Specialist Project Engineer

Rio Tinto; Perth; On-site; AUD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Permanent position

Competitive base salary

Annual incentive program

Comprehensive medical benefits

Relocation assistance

Career development support

Job summary

Rio Tinto seeks a Specialist Engineer Projects to provide project engineering leadership for the Automation – Fixed Plant team across concept through closeout. You will lead scope, schedule, risks and execution activities, coordinating inputs from site requirements, vendors, and operational readiness.

You will oversee planning, integration, testing, handover and benefits tracking, ensuring safety and adherence to standards while building strong relationships with site teams and stakeholders in a

Qualifications

• A tertiary qualification in engineering in a relevant discipline, or equivalent practical experience.
• Experience coordinating multidisciplinary technical inputs, site requirements, vendor deliverables and operational readiness activities.
• Project engineering experience across Capital Processes and Project Management stages in fixed plant processes, automation or related industrial environments.
• Sound analytical, problem-solving and risk assessment capabilities.
• Influencing, stakeholder engagement and negotiation across multiple groups.

Responsibilities

• Lead project engineering coordination and delivery oversight for fixed plant automation projects from concept through closeout.
• Develop and maintain fit-for-purpose project scopes, execution plans, schedules and risk registers.
• Coordinate interfaces across process control, SCADA, electrical, instrumentation, mechanical and site teams.
• Ensure delivery aligns with Rio Tinto requirements, standards and operational readiness.
• Drive cost, schedule and progress with project controls and status updates.
• Lead safety, design reviews, testing, commissioning planning and handover activities.
• Build relationships with site teams, vendors and stakeholders to manage deliverables and execution.
• Contribute to continuous improvement of the Automation – Fixed Plant delivery framework.

Skills

Project coordination

Stakeholder engagement

Multidisciplinary coordination

Risk management

Leadership

Education

Engineering degree

Job description

• Deliver fixed plant automation and control systems projects that improve the safety, reliability and performance of operations.
• Build your influence across project engineering, operational readiness, commissioning and multidisciplinary technical delivery.
• Perth-based role with regular engagement across Pilbara operations and flexible work arrangements.

• Deliver fixed plant automation and control systems projects that improve the safety, reliability and performance of operations.
• Build your influence across project engineering, operational readiness, commissioning and multidisciplinary technical delivery.
• Perth-based role with regular engagement across Pilbara operations and flexible work arrangements.

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 Specialist Engineer Projects to provide project engineering leadership and delivery coordination for the Automation – Fixed Plant team across fixed plant process, automation and multidisciplinary projects, from concept through design, execution, commissioning, handover and closeout. Reporting to the Superintendent Project Delivery Services, you will act as the project engineering focal point for assigned projects. You will lead coordination of project scope, schedule, risks and execution activities, integrating technical inputs, site requirements, vendor deliverables, operational readiness activities and stakeholder actions.

This is a great opportunity for someone who enjoys working across technical, delivery and operational interfaces and wants to strengthen project engineering discipline across complex project work. The role owns project planning, integration, execution oversight and operational readiness for assigned projects. Accountability for process control technical standards, specialist control system design authority and overall portfolio prioritisation remains with the relevant Principal, Superintendent or Manager roles.

What you’ll be doing

• Lead project engineering coordination and delivery oversight for fixed plant automation projects from concept through closeout.
• Develop and maintain fit-for-purpose project scopes, execution plans, schedules, risk registers, action trackers and decision logs.
• Coordinate technical and delivery interfaces across process control, SCADA, electrical and instrumentation, mechanical, operations, maintenance, vendors, site project delivery teams and site stakeholders.
• Ensure delivery aligns with Rio Tinto requirements, including engineering standards, Management of Change, procurement, safety, code of conduct and operational-readiness requirements.
• Drive cost, schedule and progress performance for assigned projects, working with Project Controls on reporting, forecasting, risk escalation and project-status updates.
• Identify and elevate risks, blockers, dependencies and trade-offs that may affect safety, scope, cost, schedule, benefits or operational readiness, and facilitate timely resolution.
• Coordinate design and constructability reviews, risk assessments, factory and site acceptance testing, commissioning planning and site execution activities.
• Partner with technical specialists to ensure delivered solutions are safe, reliable, maintainable and supportable.
• Lead operational readiness, handover and closeout activities, including training requirements, support models, closeout documentation, benefits tracking and lessons learned.
• Build effective relationships with site teams, vendors, delivery partners and stakeholders, and manage vendor and contractor deliverables, interfaces, performance and execution activities.
• Contribute to continuous improvement of the Automation – Fixed Plant delivery framework, controls, reporting, templates, lessons learned and Project Engineering Playbook.

About You

We’re looking for someone whose experience aligns with the key requirements below. You do not need to meet every “helpful for success” item to apply. If you bring relevant experience and are excited by the opportunity, we encourage you to submit an application.

Required for Success

• A commitment to the safety of yourself and your team.
• A tertiary qualification in engineering in a relevant discipline, or equivalent practical experience.
• Demonstrated project engineering or project delivery experience across Capital Processes and Project Management stages in fixed plant processes, automation or a related industrial environment.
• Experience coordinating multidisciplinary technical inputs, site requirements, vendor deliverables, delivery controls and operational readiness activities.
• Sound analytical, problem-solving and critical review capability, including the ability to identify and challenge risks, dependencies and trade-offs.
• Demonstrated influencing, stakeholder engagement and negotiation skills across operational, technical, vendor and project stakeholder groups.

Helpful for Success

• Experience with factory acceptance testing, site acceptance testing, commissioning or brownfield site execution.
• Experience improving project delivery frameworks, templates, reporting controls or project engineering playbooks.

What we offer

Be recognised for your contribution, your thinking and your hard work, and go home knowing you’ve helped the world progress.

• A work environment where safety is always the number one priority
• A permanent position working directly for Rio Tinto
• A competitive base salary reflective of your skills and experience with annual incentive program
• Comprehensive medical benefits including subsidised private health insurance for employees and immediate family
• Attractive share ownership plan
• Company provided insurance cover
• Extensive salary sacrifice and salary packaging options
• Career development and education assistance to further your technical or leadership ambitions
• Ongoing access to family-friendly health and medical wellbeing support
• Leave for all of life’s reasons (vacation/annual, paid parental, personal and cultural leave)
• Exclusive employee discounts (banking, accommodation, cars, retail and more)
• Possible domestic relocation assistance

Where you’ll be working

Our modern office located in Central Park tower in Perth provides an inspiring environment for collaboration and professional growth. You’ll be able to enjoy a range of benefits, including access to a modern gym, wellness programs and convenient amenities that support a healthy work-life balance. Situated in the heart of Perth, the office is close to public transport and several parking options.

#gts

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

At Rio Tinto, we particularly welcome and encourage applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, women, the LGBTQ+ community, mature workers, people with disabilities and people from different cultural backgrounds.

We are committed to an inclusive environment where people feel comfortable to be themselves. We want our people to feel that all voices are heard, all cultures respected and that a variety of perspectives are not only welcome – they are essential to our success. We treat each other fairly and with dignity regardless of race, gender, nationality, ethnic origin, religion, age, sexual orientation or anything else that makes us different.