Manager - Underground Technical

Rio Tinto; Salt Lake City (UT); On-site; USD 140,000 - 210,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health programs

Retirement plan with company match

Share ownership plan

Paid time off

Job summary

Rio Tinto is seeking a Manager Underground Technical to lead a team of mining engineers, geoscientists, and surveyors in Salt Lake City. You will shape underground mine designs, schedules, and governance to ensure safe, productive operations while partnering with operational leaders to deliver ambitious plans.

The role emphasizes strong leadership, commercial acumen, and a proactive approach to continuous improvement in a world-class copper mining operation near Salt Lake City.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Mining Engineering or a related field.
• 10+ years of underground mining experience.
• 5+ years of direct mining or maintenance operational leadership experience.
• Proven ability to implement and manage continuous improvement initiatives.
• Strong commercial acumen aligned to operational and business priorities.
• Effective communication, coaching, and leadership skills.
• Strong time management and organizational skills.
• Curiosity and open-minded approach to understanding business needs.

Responsibilities

• Lead and oversee a team of technical professionals (mining engineering, geoscience, surveying).
• Drive mine designs, production schedules, and technical planning for safe, productive underground operations.
• Collaborate with operations leaders to execute short- and long-term mine plans and manage technical risk.
• Monitor and report on mine plans and technical outcomes to stakeholders.
• Deliver production reporting against budgets and drive continuous improvement initiatives.

Skills

Leadership

Strategic thinking

Stakeholder management

Continuous improvement

Communication

Time management

Curiosity

Independent work

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Mining Engineering

Job description

• Lead a high-performing technical team at one of the world’s leading mining operations with a strong reputation for safety and operational excellence.
• Shape the future of underground mining by driving mine design, planning, scheduling, and technical governance that directly supports safe, productive operations.
• Grow your leadership capability while working with experienced technical specialists and operational leaders in Salt Lake City, Utah.

• Lead a high-performing technical team at one of the world’s leading mining operations with a strong reputation for safety and operational excellence.
• Shape the future of underground mining by driving mine design, planning, scheduling, and technical governance that directly supports safe, productive operations.
• Grow your leadership capability while working with experienced technical specialists and operational leaders in Salt Lake City, Utah.

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 Manager Underground Technical to lead a team of technical professionals responsible for delivering mine designs, production schedules, and technical planning that enable safe, productive, and efficient underground operations. This is a key leadership role where you will provide direction across mining engineering, geoscience, and surveying functions, partnering closely with operational leaders to execute short and long-term mine plans, manage technical risk, and drive continuous improvement. Combining strong technical expertise, commercial acumen, and stakeholder engagement skills, you will play an important role in developing team capability, improving operational performance, and ensuring the successful delivery of production commitments.

• Leading and overseeing a team of technical professionals.
• Overseeing technical teams responsible for mining engineering, geoscience, and surveying activities.
• Collaborating with technical functions and suppliers to support best-practice mining operations and capability development.
• Reviewing mine designs and short- and long-term forecasts to ensure key deliverables are achieved.
• Ensuring compliance with technical standards, site requirements, and management of change processes.
• Participating in technical risk assessments and supporting the development of processes to manage technical risks.
• Monitoring technical capability within the team to support safe and productive delivery of mine plans and schedules.
• Reporting mine plans and technical outcomes to stakeholders.
• Delivering mine production reporting against budgets.

About You

• A commitment to the safety of yourself and your team.
• Bachelor’s degree in Mining Engineering or a related field.
• 10+ years of underground mining experience.
• 5+ years of direct mining or maintenance operational leadership experience.
• Demonstrated ability to implement and manage continuous improvement initiatives.
• Strong commercial acumen aligned to operational and business priorities.
• Effective communication, coaching, and leadership skills.
• Strong time management and organizational skills.
• Genuine curiosity and an open-minded approach to understanding business needs and delivering practical solutions.
• Ability to work independently and apply feedback constructively.
• Proven stakeholder management experience.

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 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.