Tailings, Water & Treatment Systems Manager

Rio Tinto • Salt Lake City, UT

6d • Onsite

About The Position

This role offers the opportunity to lead complex systems that matter deeply to people, the environment, and the future of mining. As Tailings, Water & Treatment Systems Manager, you will guide the full lifecycle of tailings and water assets while championing best practice, regulatory compliance, and continuous improvement. You will operate in a collaborative environment where your expertise is respected, your decisions carry weight, and your leadership helps shape Kennecott’s long‑term closure and sustainability strategy. Some days require steady leadership under pressure. An unexpected water quality issue or emerging tailings risk demands immediate attention, clear communication, and decisive action. You balance regulatory requirements, operational needs, and community expectations, ensuring safety and compliance remain front and center. These moments test your judgement and resilience, and they are also where your leadership has the greatest impact. Reporting to the General Manager, Concentrator & Tailings, you will be supported by a multidisciplinary site leadership team and connected to Rio Tinto’s global technical networks. Together, you will focus on strengthening tailings and water governance, improving system performance, and building confidence with regulators and communities through the following accountabilities.

Requirements

• A strong personal commitment to safety and environmental stewardship, with experience managing high‑consequence infrastructure
• Tertiary qualifications in civil engineering, engineering geology, or a related discipline, with significant experience in tailings and water management
• 10+ years of leadership experience across mining, water resources, civil infrastructure, environmental management, utilities, or similar sectors
• Proven ability to lead diverse teams, collaborate across disciplines, and influence stakeholders at all levels
• A practical, solutions‑focused mindset when navigating complex technical, operational, and regulatory challenges
• Willingness to maintain a regular and visible presence across site operations including TSFs, water systems, treatment plants, and processing facilities
• Strong communication skills and the ability to work effectively with operations, engineering, health and safety, environmental teams, regulators, and community partners
• A commitment to building an inclusive, respectful, and high‑performing work environment

Responsibilities

• Lead with visible safety leadership, ensuring the protection of employees, contractors, communities, and the environment is never compromised
• Champion compliance with internal standards and external frameworks including GISTM, Copper Mark, EPA, State of Utah requirements, Division of Water Quality, local municipalities, and ISO14001
• Provide end‑to‑end oversight of tailings storage facilities, covering design, construction, operation, monitoring, and closure of facilities
• Lead integrated site water management, including water balance, recovery, storage, reuse, and distribution across operations
• Oversee water treatment systems, including the reverse osmosis facility and copper precipitation plant, ensuring safe and reliable performance
• Establish and maintain robust monitoring programs to assess TSF stability, performance, and risk, enabling timely and informed decision‑making
• Ensure preparedness for key failure modes including slope instability, liquefaction, internal erosion, and extreme hydrologic events
• Drive the adoption of best available technologies and practices to reduce environmental impact and support long‑term closure objectives
• Work closely with internal teams and external regulators and community partners to maintain trust, transparency, and compliance

Benefits

• 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

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Manager