Run Plant Engineer

Rio Tinto; Bessemer City (NC); On-site; USD 85,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive base salary

Annual incentive bonus

Health insurance options

Retirement plan with 401k matching

Parental leave

Job summary

Rio Tinto, based in the United States, seeks a Run Plant Engineer to oversee safe, stable day‑to‑day operations of the production unit, coordinating with EHS, commercial, manufacturing, and R&D to drive process improvements. This role is part of the Hydroxide Line 2 team at the Bessemer City site.

The position requires a BS in Chemical Engineering and 3–10 years of chemical manufacturing experience, with strong problem solving, PM/AFE proficiency, and solid communication skills.

Qualifications

• BS in Chemical Engineering required; degree holders with related fields will be considered
• 3–10 years in a chemical manufacturing environment, crystallizer experience and cGMP or similar quality systems preferred
• Strong knowledge of chemical processing and ability to solve complex engineering problems
• Exposure to production and process functions within a manufacturing setting
• Proficient in Project Management and AFE processes (feasibility, approvals, execution)
• Excellent presentation skills and ability to communicate with diverse stakeholders

Responsibilities

• Support safety efforts through observations, improvement projects, and safety audits
• Resolve day‑to‑day production issues and process problems
• Initiate/approve MOC requests, communicate changes, and ensure proper training and PSSR completion
• Assist in incident investigations, identify root causes and corrective actions for safety/environmental performance
• Analyze asset utilization data to identify reliability and capacity improvements
• Lead process safety assessments and implement improvement initiatives
• Maintain accurate process technology information and documentation

Skills

Process optimization

Project Management

Public speaking

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

BS in Chemical Engineering

Job description

• Be part of a group that is safety driven and values inclusion
• Join an encouraging leadership group, committed to your growth and development
• Join a leading global company

• Be part of a group that is safety driven and values inclusion
• Join an encouraging leadership group, committed to your growth and development
• Join a leading global company

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 Run Plant Engineer that will be responsible for safe and stable day-to-day operations of the production unit. This is a great opportunity to work with cross functional teams to ensure alignment between EHS, commercial, manufacturing, and R&D. You will focus on shorter range of process improvement initiatives. Reporting to the Area Manager and working in a challenging and exciting environment within the Hydroxide Line 2 team, you will

• Support the site’s safety efforts through activities such as safety observations, safety improvement projects and key safety procedure audits.
• Resolving day-to-day production issues and process problems
• Initiate and/or approve MOC requests to include action items, training, PSSR’s, etc. and communicate changes.
• Assist in incident investigations, identifying root causes and appropriate corrective actions to improve safety and environmental performance at the Bessemer City site.
• Analysis of Asset Utilization data for reliability and capacity improvement opportunities
• Process safety assessment and improvement initiatives
• Maintaining accurate process technology information

About You

• BS in Chemical Engineering required (strong consideration will be afforded to candidates with experience in Extractive Metallurgy, Minerals Processing or Hydrometallurgy)
• 3-10 years of experience in a chemical manufacturing environment (crystallizer experience, and cGMP or equivalent quality systems experience preferred)
• Strong knowledge of chemical processing with the ability to solve complex chemical engineering process problems
• Exposure to production and process functions
• Proficient in Project Management & AFE Process
• Presentation skills, public speaking

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.
• Competitive base salary is 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.

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 Indigenous Peoples, 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.