Laboratory Technician
Be part of a group that is safety driven and values inclusion
Join an encouraging leadership group, committed to your growth and development
Permanent employment which includes a huge range of additional benefits
About the role
Finding better ways to provide the materials the world needs.
We are seeking a safety-focused Laboratory Technician with a strong commitment to quality and teamwork to support our operations at West Angelas. In this role, you will be responsible for the safe and efficient execution of laboratory testing, sample preparation, and equipment maintenance to ensure accurate and timely results.
You’ll be part of a collaborative and supportive team, with guidance from your Leader to help you grow professionally and achieve both personal and team goals. This position operates on a Fly-In, Fly-Out (FIFO) roster, giving you more time to focus on what matters most—your life outside of work and the people in it.
Reporting to the Supervisor Laboratory you will:
Comply with all Rio Tinto standards, policies, and procedures to ensure safe and consistent operations.
Serve as a Statutory Supervisor under the WHS (Mines) Regulations 2022, fulfilling responsibilities outlined in Schedule 26.
Oversee the collection and preparation of samples in line with Quality Management System (QMS) procedures, ensuring samples are fully representative.
Support the preparation and analysis of samples according to QMS protocols.
Conduct troubleshooting and recovery for laboratory equipment and sample preparation systems during breakdowns.
Assist laboratory operators in verifying analytical accuracy and comparing results against product quality targets, escalating to IOS and MTS when necessary.
Assist with preparation and analysis of samples in accordance with QMS procedures.
Ensure routine Quality Assurance/Quality Control (QA/QC) materials are processed, results documented, and corrective actions implemented.
Report equipment defects and sampling issues through the quality incident reporting system, raising appropriate notifications.
Use operational systems to track task progress, ensuring alignment with performance standards and targets.
Maintain regular communication with supervisors and team members to ensure safe, compliant, and timely completion of laboratory tasks.
What you’ll bring
Computer literate, with experience in SAP, Microsoft Office, and lab systems like Starlims, FDMS, TIKS, SuperQ, and ChemAlert
Strong communication skills, both written and verbal
Demonstrated leadership capabilities are essential, as this role will serve as the second-in-command and provide coverage for the Supervisor during periods of leave.
Self-driven, safety-conscious, and able to work independently
Proven commitment to health, safety, and environmental standards
Experience in shift work, including nights, within plant or manufacturing environments
Skilled in laboratory operations, including QA/QC
Technical expertise in flux fusion, LECO TGA, XRF, manual sample prep, moisture and sizing analysis, and use of Rotary Sample Dividers and Rocklabs equipment
Dedicated to following safety systems and procedures
What we offer
Be recognised for your contribution, you’re 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
Full relocation provided to Western Australia from elsewhere in Australia
A competitive base salary reflective of your skills and experience with annual incentive bonus
Comprehensive medical benefits including subsidised private health insurance for employees and immediate family
Attractive share ownership plan
Company provided insurance cover
Extensive salary sacrifice & salary packaging options
Career development & 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, sick leave, cultural leave)
Work on Country with a residential role which offers company housing and financial support with living expenses including rent and utilities (power and water).
To better suit different family needs, our paid parental leave approach gives all parents the option to take 18 weeks of paid leave after a new child arrives – at a time that suits them
Exclusive employee discounts including hotel stays, banking, accommodation, cars, retail and more.
We are committed to elevating Indigenous voices and increasing cultural knowledge in our business. Diversity of skills, life experiences and perspectives within our team enhances our way of working and our ability to achieve success together. To help you on your journey with us, you’ll also have access to:
Specialist Indigenous Support Advisors are always there for our Indigenous employees and available to support through any aspect of your employment
Dedicated Indigenous Talent Programme for our Operators and Tradespersons and entry level operational roles. This programme is designed to create long term sustainable careers for our Indigenous Employees to grow into leadership or technical pathways to ensure you have every opportunity to grow your career.
Indigenous leadership programmes across some professional and operational roles to ensure that we are developing Indigenous Leaders.
Where you’ll be working
This role will start on a FIFO roster from Perth: 8 days on, 6 days off.
Located 110km west of Newman, West Angelas operates on a fly out roster from Perth, Broome and Busselton.
West Angelas is a pioneer in autonomous technologies – we were the first site to trial autonomous haul trucks and incorporate autonomous drilling into our operations in 2008, and we continue to have one of the largest mining fleets in the Pilbara.
Our high grade, low phosphorous Marra Mamba orebody is an integral part of the Pilbara Blend, contributing both lump and fines products on around four trains each day. At the West Angelas hub there are state-of-the-art power generation and refueling facilities. These facilities supply power and diesel fuel to the East Pilbara mine sites.
The future is bright at West Angelas with ongoing growth projects at Deposits C and D, as well as additional deposits under study providing enormous opportunities for personal development and career growth.
Applications close on 2nd September 2025 (Rio Tinto reserves the right to remove advertised roles prior to this date)
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.
Every Voice Matters
At Rio Tinto, we particularly welcome and encourage applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, women, the LGBTI+ 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.
