Principal Engineer - Processing
Confirmed on the employer's own hiring board on Oct 27, 2026. First seen by Alion on Oct 22, 2026. Rio Tinto scores A on the Alion truth index.
- Lead global process engineering initiatives that improve plant performance, safety, cost efficiency and operational outcomes.
- Influence business strategy, R&D priorities and international technical committees while growing as a recognized technical expert.
- Opportunity to collaborate across a global technical network and drive enterprise-wide impact, role based in Santiago, Chile
We're Finding Better Ways™ to provide 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 seeking an experienced Principal Engineer - Processing to provide technical leadership across processing operations. This role is recognised as an expert-level position that leads strategic initiatives, supports business units in solving complex process challenges, and connects operational priorities with technology and research agendas. Reporting to Chief Adviser Processing & Asset Management you key responsibilities include:
What you'll be doing
- Lead multidisciplinary teams and strategic initiatives that deliver measurable improvements in safety, productivity, quality and cost performance.
- Support operations in resolving significant process issues by developing countermeasures and corrective action plans.
- Coordinate international technical committees and promote best practices across operations.
- Develop strategic plans, identify key challenges and provide recommendations during annual planning cycles.
- Define and monitor product and process improvement plans to ensure continuous operational improvement.
- Prioritize technical projects and connect sites with internal and external specialist resources.
- Establish R&D programs based on business needs and align research, strategy and operational objectives.
- Conduct technical audits, drive action plan implementation and coach engineers and technical professionals.
About You
Our commitment to safety is at the core of everything we do. We are looking for someone who demonstrates a strong personal commitment to safety and care for people.
Essential requirements
- Degree in Metallurgical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Process Engineering or a related discipline.
- Extensive experience supporting and optimising industrial processing or metallurgical operations.
- Demonstrated ability to lead technical teams, cross-functional projects and business improvement initiatives.
- Experience analyzing complex process issues and implementing sustainable solutions.
- Strong understanding of process optimisation, operational excellence and continuous improvement methodologies.
- Ability to influence senior stakeholders and translate technical insights into business outcomes.
Desirable criteria
- Experience supporting large copper concentrating operations with improvement projects and day to day operations
- Experience with supporting copper leaching operations
- Exposure to global operations, technical networks or international committees.
- Experience conducting technical audits and mentoring engineering teams.
- Experience deploying new technologies or contributing to R&D programs.
- Experience supporting project technical and economic reviews and approvals
What we offer
Be recognized 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
- 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 Personify Health 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
The Rio Tinto Copper technical group is a global organization with operations and projects in the U.S. (Kennecott Utah Copper, "RTKC", and Resolution Copper Project, Mongolia (Oyu Tolgoi), and Western Australia (Winu Cu-Au project). The portfolio also includes interests in a non-managed joint venture in Chile, in addition to exploration & evaluation interests and other minor investments.
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
At Rio Tinto, we particularly welcome and encourage applications from Indigenous Peoples, women, the LGBTQ+ 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.