Underground Shift Coordinator
- Help shape the future of underground mining at Kennecott, contributing to a major investment that will define copper production for generations.
- Be part of Utah’s proud mining legacy, advancing the work that has powered communities for more than a century, delivered with modern, responsible practices.
- Join a highly skilled underground team delivering safe, disciplined operations, where experience, teamwork, and innovation come together underground.
- Schedule: 5/5/4
About the role
We are looking for an Underground Shift Coordinator to help lead the safe construction, commissioning, and day‑to‑day operation of the Kennecott Underground Mine. In this role, you will work closely with our underground operations team and contractor partners to coordinate work, manage interfaces, and ensure activities are planned and executed safely and effectively.
This position operates on a rotating shift schedule (days/nights, weekdays/weekends), and we are looking for someone who is flexible, adaptable, and comfortable supporting operations across all shifts.
Reporting to the Underground Operations Superintendent, you will play a key role in creating a safe, inclusive, and well‑coordinated underground working environment.
In this role, your activities will include:
- Champion Rio Tinto Kennecott’s safety standards, contributing to a culture where everyone goes home safe
- Ensure required permits are in place and understood before work begins
- Conduct daily inspections to support quality, safety, and compliance
- Coordinate and support underground work activities across construction, operations, and contractor teams
- Integrate daily plans between surface and underground operations to support safe and efficient execution
- Coordinate pre‑commissioning and commissioning activities as projects progress
- Provide oversight and coordination to align daily work scopes across multiple contractor teams and active operations
- Maintain accurate daily reports and project documentation
- Support and collaborate with team members, sharing knowledge and helping others succeed
Key deliverables
You will contribute to the safe and successful delivery of underground projects by supporting detailed planning and execution of work scopes in line with:
- RTKC Health, Safety & Environment (HSE) standards
- Contractor management requirements
- Permitting processes
- Construction contract scope, schedule, and cost controls
- Engineering, design, and quality specifications
Partnering with the Underground team to develop and deliver:
- HSE and contractor management documentation
- Clear scopes of work
- Project execution plans
- Quality assurance, pre‑commissioning, and commissioning documentation
About you
You bring experience working in underground mining environments and enjoy supporting safe, well‑coordinated operations. You’re someone who leads through collaboration, sound judgement, and a strong commitment to safety, particularly in complex or high‑risk settings.
To be successful in this role, you will bring:
- A high school diploma or equivalent
- Experience in underground mining environments (typically 7+ years)
- Experience supporting or leading teams in an operational or supervisory capacity (typically 2+ years)
- Exposure to underground development, stope mining, and/or underground construction activities
- Problem‑solving skills and the ability to adapt in dynamic operating environments
- A genuine commitment to working safely and contributing to a Zero Harm culture
- Confidence using digital tools such as Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, email)
- Previous experience working with SAP or similar systems
You may also bring experience or strengths in areas such as:
- Critical Risk Management and incident response
- Clear, respectful communication and conflict‑resolution skills, particularly in high‑pressure situations
- Quality assurance, pre‑commissioning, and commissioning activities
- Schedule development, coordination, or progress tracking
Even if your experience doesn’t align perfectly with every item listed, we encourage you to apply. We value diverse perspectives, transferable skills, and a willingness to learn and grow within our underground operations team.
What we offer
- Be recognized for your contributions, innovative thinking and dedication, and leave each day knowing you’ve helped the world progress.
- A work environment where safety is always the number one priority
- Competitive base salary reflective of your skills and experience with an annual incentive bonus
- 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
- Attractive share ownership plan
- Comprehensive leave policies which cover all the moments that matter in life: PTO (paid time off), paid holidays, and paid bereavement leave
- A generous parental leave policy, which ensures you’re able to spend quality time with your new family
- Discount programs for leisure purposes and access to Personify Health with incentives supporting your wellbeing
- Access to our Employee Assistance Program (EAP), which provides confidential counselling or expert guidance for you and your family to help get through life’s challenges
Where you’ll be working
Our Kennecott mine is a world-class, fully integrated copper mining operation, including a concentrator, smelter and refinery, located just outside Salt Lake City, Utah, in the United States. We produce copper, precious metals including gold and silver, molybdenum, tellurium and sulfuric acid. Kennecott has been mining and processing minerals from the rich ore body of the Bingham Canyon Mine since 1903 and is one of the top producing mines in the world, comprising approximately 11 percent of U.S. annual copper production.
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.
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Rio Tinto is a leading global mining and materials company. We operate in 35 countries where we produce iron ore, copper, aluminum, 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.
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.
Start your application
Take your leadership career to the next level.
Where can Rio Tinto take you?
You’re passionate and ambitious with tremendous career aspirations. The breadth and growth of our organisation empowers you to define your ideal career path.
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Working at Rio Tinto
Help us deliver the materials that make human progress possible.
The plane you’re flying in just landed. You fire up your phone and get your laptop out of the overhead bin. Immediately, you’re in work mode – thousands of miles from your office. Do you ever stop to think about all the materials that make life in the 21st century possible? At Rio Tinto, we discover, develop and deliver the materials that drive human progress. When you work with us, you’ll experience advantages you won’t find anywhere else.
Working in our Operations teams
The most important thing you’ll uncover is your own potential.
Working in Operations at Rio Tinto means you can make a hands-on difference in the discovery and delivery of the materials that make human progress possible. In return, we strive to help you achieve and even exceed your career goals. Join us and experience:
Our application process
01
Apply
The first thing you’ll need to do is apply to the role. You can do this with your LinkedIn profile or you can upload your resume. We’ll also ask you to complete a few questions before you submit your application.
02
Undergo assessments
Our assessments are designed to help us work out whether you are suitable for the role. We will let you know which ones you’ll need to complete.
03
Interview(s)
Our interviews could be in person or online. It’s a great opportunity for us to get to know you a bit better, answer any of your questions and talk about the exciting career opportunity you have applied for.
04
Offers and checks
At this stage, we will let you know if you have been successful. If you have been, we’ll need to conduct a couple of checks, such as a background or security check. You may also need to do a medical assessment depending on the role you have applied for.
05
Join the Rio Tinto team
Once the checks have been completed, we’ll be in touch to talk with you about your start date and answer any questions you may have before you start with us.



















