Welder

Welder

• A skilled trade role where your workmanship directly supports the safety and reliability of underground operations
• Steady underground work close to Superior, Arizona, with strong team culture and respect for craftsmanship
• Long term career opportunity on a major copper project backed by a global mining leader

About the Role

As an underground Welder, you are a key contributor to keeping the mine running safely and efficiently. You will perform high quality welding and mechanical work on a wide range of underground infrastructure and equipment. This role suits someone who values safety, precision, and teamwork, and who understands the importance of disciplined work underground.

Some shifts involve tight access, challenging positions, or urgent repairs that require extra focus. Ground conditions, ventilation constraints, or time pressure mean you need to slow down and follow procedures carefully. You rely on your training, communicate clearly with the crew, and complete the work safely, even when conditions are demanding.

In this role, you will be guided and supported by the Underground Operations Supervisor and work as part of a collaborative underground operations and maintenance team. You will coordinate closely with maintenance planners, supervisors, and other trades as you carry out the responsibilities below.

• Always work safely, following underground safety requirements, hot work controls, and risk assessments
• Perform shop and field welding, including fabrication, layout, and repair of underground equipment and infrastructure
• Execute welding repairs on mobile and fixed plants, piping systems, steel supports, guards, and brackets
• Support maintenance and repair activities associated with shafts, hoisting systems, and underground services
• Read and work from engineering drawings, sketches, and specifications
• Perform cutting, grinding, fitting, and assembly of components prior to welding
• Inspect completed welds to ensure quality, strength, and compliance with procedures
• Safely operate welding equipment, cutting torches, grinders, and hand and power tools underground
• Participate in job hazard analyses, pre task risk assessments, and safety meetings
• Maintain housekeeping standards and care for tools and equipment

About You

• You are committed to working safely and producing high quality work underground
• High school diploma or equivalent
• Valid driver’s license and ability to meet site access requirements
• Four or more years of welding experience in industrial or heavy equipment environments
• Journeyperson welder certification or demonstrated equivalent experience
• Proven experience with structural, plate, and pipe welding
• Working knowledge of welding processes such as SMAW, GMAW, FCAW, and GTAW
• Ability to work safely in confined spaces, at heights, and in physically demanding underground conditions
• Strong attention to detail and pride in workmanship
• Ability to work effectively as part of a team and follow site procedures

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

You will be joining Resolution Copper at a pivotal moment in the project’s history. With the Resolution Copper Land Exchange now complete, the project is advancing its next phase of technical work, community engagement, and state permitting activities.

Resolution Copper has the potential to supply nearly 25% of total U.S. copper demand and generate several thousand direct and indirect jobs in the Pioneer Mining District of Arizona, delivering an economic value of several billion dollars over the life of the mine. The project will rely on block caving, a proven underground mining method that uses gravity to extract ore from a deposit located more than 2,000 meters below the surface. This technique is the most viable way to safely and efficiently recover the resource.

As development continues, Resolution Copper will expand its underground operations, conduct extensive drilling and orebody characterization, and maintain both the permitting process and ongoing public engagement with Native American tribes, local communities, and stakeholders.

The Resolution Copper project is vital to securing America’s energy future, infrastructure needs, and national defense by providing a domestic supply of copper and other critical minerals. Once operational, it has the potential to become one of the largest copper mines in the United States, contribute approximately $1 billion annually to Arizona’s economy, and create thousands of local jobs in a region with more than a century‑long mining heritage.

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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