Drilling Coordinator - Underground Operations
Confirmed on the employer's own hiring board on Oct 31, 2026. First seen by Alion on Oct 27, 2026. Rio Tinto scores A on the Alion truth index.
- Build your career with broad exposure to Kennecott Underground leaders, with development pathways into operations, drilling leadership and other opportunities across Rio Tinto.
- Experience highly technical underground drilling at Kennecott, working in the Salt Lake City area on a residential basis with no travel requirements.
- Make an impact through technically challenging drilling programs that generate exploration data on future grades, ground types and water inflows, while working across Geology, Geotechnical and Operations.
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 a Drilling Coordinator to support safe and efficient underground drilling operations at Kennecott Underground. This role combines extensive exploration drilling experience with coordination, contractor oversight and technical coaching, helping deliver quality drilling data for future underground characterisation, geotechnical modelling and ore body knowledge. Working across Geology, Geotechnical, Engineering and Operations, you will help bring teams together around drilling priorities while maintaining safety as the top priority.
Reporting to the Underground Drilling Superintendent and working collaboratively with operational and functional teams, you will be responsible for:
- Spending significant time underground monitoring drilling activities.
- Working with drilling and support contractors to plan, monitor and execute drilling programs that support drilling definition and characterisation.
- Collaborating across multi-functional teams of geologists, mine engineers, hydrologists, geotechnical engineers and contract partners to support drilling projects.
- Monitoring and presenting technical and project milestones and metrics.
- Supporting industry-leading drilling practices by remaining current with technological advancements and improvements.
- Auditing contractor safety systems and equipment to ensure they meet Business Unit drilling standards and aligning drilling activities with Rio Tinto HSEC standards.
- Coaching and training less experienced team members and departments on drilling technical expertise.
- Implementing Rio Tinto CMS to monitor contract deliverables against Rio Tinto standards.
About you
- A commitment to the safety of yourself and your team.
- Extensive experience in underground exploration drilling.
- Strong exploration drilling background, with experience across multiple drilling methods and supervisory experience preferred.
- Ability to quickly identify and assess drilling issues, determine root causes and implement practical solutions and corrective actions.
- Ability to identify and mitigate foreseeable and unforeseen operational and HSEC risks.
- Ability to collaborate effectively across departments to resolve drilling issues and align priorities.
- Experience managing contract partners through consistent coaching and accountability.
- Ability to prioritise deliverables and projects while balancing available resources, budget and time to achieve milestones.
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.