Mobile Equipment Operator – Closure Maintenance, Ridgeway

• Regular, full-time employment with a leading global mining company at Ridgeway, a Rio Tinto site near Ridgeway, South Carolina focused on long-term site stewardship, monitoring and rehabilitation.

• Day shift only, Monday to Friday, 8:00am – 5:00pm roster, giving you more time for the things you love, more time outdoors, and more time with family and friends — while still building a rewarding career.

• A hands-on opportunity to support safe and well-managed site operations across a large site environment, with a mix of equipment operation, vegetation maintenance, roadway upkeep and other site operations and maintenance activities.

We are committed to building a diverse and inclusive workforce. Women are strongly encouraged to apply. All qualified applicants will be considered for employment without regard to gender or any other protected characteristic. Hiring decisions are based on merit, qualifications, and business needs.

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 motivated and safety-focused operator to join our team at Ridgeway, supporting day-to-day site operations across a 2,000-acre former mining site near Ridgeway, South Carolina. Ridgeway is a Rio Tinto-owned site with legacy infrastructure including a tailings storage facility and multiple water storage facilities, and is now focused on long-term closure, monitoring and rehabilitation activities.

This is a great opportunity for someone who enjoys practical outdoor work, takes pride in maintaining a safe and well-managed site, and can work both independently and as part of a collaborative team. The role supports a broad mix of responsibilities including vegetation maintenance, roadway upkeep for safe site access, equipment operation, site logistics and contractor oversight for ad hoc works.

Reporting to the site leader and working within a respectful and safety-focused team, you will be responsible for:

• Supporting vegetation maintenance and management across the site, particularly during the growing season from now through November

• Maintaining roadways and access routes to ensure safe movement across the site

• Performing inspections and other operations and maintenance activities at the site

• Operating site equipment such as skid steers, small excavators, front end loaders, graders and farm-style tractors

• Conducting pre-start inspections and identifying equipment, access or safety issues

• Assisting with site logistics, including monitoring inventory of consumables and supporting equipment maintenance needs

• Overseeing contractors completing ad hoc site projects as required

• Following site procedures, work plans and supervisor direction while showing initiative in day-to-day tasks

• Working safely and effectively on your own and as part of a team

• Contributing to a respectful, inclusive and supportive work environment

About you

• A strong commitment to the safety of yourself and your team

• A valid US Driver’s License

• Experience operating machinery such as skid steers, excavators, front end loaders and graders

• Ability to work independently and as part of a team

• A self-starter who can take initiative and manage day-to-day work with minimal supervision

• A positive, respectful and inclusive attitude

• Strong communication skills and willingness to follow site procedures and directions

• Experience in site-based maintenance, civil, earthmoving, farming, rehabilitation, construction or other heavy equipment environments will be highly regarded

• Willingness to complete or maintain required training and competency for site equipment operation

• Innovative thinking to assist in identifying and implementing sustainable technology for operations and maintenance activities.

Applicants must be authorized to work in the United States without current or future visa sponsorship.

Even if your experience doesn’t align perfectly, we encourage you to apply — transferable skills and the right attitude are highly valued.

What we offer

• 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 Virgin Pulse 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

Rio Tinto Closure (RTC) safely transforms Rio Tinto’s end of life mining, processing and infrastructure assets by developing innovative and sustainable solutions to leave a positive closure legacy. We collaborate with all parts of Rio Tinto to focus on maximizing post operational opportunities, de-risking and reducing the scale of closure liabilities and executing existing and near term closures at optimal cost.

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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