Underground Shift Coordinator - QA/QC

Rio Tinto; Salt Lake City (UT); On-site; USD 95,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive base salary

Health programs and insurance

Retirement plan and 401k matching

Paid time off and leave policies

Parental leave

Employee share ownership

Job summary

Rio Tinto Kennecott in Utah is seeking an Underground QA/QC Supervisor to help lead the safe construction, commissioning, and day-to-day operation of the Kennecott Underground Mine.

Reporting to the Underground Operations Superintendent on a rotating shift schedule, you will coordinate activities across construction, operations, and contractor teams to ensure safe, high-quality delivery and regulatory compliance.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent required.
• Experience in underground mining environments is essential.
• Experience leading operational or supervisory teams preferred.
• Exposure to underground development, stope mining, or construction activities.
• Experience with underground dewatering and electrical distribution systems.
• Strong planning and coordination skills across multiple teams.
• Good judgement, adaptability and ability to work rotating shifts.

Responsibilities

• Champion Rio Tinto Kennecott safety standards and ensure permits and controls are followed.
• Coordinate daily underground activities across construction, operations, and contractor teams.
• Integrate work plans between surface and underground operations and manage interfaces.
• Conduct workplace inspections to support safety, quality, and compliance.
• Coordinate pre-commissioning and commissioning activities for underground projects.
• Oversee contractor activities and ensure compliance with HSE and permitting requirements.
• Maintain daily reports, project documentation, and quality assurance records.
• Collaborate with teams to deliver work safely and support continuous improvement.

Skills

Safety leadership

Underground mining experience

Supervisory experience

Shift coordination

Planning and coordination

Judgement and adaptability

Education

High school diploma or equivalent

Tools

Underground electrical distribution systems

Underground dewatering systems

Job description

Help shape the future of underground mining at Kennecott, contributing to a major investment that will define copper production for generations.

Be part of Utah’s proud mining legacy, advancing the work that has powered communities for more than a century, delivered with modern, responsible practices.

Join a highly skilled underground team delivering safe, disciplined operations, where experience, teamwork, and innovation come together underground.

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 QA/QC Supervisor to help lead the safe construction, commissioning, and day‑to‑day operation of the Kennecott Underground Mine.

Reporting to the Underground Operations Superintendent, on a rotating shift schedule including days, nights, weekdays, and weekends, and working collaboratively with underground operations, surface operations, contractor partners, and project teams, you will be responsible for:

• Championing Rio Tinto Kennecott’s safety standards and ensuring permits, controls, and work practices are understood and followed to support a safe workplace.


• Coordinating daily underground activities across construction, operations, and contractor teams to ensure safe and efficient execution.


• Integrating work plans between surface and underground operations while managing interfaces across multiple active work areas.


• Conducting workplace inspections to support safety, quality, compliance, and operational excellence.


• Coordinating pre‑commissioning and commissioning activities to support the successful delivery of underground projects.


• Providing oversight of contractor activities and supporting compliance with HSE, permitting, and contractor management requirements.


• Maintaining accurate daily reports, project documentation, scopes of work, execution plans, and quality assurance records.


• Collaborating with operational and project teams to deliver work safely, share knowledge, and support continuous improvement.

About you

• A commitment to the safety of yourself and your team.


• A high school diploma or equivalent.


• Experience working in underground mining environments.


• Experience supporting or leading teams in an operational or supervisory capacity.


• Exposure to underground development, stope mining, and/or underground construction activities.


• Experience with underground dewatering and electrical distribution systems.


• Strong planning and coordination skills, with the ability to support safe work execution across multiple teams and work areas.


• Sound judgement, adaptability, and the ability to work effectively across rotating shifts in complex or high‑risk operational environments.

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.