Senior Ecologist

Senior Advisor – Ecology

• Be a part of a technical team that is solutions-driven and values inclusion
• Drive industry-leading research to better assess and minimise the impact of mining on the unique biodiversity values of the Pilbara

• Permanent Full Time | Perth based | Ad hoc site travel required

Where we’re all welcome

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 who we are.

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 acknowledge that all people are different and believe that our differences are our strength. The diversity of skills, life experiences and perspectives within our team enhances our way of working and our ability to achieve success together.

About the role

We are looking for a Senior Ecologist to join our Pilbara Environment and Cultural Knowledge team in Perth. This role is a critical technical role that provides ecological knowledge of the Pilbara region and information to support and underpin environmental approvals and shape future planning.

This role is a great opportunity to lead advancements in investigating and evaluating biodiversity values and promote positive conservation outcomes at a regional scale. Reporting to the Manager, you will:

• Drive industry-leading research to address critical knowledge gaps and areas of innovation relating to the assessment and conservation of biodiversity values in the Pilbara
• Coordinate regional and targeted survey programs, including leading field surveys, to enable a detailed understanding of the distribution of significant biodiversity values throughout the Pilbara
• Lead the technical framework in methodologies, data presentation and reporting to ensure best practice and appropriate environmental and business outcomes.
• Prepare and review technical documents and biological datasets, with a focus on Pilbara flora, fauna and ecohydrology.
• Provide scientifically sound advice on emerging biodiversity risks linked to current and future approvals. 
• Partner with internal customers and external stakeholders to address business risks and improve environmental performance
• Promote internally and externally the technical work of the Pilbara Environment and Cultural Knowledge team.
• Contribute to an inclusive culture through collaboration and knowledge sharing with peers across the broader State Agreements and Approvals team

What you’ll bring

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

• Tertiary qualifications in a relevant field (Ecology or related biological sciences) with 10+ years’ relevant experience.
• Strategic, forward-thinking competencies and demonstrated ability to develop and implement research proposals to address critical knowledge gaps and areas of innovation to underpin environmental approvals.
• Extensive experience in planning, coordinating, and undertaking field surveys, ideally within the resources sector and/or the Pilbara region
• Demonstrated experience in the collection and interpretation of ecological and spatial data.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including experience in preparing and reviewing reports.
• Detailed knowledge and experience of Western Australian State and Commonwealth environmental legislation.
• Ability to develop and maintain positive relationships with a range of stakeholders including peers, research bodies, and government agencies.
• Ability to work autonomously as well as together with a multi-disciplinary team
• Demonstrated ability to interpret and problem-solve complex issues.
• Strong project management skills, including time management, scheduling, budgeting and coordinating teams. 

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
• 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)
• 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
• Indigenous leadership programmes across some professional and operational roles to ensure that we are developing Indigenous Leaders.
• Who we are
• 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

This role will be based in Perth, nestled in the cities CBD.

In the Pilbara region of Western Australia, we own a world-class, integrated network of 17 mines, four independent port terminals, a rail network spanning nearly 2,000 kilometres and related infrastructure – all designed to respond rapidly to changes in demand. We are one of the world’s leading producers and exporters of iron ore.