Principal Engineer, Processing

Principal Engineer Processing – Simandou

• Make an impact and influence future outcomes on a high-profile project
• Studies focus with rapid transition to operations
• Excellent remuneration and benefits package
• Role based in London, UK

All progress begins with pioneers. At Rio Tinto, it begins with you.

About the job

It’s an exciting time to be joining our team, with the acceleration of studies for our significant greenfield discovery of our Simandou Project to realise value from the world-class Simandou iron ore deposit.

We are looking for a Principal Engineer, Processing to lead the development, planning and coordination of complex engineering designs entailing technical specifications and detailed planning in the early phases of projects conceptual through feasibility studies.

Here are your responsibilities:

• Assisting project management and acting as a local functional manager to manage a small number of engineering employees
• Providing a high level of recognized technical competency within the discipline on a regional and international basis as required
• Develop solutions to complex problems that require a high degree of innovation and ingenuity
• As Lead Engineer, plan the team to meet project needs, ensure projects are on budget and schedule and any change is controlled effectively
• Thoroughly understand any project contractual scope of work and raise variation requests for any work not covered as part of the work scope but required to be undertaken for job completion
• As Lead Engineer, assume responsibility for effective and competent design, detailed calculations, drawings, specifications, sizing and selection of equipment, materials selection and vendor technical assessment
• Ensure engineering deliverables achieve project quality, completion and profit objectives.
• Monitor overall performance and continuously analyze performance to detect and avoid problems and to seize improvement opportunities
• Provide a high level of demonstrated experience in engineering and design management and technical engineering
• Be thoroughly conversant with codes, project specific specifications, procedures, vendor data, general arrangements and other requirements
• Develop process specifications such as comminution, grinding, scrubbing, concentration, separation, dewatering, etc.
• Identify opportunities to improve processing performance (such as grind, recovery, scrubbing, concentration, separation) of existing assets
• Support or lead improvement and R&D project execution, including evaluating new technologies available
• Contribute to, and follow strategic planning, including technology roadmaps
• Provide technical input into reporting, planning and forecasting activities. Monitor operational performance and understand key risks and drivers

What You’ll Bring

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

• A strong focus on Safety
• Engineering degree in extractive metallurgy, mineral processing, material engineering or equivalent.
• Extensive experience in large scale base metals processing operation/production, metallurgical development, plant design, project development (study, engineering, commissioning and ops readiness) or design and implementation of operational improvement projects
• Direct and specific experience in base metals crushing and milling a must (min. 5 years). Specific additional experience in iron ore processing design in particular with milling and pelletizing a plus
• Strong leadership skills including fostering effective teamwork
• English language fluency required. Others: French, Chinese desirable

What we offer

Here is just a glimpse of our industry leading rewards package:

• A safety-focused and inclusive working environment
• A competitive salary package with annual cash incentive awards (STIP) for eligible employees
• Career development & education assistance to further your ambitions
• Access to top tier family-friendly health and medical programs
• Excellent retirement plan
• A comprehensive leave policy that covers all moments that matter in life (vacation/annual, paid parental leave, short term sick leave, paid holidays)
• Ongoing individual wellbeing support for you and your family for personal and professional matter
• Generous Rio Tinto employee share program

About the Simandou Project

The Simandou Iron Ore project is one of the largest undeveloped high grade iron ore deposits in the world and is a cornerstone of Rio Tinto’s high grade development strategy It is an approximately 3 billion tonnes (@ 65.5% average Fe content) deposit located in SouthEastern Guinea with a planned throughput of 100 mtpa at its peak. The role of the Principal Engineer Processing at Simandou is to develop, implement and report on the Simandou project processing development strategy to optimize the project’s metallurgical performance through development studies, productivity improvement, operational risk reduction and other related initiatives. The role reports to the Chief Advisor Processing within the Copper Technical division.

The role is based in London, UK. Approximately 20-30% travel is possible

About Rio Tinto

Every idea, every innovation, every little thing the world calls ‘progress’ begins with a first step, and someone willing to take it: explorers, inventors, entrepreneurs. Pioneers.

For nearly 150 years, Rio Tinto has been a company of pioneers – generations of people spanning the globe, all with the grit and vision to produce materials essential to human progress.

Our iron ore has shaped skylines from Shanghai to Sydney. Our aluminium – the world’s first to be certified “responsible” – helps planes fly and makes cars lighter. Our copper helps wind turbines power cities and our boron helps feed the world, and explore the universe.
Our diamonds help us celebrate the best parts of life.

Every Voice Matters

At 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.