Geotechnical Engineer - Underground

Rio Tinto; Salt Lake City (UT); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive base salary and annual/inz

Comprehensive health programs

Excellent retirement plan including 6%

Share ownership plan

Parental leave and generous paid time‑

Job summary

Rio Tinto seeks an Underground Geotechnical Engineer for the Kennecott Underground team near Salt Lake City, Utah. You will support safe, efficient, and sustainable operation of a premier underground copper mine.

You will work with rock mechanics, geotechnical risk management, and ground support design, gaining exposure to instrumentation, monitoring, and stope performance assessments to influence operational decisions.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in geotechnical-related field and related discipline.
• Underground hard rock geotechnical engineering experience.
• Experience with underground mining methods and hazard management.
• Geotechnical inspections, data collection, stability assessments, and analysis.
• Strong communication and problem-solving skills.
• Proficiency with RocScience tools and Deswik suite.

Responsibilities

• Complete routine geotechnical tasks including development and production inspections, damage mapping, data collection, analysis, and excavation stability assessments.
• Conduct stope stability assessments and prepare geotechnical stope notes for safe production.
• Design, implement, and manage geotechnical instrumentation and monitoring programs.
• Develop and maintain geotechnical databases for analysis, risk management and reporting.
• Review ground, intersection, and stope support designs.
• Conduct seismic hazard assessments and back analyses, assist in seismic risk management.
• Communicate geotechnical risks and recommendations to technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Collaborate with operations, mine planning, geology, and other teams to manage geotechnical risks.

Skills

Underground geotechnical engineering

Ground support design

Seismic risk management

Data collection and analysis

Stope performance assessment

Education

Bachelor's degree in Geotechnical Engineering, Geological Engineering, Civil Engineering, Geology, Mining Engineering

Tools

RocData (RocScience)

Dips (RocScience)

Unwedge (RocScience)

Leapfrog

IMS

mXrap

Deswik

Job description

• Work on complex underground geotechnical challenges at one of the world's largest integrated copper operations, where your recommendations directly influence mine safety, production performance, and long-term mine design.
• Develop your technical expertise alongside experienced geotechnical professionals while gaining exposure to advanced monitoring technologies, seismic risk management, ground support design, and large-scale underground mining methods.
• Enjoy a stable lifestyle with a home-every-night schedule, competitive compensation and benefits, and the opportunity to build a long-term career in a high-performing team committed to safety, inclusion, innovation, and continuous improvement.

• Work on complex underground geotechnical challenges at one of the world's largest integrated copper operations, where your recommendations directly influence mine safety, production performance, and long-term mine design.
• Develop your technical expertise alongside experienced geotechnical professionals while gaining exposure to advanced monitoring technologies, seismic risk management, ground support design, and large-scale underground mining methods.
• Enjoy a stable lifestyle with a home-every-night schedule, competitive compensation and benefits, and the opportunity to build a long-term career in a high-performing team committed to safety, inclusion, innovation, and continuous improvement.

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 an Underground Geotechnical Engineer to join the Kennecott Underground team and play a key role in supporting the safe, efficient, and sustainable operation of one of North America's premier underground copper mines.

This is an exciting opportunity for an engineer who is passionate about rock mechanics, underground mining, and geotechnical risk management. Working within a highly skilled technical team, you will gain exposure to a broad range of geotechnical challenges including ground support design, excavation stability, seismic risk management, instrumentation and monitoring programs, and stope performance assessments. Your work will directly influence operational decision-making and contribute to maintaining safe production across the underground mine.

This role offers excellent opportunities to expand your technical capability, build relationships across the business, and develop your career within a global mining organization focused on innovation, safety, and operational excellence.

Reporting to the Senior Geotechnical Engineer and working collaboratively with operational and functional teams, you will be responsible for

• Completing routine geotechnical tasks including development and production inspections, damage mapping, geotechnical data collection, analysis, and excavation stability assessments.
• Conducting stope stability assessments and preparing geotechnical stope notes to support safe production.
• Designing, implementing, and managing geotechnical instrumentation and monitoring programs to assess underground excavation performance and stability.
• Developing, maintaining, and improving geotechnical databases to support analysis, design, risk management, and reporting.
• Reviewing ground support, intersection, and stope support designs.
• Conducting seismic hazard assessments and back analyses while supporting the identification, evaluation, and management of seismic risk.
• Communicating geotechnical risks and recommendations to technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Collaborating with operations, mine planning, geology, and other teams to ensure geotechnical risks are effectively identified and managed.

About You

• A commitment to the safety of yourself and your team.
• Bachelor’s degree in Geotechnical Engineering, Geological Engineering, Civil Engineering, Geology, Mining Engineering, or a related discipline.
• Demonstrated underground hard rock geotechnical engineering experience.
• Strong understanding of underground mining methods and geotechnical hazard management.
• Experience completing geotechnical inspections, data collection, stability assessments, and technical analysis.
• Strong interpersonal, communication, and problem‑solving skills.
• Familiarity with software including Rocscience (RocData, Dips, Unwedge), Leapfrog, IMS, mXrap, and Deswik.
• A valid U.S. driver’s license and the ability to operate vehicles in both underground and open‑pit mine settings.

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

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 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.