Principal Mining Engineer – Underground

Rio Tinto; Superior (AZ); On-site; USD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health benefits

Competitive remuneration

Retirement plan

Job summary

Rio Tinto, a global mining leader, seeks a Principal Mining Engineer – Underground based in Phoenix with periodic international travel. You will lead underground mining studies, support major projects like Resolution, and drive performance improvements across assets.

The role emphasizes safety, strategic thinking, and stakeholder collaboration. You’ll bring extensive underground experience, expertise in cave mining, and proficiency with Deswik and PCBC.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in mining engineering.
• Extensive underground mining studies, projects and operations experience.
• Operational experience in cave mining, including design and draw control.
• Deswik and PCBC software experience.
• Strong stakeholder engagement and leadership capabilities.
• Knowledge of risk assessment and management practices.

Responsibilities

• Provide technical leadership to underground mining studies and projects.
• Support underground mines, especially the Resolution project.
• Monitor performance of underground projects and implement improvements.
• Contribute to hazard management activities across studies and operations.
• Develop and improve standard guidelines, processes, and procedures.
• Collaborate across assets to maximize underground mining capabilities.

Skills

Leadership

Stakeholder engagement

Underground mining expertise

Hazard management

Risk assessment

Strategic thinking

Education

Bachelor’s degree in mining engineering

Tools

Deswik

PCBC

Job description

• Join a global organisation at the forefront of mining innovation
• Excellent work environment where people are valued and respected
• Join an encouraging leadership group, committed to your growth and development
• Permanent role based in Phoenix with periodic international travel

About The Role

We are looking for a Principal Mining Engineer – Underground to provide technical expertise to the Rio Tinto Copper assets and studies including the Resolution Project, Kennecott Underground and Oyu Tolgoi Mine. This is a pivotal role in helping Rio Tinto’s realise its vision to become the World’s Best Operator. The role will see you representing the Central Technical function to operational, study and project teams. We are an open, connected global team that includes some of the industry’s best and brightest minds. We offer competitive, performance-focused remuneration and a wide range of benefits to reward your contribution. With a global reach, the opportunities to develop and grow your career are broad and exciting.

• Provide technical leadership and direction to underground mining studies, ensuring lessons learned and best practices are incorporated appropriate to the individual orebody conditions for optimal business performance.
• Provide technical support to our underground mines, particularly the Resolution project.
• Undertake performance monitoring and evaluation of underground projects and operations, recommend improvement measures and implementation as required.
• Support major hazard management activities associated with studies, projects and operations.
• Develop, document, and continually improve our operations, including lessons learned, best practice standards guidelines, processes and procedures.
• Develop underground mining (stoping and cave mining) expertise and capability across the group, including effective collaboration between assets in maximizing the collective capability in caving and underground mining.
• Improve technical systems and processes within the business, including data quality and utilisation
• Provide strategic advice to senior leaders as well as internal and external stakeholder groups as appropriate.

What You Will Bring

• A commitment to the safety of yourself and your team
• Recognised bachelors degree in mining engineering
• Extensive underground technical experience in underground mining studies, projects and operations
• Operational experience in cave mining, including mine design, scheduling, draw control and hazard management
• Deswik and PCBC software experience
• Excellent stakeholder engagement capability
• Demonstrated commercial insight, strategic thinking and business acumen.
• Knowledge of risk assessment and management practices
• Sound leadership, coaching and mentoring capability

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

The Rio Tinto Copper group is a global organisation with operations and projects in the U.S. (Kennecott Utah Copper, “RTKC”, and Resolution Copper Project), Mongolia (Oyu Tolgoi), Simandou (Guinea) and Western Australia (Winu Cu-Au project). The portfolio also includes interests in a non-managed joint venture in Chile, in addition to exploration & evaluation interests and other minor investments. The role is based in Phoenix to primarily support Resolution and our North American assets. We offer a flexible working arrangement with a balance of office-based and work from home. There is an ongoing requirement for additional hours outside the standard working day to support colleagues in alternative time zones. You will be required to travel international on a periodic basis (conditions permitting).

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 partnership 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.