program
• Generous Rio Tinto employee share program, which allows you to purchase Rio Tinto Company shares. 
• Comprehensive leave policies which cover all moments that matter in life: PTO (paid time off), paid holidays, and paid bereavement leave.
• A favorable child-caregiver leave program (Up to 100% salary top-up)
• Discount programs for leisure purposes and access to Virgin Pulse with incentives supporting your wellbeing
• Ongoing Employee Assistance Program (EAP) for you and your family; to help in addressing educational opportunities, addiction treatment, depression, stress, domestic issues, financial management, and legal concerns.
• Our team and industry experts are here to support and work with you to explore your learning potential and career goals

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. 

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

Rio Tinto is committed to equal employment opportunity. All qualified applicants will be considered without regard to race, color, sex, age, religion, national origin, disability, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law.

We are committed to an inclusive environment where people feel safe, respected and valued. We want our people to feel that all voices are heard and that a variety of perspectives are not only welcome but are essential to our success. We treat all our people fairly and with dignity.

Rio Tinto participates in E- Verify to confirm work authorization. Please visit http://www.ucis.gov/ for more information.

R55718