Principal Ventilation Engineer

• Join a leader in mining & metals offering outstanding personal development & global career opportunities.
• Competitive salary and benefits, with relocation assistance available for eligible candidates
• Work in an underground project located near Superior, Arizona.

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

The Principal Ventilation Engineer serves as the site's technical authority and subject matter expert for underground ventilation, refrigeration, hazardous atmosphere management, and mine air quality. The role is responsible for developing and governing ventilation strategies that support safe, productive, and efficient underground mining operations while ensuring compliance with MSHA regulations, company requirements, and industry best practices.

This position provides strategic leadership for mine ventilation systems throughout the life of mine and is accountable for ensuring sufficient air quantity, air quality, cooling, contaminant control, and emergency ventilation capability to maintain a safe working environment for underground personnel. Ventilation subject matter experts are responsible for long-term ventilation strategy, design reviews, underground air quality management, support to site ventilation teams, and technical oversight of ventilation systems.

Role Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain the Life of Mine Ventilation Strategy.
• Define long-term primary and secondary ventilation requirements.
• Establish ventilation standards, specifications, and engineering guidelines.
• Provide technical assurance for all ventilation-related engineering designs.
• Review mining layouts and schedules to ensure ventilation requirements are incorporated into planning activities.
• Act as the site technical authority for underground ventilation and refrigeration systems.
• Develop and maintain detailed ventilation models using VentSim, Deswik, or equivalent software.
• Evaluate future mine expansions and infrastructure requirements.
• Ensure adequate airflow is available to support mining, construction, maintenance, and emergency activities.
• Lead development and maintenance of the Ventilation Management Plan.
• Establish atmospheric monitoring requirements and compliance programs.
• Review air quality sampling results and initiate corrective actions when required.
• Ensure ventilation monitoring programs meet regulatory requirements and company standards.
• Provide technical mentorship and guidance to technical and operational personnel, ensuring effective interpretation of ventilation and atmospheric monitoring data and application of ventilation best practices.
• Identify and communicate ventilation-related technical risks, uncertainties, and opportunities affecting project schedule, capital investment, and operational performance.

About you

• Bachelor's Degree in Mining Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or related engineering discipline.
• Professional Engineer (PE) registration or ability to obtain.
• Minimum 10 years of underground mining experience.
• Minimum 7 years of mine ventilation engineering experience.
• Extensive experience with ventilation modeling software such as VentSim and Deswik.
• Strong working knowledge of U.S. MSHA regulations and underground mine ventilation requirements.

Preferred

• Master's Degree in Mine Ventilation, Mining Engineering, or Occupational Hygiene.
• Experience with large-scale block cave or deep underground mining operations.
• Experience with ventilation refrigeration systems.

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 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% sal