Lead and develop the Rail Inland Operations team, shaping safe and reliable performance across Pilbara rail operations.
Influence continuous improvement, workforce capability and operational excellence in a complex heavy haul rail environment.
Join a business operating Australia’s largest privately owned and operated heavy haul rail system.
FIFO from Perth to Yandi – 5 days on, 3 off, 4 days on, 3 off
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 looking for a Superintendent Operations to lead, mentor, coach and develop the Rail Inland Operations team. Reporting to the Manager Inland Rail, you will provide leadership across site operational activities, foster a positive safety culture and drive continuous improvement. You will help maximise productivity while managing operating costs, defining staffing and development needs, and supporting compliance with relevant legislation and statutory obligations.
This is a great opportunity for an operational leader who enjoys developing people, improving systems of work and partnering across a broad rail network to deliver safe and sustainable outcomes.
What you’ll be doing
Reporting to the Manager Inland Rail and working across Rail Inland Operations, you will:
Establish and maintain a culture of safety, reinforcing safety protocols and procedures across operational activities.
Lead, mentor, coach and develop the operations team through regular performance feedback, clear expectations and capability planning.
Direct safe operational execution so team performance aligns with business standards, weekly and quarterly plans, and operational objectives.
Identify, evaluate and implement improvement opportunities that strengthen operational efficiency and support continuous improvement.
Collaborate with other functions and stakeholders to coordinate work across rail operations and prioritise safety in planning and execution.
Define staffing and development needs and provide training pathways that build skills and productivity.
Provide quality control over operational processes so activities are completed safely, to plan and cost-effectively.
Manage and support the sustainability of Rio Tinto Production System practices across the operation.
About you
We’re looking for someone whose experience aligns with the key requirements below. You do not need to meet every item to apply. If you bring relevant experience and are excited by the opportunity, we encourage you to submit an application.
A commitment to the safety of yourself and your team.
Demonstrated experience leading and developing operational teams in rail, mining, logistics or another large-scale, safety-critical industrial environment.
Experience translating operational plans into safe, reliable and cost-effective daily execution.
Working knowledge of operational compliance, risk controls and relevant legislative or statutory obligations.
Experience managing operating costs, workforce capability and contractor or stakeholder interfaces.
Clear communication skills with experience coordinating decisions across operational and functional teams.
Experience in heavy haul rail or Pilbara operations.
Understanding of maintenance and work management execution.
Experience implementing quality control practices, continuous improvement or the Rio Tinto Production System.
What we offer
Be recognised 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
A permanent position working directly for Rio Tinto
A competitive base salary reflective of your skills and experience with annual incentive program
Comprehensive medical benefits including subsidised private health insurance for employees and immediate family
Attractive share ownership plan
Company provided insurance cover
Extensive salary sacrifice and salary packaging options
Career development and education assistance to further your technical or leadership ambitions
Ongoing access to family-friendly health and medical wellbeing support
Leave for all of life’s reasons (vacation/annual, paid parental, personal and cultural leave)
Exclusive employee discounts (banking, accommodation, cars, retail and more)
Possible domestic relocation assistance
Where you’ll be working
Our rail network is the largest privately owned and operated heavy haul rail system in Australia, and as we focus on the future, our vision is to become the greatest heavy haul railway in the world.
We operate over 220 locomotives on nearly 2,000 kilometres of track in the Pilbara, transporting ore from 18 mines to four port terminals.
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 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, 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.
