Welder
- A skilled trade role where your workmanship directly supports the safety and reliability of underground operations
- Long term career opportunity on a major copper project backed by a global mining leader
- Steady underground work close to Superior, Arizona, with strong team culture and respect for craftsmanship
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 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
As an underground Welder, you are a key contributor to keeping the mine running safely and efficiently. You will perform high quality welding and mechanical work on a wide range of underground infrastructure and equipment. This role suits someone who values safety, precision, and teamwork, and who understands the importance of disciplined work underground.
In this role, you will be guided and supported by the Underground Operations Supervisor and work as part of a collaborative underground operations and maintenance team. You will coordinate closely with maintenance planners, supervisors, and other trades as you carry out the responsibilities below.
- Always work safely, following underground safety requirements, hot work controls, and risk assessments
- Perform welding, fabrication, and repair work on underground equipment and infrastructure, both in shop and field settings
- Execute repairs on mobile and fixed plant components, including piping systems, structural supports, and fittings
- Read and interpret drawings and specifications to plan, prepare, and complete welding and mechanical tasks
- Prepare materials through cutting, grinding, fitting, and assembly, and inspect completed work to ensure quality and compliance
- Operate welding tools and equipment safely, contribute to risk assessments and safety meetings, and maintain clean, organized work areas
About you
- A commitment to the safety of yourself and your team
- High school diploma or equivalent
- Journeyperson welder certification or demonstrated equivalent experience
- Experience in industrial or heavy equipment welding, including structural, plate, and pipe work
- Working knowledge of welding processes such as SMAW, GMAW, FCAW, and GTAW
- Ability to read technical drawings and apply attention to detail in fabrication and repair work
- Valid driver’s license and ability to meet site access
Even if your profile does not fully meet all qualifications, we encourage you to apply, transferable skills and the right attitude are highly valued.
What we offer
We are committed to providing our employees with a generous benefits package. Be recognized for your contribution, your thinking, your hard work, and go home knowing you’ve helped the world progress, we provide:
- A safety-focused and inclusive working environment
- Advantageous salary package
- 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
- Generous Rio Tinto employee share program, which allows you to purchase Rio Tinto Company shares.
- Comprehensive leave policies which cover all moments that matter in life: PTO (paid time off), paid holidays, and paid bereavement leave.
- A favorable child-caregiver leave program (Up to 100% salary top-up)
- Discount programs for leisure purposes and access to Virgin Pulse with incentives supporting your wellbeing
- Ongoing Employee Assistance Program (EAP) for you and your family; to help in addressing educational opportunities, addiction treatment, depression, stress, domestic issues, financial management, and legal concerns.
- Our team and industry experts are here to support and work with you to explore your learning potential and career goals
Where you will be working
You will be joining Resolution Copper at a pivotal moment in the project’s history. With the Resolution Copper Land Exchange now complete, the project is advancing its next phase of technical work, community engagement, and state permitting activities.
Resolution Copper has the potential to supply nearly 25% of total U.S. copper demand and generate several thousand direct and indirect jobs in the Pioneer Mining District of Arizona, delivering an economic value of several billion dollars over the life of the mine. The project will rely on block caving, a proven underground mining method that uses gravity to extract ore from a deposit located more than 2,000 meters below the surface. This technique is the most viable way to safely and efficiently recover the resource.
As development continues, Resolution Copper will expand its underground operations, conduct extensive drilling and orebody characterization, and maintain both the permitting process and ongoing public engagement with Native American tribes, local communities, and stakeholders.
The Resolution Copper project is vital to securing America’s energy future, infrastructure needs, and national defense by providing a domestic supply of copper and other critical minerals. Once operational, it has the potential to become one of the largest copper mines in the United States, contribute approximately $1 billion annually to Arizona’s economy, and create thousands of local jobs in a region with more than a century‑long mining heritage.
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.