Specialist Engineer Geotechnical

Rio Tinto

Posted on:  26th Jun 2025

Excited to grow your career?We value our talented workforce, and whenever possible strive to help our employees grow professionally. If you think this position is right for you, we encourage you to speak to your Leader and go ahead and apply!Our people make all the difference in our success.

Specialist Geotechnical Engineer – West Angelas

  • Opportunity to be a part of a large and established geotechnical community within Rio Tinto Iron Ore

  • 8/6 FIFO family-friendly roster

  • Utilise your design experience in a role supporting the Pilbara operations

About the role

Finding better ways to provide the materials the world needs.

We are looking for an enthusiastic and high performing Specialist Geotechnical Engineer to join our technical services team on site. You will provide geotechnical recommendations to mine planning and studies, and ensure geotechnical residual risks are communicated to the operations for management during implementation.

We are an open, connected international team of technical specialists using some of the most exciting data and tools on the planet. We are the world leader in automation and smart mining. We have technical development programmes that are industry-leading and recognise the unique nature of your role. These provide opportunities to grow your career through a dedicated technical path while being rewarded for your unique skills.

About you

With tertiary qualifications in Science, Earth Science or Engineering, you will have considerable experience in geotechnical data collection and geotechnical design. Post graduate qualifications in rock mechanics will be advantageous as will specific knowledge and experience with geotechnical design software such as Vulcan and Rocscience.

You will have excellent technical reporting writing skills, solid organisational skills and the ability to manage projects and prioritise work. A current C class driver’s licence will be required and design experience in the Pilbara or similar structurally complex terrains will be well regarded.

You will be responsible for:

  • Operational designs and supporting the delivery of geotechnical designs

  • Supporting geotechnical design for studies OoM, PFS and FS

  • Operational geotechnical engineers - site based monitoring and ops engagement and reconciliation

  • Complete and review open pit stability and geotechnical design assessments for operating mines and studies from conceptual stage to closure

  • Derive material parameters from drilling and laboratory testing data, and assess geological, hydrogeological and structural information to formulate geotechnical models

  • Conduct stability analysis and provide geotechnical design recommendations for open pits, waste dumps and land bridges

  • Liaise with external consultants and project manage design studies to ensure fit for purpose design recommendations are provided and projects are completed on time and within budget

  • Regular engagement with site based operational teams and technical specialists within the Mine Engineering team 

What we offer

  • A work environment where safety is always the number one priority

  • Flexible working from home arrangements as per operational requirements

  • 18 weeks of gender-neutral and equal paid parental leave, with continued superannuation contributions whilst employees are on unpaid or half paid parental leave

  • 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

  • Career development & education assistance to further your technical or leadership ambitions

  • Ongoing access to family-friendly health and medical wellbeing support

  • Leave for all of life’s reasons (vacation/annual, paid parental, sick leave)

  • Exclusive employee discounts (banking, accommodation, cars, retail and more); and

  • Local relocation packages offered for Australian residents only

Where you will be working

Located 110km west of Newman, West Angelas operates on a fly in fly out roster from Perth, Broome and Busselton. 

West Angelas is a pioneer in autonomous technologies – we were the first site to trial autonomous haul trucks and incorporate autonomous drilling into our operations in 2008, and we continue to have one of the largest mining fleets in the Pilbara. 

Our high grade, low phosphorous Marra Mamba orebody is an integral part of the Pilbara Blend, contributing both lump and fines products on around four trains each day. At the West Angelas hub there are state-of-the-art power generation and refueling facilities. These facilities supply power and diesel fuel to the East Pilbara mine sites. 

The future is bright at West Angelas with ongoing growth projects at Deposits C and D, as well as additional deposits under study providing enormous opportunities for personal development and career growth. 

Applications close on 10 July 2025 (Rio Tinto reserves the right to remove advertised roles prior to this date). 

Salary Band

Band J

Every Voice MattersAt Rio Tinto, we particularly welcome and encourage applications from Indigenous Peoples, women, the LGBTQIA+ 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.

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