Skilled Process Technicians - BSL & Yarwun

Skilled Process Technicians at Boyne Smelters and Yarwun

• Opportunities to join either Boyne Smelters or Yarwun Refinery as a Process Technician
• Balanced Work-Life Rhythm: Our lifestyle-friendly roster provides a harmonious balance between career and home life ensuring you spend more time with your loved ones and doing the things outside of work, that matter most to you. 
• Join our friendly teams, who look after each other because your safety and wellbeing are always our priority

We are seeking expressions of interest from skilled people with any experience in the heavy industry who are interested in starting a new career with Rio Tinto in Gladstone. We have upcoming vacancies across both sites and are looking for energetic, experienced and safety driven people to join us!

Finding better ways to provide the materials the world needs.

The role of a Process Technician is vital to the success of our business. Working in a strong team environment you will be responsible for supporting our operational departments to ensure the safe and sustainable production of alumina (Yarwun) and aluminium (BSL) through the operation of mobile and fixed plant equipment in conjunction with manual duties.

Some of the key responsibilities of a Process Technician at Boyne Smelter include:

• Operating cranes to set anodes and tap metal and other tasks to tend the cells
• Process operations including cell dressing, raising beams, filling cell ore hoppers, tapping and transferring bath
• Driving mobile equipment as required (including forklifts)
• Process operations – examples include process control using control panels, casting hot metal, operating fixed plant equipment, using scabble guns, equipment isolation and de-isolation, process sampling and housekeeping
• Metal transportation using specialised equipment, furnace preparation, casting pit operation, ingot machine operation, product inspection and quality control, operation of cutting saws, fabrication of M-straps fabrication and dross handling.

Some of the key responsibilities of a Process Technician at Yarwun Refinery include:

• Operating and providing technical input to fixed plant process equipment
• Utilising problem solving methodology to identify root causes and corrective actions
• Operating mobile equipment which could include; ship loader, front end loader, forklift, dozer, elevated work platform (EWP) and bobcat
• Conducting routine inspections, housekeeping, isolations and permitting
• Promoting a can do attitude, working independently and using your own initiative
• Promoting and identifying HSE opportunities to improve equipment, processes and behaviours.

What you will bring

To be successfully considered for this role, you will have:

• At least 4 years of proven experience working in a heavy industrial environment trade or process
• Current valid drivers licence
• Demonstrated ability to function effectively as part of a team and to autonomously manage your workload
• A willingness and ability to work in a labour-intensive role, in confined space, at heights and in hot environments
• Operating mobile equipment which could include forklift, elevated work platform (EWP), overhead gantry crane, bobcat or dozer
• A willingness and ability to work on a lifestyle roster, 12 hour shifts including days and nights 

If you have previous experience in auxiliary fire service, rural fire service, SES or previous industry ERT membership, Surf Life saver, current first aid you may also be eligible to join our ERT team and access additional benefits.

Find out more by applying and letting the Talent Acquisition Partner know of your experiences and interest in ERT.

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
• A permanent position working directly for Rio Tinto
• A competitive base salary reflective of your skills and experience with annual incentive program
• Comprehensive medical benefits including subsidised private health insurance for employees and immediate family
• Attractive share ownership plan
• Company provided insurance cover
• Extensive salary sacrifice & salary packaging options
• Leave for all of life’s reasons (vacation/annual, paid parental, sick leave)

Where you’ll be working

Opened in 1982, Boyne Smelters Limited is Australia’s second largest aluminium smelter with a 1,000-person strong workforce. Located approximately 20 kilometres south east of Gladstone at Boyne Island on the Central Queensland coast, BSL produces around 500,000 tonnes of aluminium per annum. 

Activities at BSL include manufacturing carbon anodes in the carbon plant, aluminium production (smelting) in reduction lines, and casting of molten material into aluminium products ready to ship. The smelter is connected via a conveyor belt to the Queensland Alumina Limited refinery for the supply of alumina.

With production beginning in 2004 at our Yarwun alumina refinery, located approximately 10 kilometres north-west of Gladstone in Central Queensland, today the operation produces more than three million tonnes of alumina per year.

Around 700 people support the operation, with an additional 350 contractors on site each year as part of scheduled maintenance shutdown activities. Thanks to its ‘Industry 4.0’ focus, Yarwun is also a leader in trialling new technologies to improve operations on site, including 3D printing, robotics and drones in confined spaces, and is home to Rio Tinto’s innovative Queensland Research and Development Centre (QRDC).

Along with Queensland Alumina Limited, BSL and Yarwun support the local community in a wide range of initiatives through Here for Gladstone.

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 and meet opportunities. 

Where we’re all welcome 

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 who we are. 

At Rio Tinto, we particularly welcome and encourage applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, women, the LGBTI+ community, mature workers, people with disabilities and people from different cultural backgrounds. 

We acknowledge that all people are different and believe that our differences are our strength. The diversity of skills, life experiences and perspectives within our team enhances our way of working and our ability to achieve success together.