Principal Geoscientist (Reading)

Challenging role for an experienced, sediment-hosted copper exploration geoscientist to guide Rio Tinto Exploration (RTX) towards its next major copper discovery. Opportunity to provide specialist technical leadership, support and guidance to RTX’s sediment-hosted copper exploration activities. Role may be based in any of RTX’s current offices – additional flexibility in role location may be considered.

About The Role

Finding better ways to provide the materials the world needs. We are looking for an experienced Principal Geoscientist to help lead RTX’s global sediment-hosted copper exploration efforts. This challenging role offers an opportunity to generate new exploration opportunities, provide technical input to the current exploration portfolio, support technical reviews of external growth opportunities and build technical capacity within RTX’s global team of geoscientists.

Reporting to the Principal III Geoscientist – Copper Commodities, and working in a collaborative community, a challenging and exciting environment, you will be:

• Utilizing geoscientific knowledge and expertise to generate and validate ideas for new discoveries.
• Providing specialist technical input to RTX’s sediment-hosted copper exploration activities and reviews of external copper growth opportunities.
• Establishing and applying prioritization criteria to RTX’s global exploration efforts at both the project and regional scale.
• Working with other SMEs to develop sediment-hosted copper exploration strategies and work programs.
• Integrating and interpreting diverse geoscientific datasets to evaluate new opportunities ranging from the property to regional scale.
• Undertaking fieldwork as required to generate new projects and support RTX’s current project portfolio.
• Maintaining a network of specialists, academia and other sources of information and intelligence.
• Creating and developing key relationships with exploration management (Exploration Managers, Project Managers etc.).
• Providing technical development and mentorship opportunities to RTX’s global team of geoscientists to foster organizational capability.

What You’ll Bring

• A commitment to the safety of yourself and your team.
• Demonstrated 12+ years of experience in mineral exploration with a proven track record in any or all the following areas: Project generation, Project evaluations, Technical advising, Teaching, mentoring and coaching of exploration teams.
• A strong understanding of the interplay between global tectonic processes and ore deposit genesis.
• A strong background in sediment-hosted copper systems and/or other sediment-hosted base metal deposits is required.
• In-depth understanding of sedimentary basins and hydrothermal processes.
• In-depth understanding of known styles of sediment-hosted copper mineralization.
• Specialist knowledge of geophysical or geochemical techniques for exploring in sedimentary basins would be considered an asset.
• Ability and willingness to travel internationally and to remote locations.
• A degree in geosciences. Applicable graduate or post-doctoral research would be an asset.

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 competitive salary package with annual cash incentive awards for eligible employees.
• Career development & education assistance to further your ambitions.
• Access top tier family-friendly health and medical programs and pension plan.
• Wellbeing benefits.
• Generous Rio Tinto employee share program.
• Employee Assistance Program.
• Ongoing individual wellbeing support for you and your family for personal and professional matters.
• Leave for all of life’s reasons (vacation/annual, paid parental, sick leave).

Where you will be working

The role can be based in any of Rio Tinto Exploration’s current office locations. Rio Tinto's Exploration group seeks to create value for the business by discovering or acquiring new mineral resources. Organized into three regional teams (Americas, Australasia, and Africa-Eurasia), the Exploration group provides both a global reach and a local presence across a range of commodities including bauxite, copper, iron ore, lithium and titanium.

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.

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.