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Lead a critical role supporting the safe construction, commissioning and handover of life-of-mine infrastructure at Kennecott Underground.
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Live and work in Salt Lake City with a residential site-based role where you can be home every night.
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Join a rapidly growing Americas projects team with opportunities for career development across Rio Tinto’s global project portfolio.
At Rio Tinto, we are committed to creating an inclusive and welcoming workplace where everyone feels safe, respected, and able to succeed. We actively encourage applications from women and from people with diverse backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives. We know that great technical capability comes in many forms, and we’re focused on building teams that reflect the communities we operate in and support each other to do their best work.
We’re Finding Better Ways™ to provide the 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 Quality & Commissioning Lead to provide regional leadership for quality, completions, commissioning, startup and turnover across Rio Tinto projects in the Americas. The immediate focus will be the Kennecott Underground Project, where the role will establish practical QA/QC and commissioning discipline to support safe, complete and reliable handover of assets to Operations.
This is a senior individual contributor role within the Owner’s team, requiring strong field credibility, safety leadership, attention to detail and the ability to influence across project, operational and contractor teams without direct authority.
Reporting to the Engineering Project Manager, you will lead commissioning and quality outcomes across all disciplines by engaging engineering, construction, operational readiness, operations and contractor stakeholders to support safe and effective project delivery.
Your role responsibilities will include:
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Leading QA/QC, completions and commissioning activities to support the safe delivery and handover of life-of-mine infrastructure projects.
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Establishing and governing quality, inspection, testing and acceptance processes that support safe and reliable asset turnover.
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Driving commissioning activities from construction completion through startup, energization and handover to Operations.
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Providing leadership for Hexagon Smart Completions implementation and commissioning system requirements.
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Facilitating commissioning, QA/QC, punch list and turnover forums, ensuring clear actions, decisions and escalation pathways.
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Partnering with Engineering, Construction, Operational Readiness, Operations and contractor teams to ensure assets are safe, operable and ready for service.
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Managing non-conformances, deficiencies and rework activities through to resolution while maintaining quality and compliance standards.
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Coaching project and contractor teams to embed best practices in commissioning, quality and completions management.
About you
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A commitment to the safety of yourself and your team.
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Demonstrated experience leading commissioning, completions or QA/QC activities within mining, heavy industrial or major capital project environments.
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Strong field leadership and the ability to influence project, contractor and operations stakeholders without direct authority.
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Experience managing commissioning, startup, testing, energization and asset handover activities.
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Strong understanding of quality systems, inspection and test plans, acceptance criteria, punch lists and turnover documentation.
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Experience with commissioning and completions management systems; experience with Hexagon Smart Completions is strongly desired.
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Ability to communicate effectively, resolve issues constructively and escalate risks when required.
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Experience coaching and developing teams through change and process improvement initiatives.
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Underground mining or underground infrastructure experience is strongly preferred.
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A degree in Engineering, Construction Management, Project Management or a related discipline is preferred. Equivalent trade qualifications and relevant heavy industry commissioning or construction quality experience will also be considered.
What we offer
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A work environment where safety is always the number one priority.
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Competitive base salary reflective of your skills and experience with an annual incentive bonus.
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Access to top-tier family-friendly health programs including medical, prescription drug, dental, vision, life insurance coverage, and various voluntary benefits.
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Excellent retirement plan including up to 6% defined company contribution; Generous 401k matching program.
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Attractive share ownership plan.
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Comprehensive leave policies which cover all the moments that matter in life: PTO (paid time off), paid holidays, and paid bereavement leave.
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A generous parental leave policy, which ensures you’re able to spend quality time with your new family.
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Discount programs for leisure purposes and access to Virgin Pulse with incentives supporting your wellbeing.
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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, 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.
R62997
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.
Take a look at Katie’s career journey

- 2022 - PresentManager Projects - Energy DevelopmentBrisbane, Queensland, Australia
- 2021Superintendent Operations CentreBrisbane, Queensland, Australia
- 2020Development / Drill and Blast SuperintendentPilbara, Western Australia
- 2019Deputy Quarry ManagerPilbara, Western Australia
- 2018Development SupervisorPilbara, Western Australia
- 2017Senior Engineer of Drill, Blast and SurveyPilbara, Western Australia
- 2016Production EngineerPilbara, Western Australia
- 2015Mine scheduler - 2 week plannerPilbara, Western Australia
- 2014Drill and Blast EngineerPilbara, Western Australia
- 2012Graduate Mining EngineerPilbara, Western Australia
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.
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.



















