Principal Advisor Process Safety

Principal Adviser Process Safety

Finding better ways to provide the materials the world needs.

We are seeking a Principal Adviser Process Safety to lead and advance process safety practices across Rio Tinto Lithium. This role is responsible for identifying, guiding, and embedding best practice process safety standards, ensuring consistent and effective application across operations.

Operating as a technical expert and trusted adviser, this role will:

• Set the culture for process safety across all lithium operations
• Lead process safety improvement initiatives across Lithium operations
• Drive implement of Rio Tinto Process Safety standards and establish programs to ensure sustained compliance
• Strengthen hazard identification, risk management, and control effectiveness
• Embed consistent process safety practices across the full asset lifecycle

Working closely with operations, technical services, and peer networks across Rio Tinto, this role ensures process safety is effectively integrated into how Lithium designs, operates, and improves its processing systems.

Reporting to the Manager Process Improvement of Lithium, this role entails:

• Process safety leadership and expertise
• Act as a subject matter expert in process safety, guiding sites and functions on best practices and standards
• Lead strategic process safety initiatives with meaningful impact at site and business unit level
• Influence leaders and teams by providing expert advice and practical solutions

• Standards and best practice
• Identify leading, fit-for-purpose process safety practices and support their embedding across Lithium operations
• Ensure alignment with Rio Tinto standards and the consistent application of process safety frameworks
• Support the development and improvement of process safety tools, systems, and ways of working

• Risk and compliance assurance
• Utilize capability assessments and compliance activities to evaluate the effectiveness of process safety programs
• Support identification of process hazards, definition of critical controls, and management of residual risk
• Ensure robust implementation of process safety technologies and control systems

• Collaboration and knowledge sharing
• Proactively collaborate with peer groups and technical networks across Rio Tinto
• Lead or support workshops, reviews, and cross-site engagement to drive learning and continuous improvement
• Promote consistency in process safety practices across sites and regions
• Embed a culture of process safety in lithium operations

• Lifecycle integration
• Embed process safety considerations across the full asset lifecycle, from design through to operations and improvement
• Support integration of process safety into projects, operational planning, and continuous improvement activities

What you'll bring:

• Deep expertise in process safety within a chemical manufacturing environment
• Strong understanding of hazard identification, risk assessment, and critical control management
• Demonstrated ability to influence leaders and teams and drive adoption of best practices without direct authority
• Experience leading or contributing to process safety initiatives across multi-site operations
• Ability to translate technical requirements into practical, scalable solutions
• Strong collaboration and stakeholder engagement skills across operational and technical environments
• A structured, risk-based approach to problem solving and continuous improvement
• Experience working across multiple technologies and processing environment
• Experience supporting organizational integration or rapidly evolving operations

Where you will be working:

Rio Tinto Lithium

Rio Tinto Lithium is part of Rio Tinto's global portfolio of critical minerals, supporting the materials needed for electrification and the energy transition. With operations spanning multiple continents, Lithium plays a pivotal role in enabling sustainable technologies worldwide.

Location:

Bessemer City, NC, USA

Salary Band:
Band G

This role will remain open for applications through Friday, July 3.

Respect and Inclusion At Rio Tinto, we particularly welcome and encourage applications from Indigenous Peoples, women, the LGBTQIA+ community, mature workers, people with disabilities and people from…