Water Resources Specialist

Water Resources Specialist

• Exposure to a truly global company
• Opportunity to build/enhance your professional skillset
• Work with diverse and challenging systems in an industrial setting
• Role based in Salt Lake City Utah

About the role

Finding better ways to provide the materials the world needs.

We are looking for a Specialist - Water Resources to join in the Kennecott Environment Team. Reporting directly to the Principal Advisor - Water Quality, the Specialist - Water Resources provides leadership and expertise to a team of environmental professionals responsible for the water right compliance, protection ad restoration of groundwater quality, protection of surface water and general environmental support pursuant to environmental permits and regulations, agreements with regulatory agencies regarding water management, Rio Tinto standards and other best practices.

The purpose of this role is to support maintaining water right compliance status, surface water management, relationship with stakeholders, conducting water monitoring program and supporting immediate operations while facing increasingly stringent requirements. Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

Water Data Management

• Collect and compile data to monitor flow and water level trends in wells, springs and surface water sources
• Maintain a water flow database for all sites across Kennecott
• Monitor and report progress on water target(s)
• Compile and submit internal water related reporting
• Compile water use data and report use to the Utah Division of Water Rights
• Compile water flow data for annual S&E Survey
• Collect required data for the Kennecott's GOLDSIM process water-balance model and make updates and adjustments as necessary
• Compile water use data and report use to the Utah Division of Water Rights
• Implement and maintain GIS based system to track and maintain water assets
• Maintain historic and recent documents associated with water assets
• Advance Kennecott's understanding of current and potential Water Resources

Surface water management

• Coordinate surface water discharge management across Kennecott property
• Manage Utah Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (UPDES) permit compliance, monitoring and reporting
• Ensure a compliance with Multi-Sector General Permit for storm water discharge management
• Implement Kennecott's Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plan

Water Quality Team Finance Management

• Maintain budgets and track operational expenses
• Create purchase orders and ensure water right related invoices are paid
• Assist in the management of the Kennecott Water Distribution LLC finances
• Manage and ensure compliance for vendors

Water Right Leasing

• Manage existing and future water leases and maintain the water lease database

Regulatory Compliance

• Assist the Water Quality Team with compliance related work associated with State and Federal regulatory agencies

What you'll bring

To be successfully considered for this role, you will have:

• Bachelor's Degree in Environmental Science of Engineering, Geology or related field
• 3 plus years of experience in the similar field or industry
• Knowledge of EPA's process for promulgating regulation, legislative advocacy, and Utah Administrative Code required
• Practical experience in groundwater remediation and protection, surface water protection
• Strong negotiation and communication skills
• Efficient team player - contribute overall team work and goal

What we offer

We are committed to providing our employees witha 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 with annual cash incentive awards (STIP) for eligible employees
• 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

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 and meet opportunities.

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.

Every Voice Matters

At Rio Tinto, we particularly welcome and encourage applications from Indigenous Peoples, women, the LGBTQ+ community, mature workers, Veterans and active-duty armed forces, people with disabilities and people from different cultural backgrounds.

Equal Opportunity Employer M/F/D/V

Rio Tinto participates in E-Verify to confirm work authorization. Please visit http://www.uscis.gov/ for more information.

We are committed to an inclusive environment where people feel comfortable being 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.