Senior Data Scientist

Senior Data Scientists

• Join us to help solve the biggest challenges facing our integrated Iron Ore value chain and apply your creativity to our huge mine datasets
• Combine your hands-on coding skills in Python and/or R; develop your leadership skills to help us build a new team; and get close to the customers from start to finish.

About our Team

All progress begins with pioneers. At Rio Tinto, it begins with you.

Rio Tinto has a long history of being a leader in innovation and the development and deployment of technology within the mining industry. Innovation will continue to play a critical role in improving health and safety outcomes, delivering new mines of the future and decarbonising the industry.

We have recently established a dedicated Research, Development & Technology (RDT) division to accelerate our RDT programme within Rio Tinto Iron Ore. The RDT team is responsible for managing the Iron Ore Research and Development (R&D) portfolio and ensuring alignment with our R&D roadmap and strategic objectives. We are highly collaborative and work in close partnership with Rio Tinto’s global R&D community, and external bodies such as research institutes, suppliers, and industry partners. We are expanding our data science and advanced analytics capabilities and have a key role to play in enabling digital transformation across our business.

As a team, we are courageous in the pursuit of innovation, curious in the development of emerging technologies and caring towards our people and partners.

About the role

We are seeking two (2) Senior Data Scientists to join us and help build the Advanced Analytics team within the Research, Development & Technology (RDT) division of Rio Tinto Iron Ore.

Initially supporting our Integrated Operation team’s transformation journey to reshape how RTIO plans, schedules and operates our integrated value chain, you will get to work on real world, challenging and exciting analytics problems which positively impact the business. These roles are an excellent opportunity to gain substantial experience working with our data systems to develop state-of-the-art data solutions for our business’s data problems.

As our R&D portfolio grows, the opportunity to contribute to broader business programmes, in the areas of health and safety, productivity and growth, as well as environmental, social and governance (ESG) performance, is huge. The RDT portfolio touches all parts of our Iron Ore business, from resource development through to closure, including large-scale integrated operations across mines, rail, ports, and customers.

Reporting to the Principal Data Scientist and working in an exciting and challenging environment within the RTIO Digital Transformation team, you will also be instrumental in helping us build the advanced analytics team, maintain our strong team culture, and implement new ways of working. Each role will be leading a small team of data scientists and data engineers, providing coaching and mentoring to graduates and early career professionals, and supporting our vacation student program.

What you’ll bring

Ideally, a graduate qualification in Mathematics, Statistics, Data Science, Computer science, Artificial Intelligence (eg. Machine Learning), or a related field, combined with experience as a data scientist in Artificial Intelligence such as Machine Learning projects/products, preferably using agile methodologies with solid coding skills in Python, R or Scala. Post graduate qualifications will be highly regarded. You should also have experience with some or all of the below.

• Providing expertise on statistical, mathematical, and Artificial Intelligence concepts (ie. Machine Learning);
• Conducting research, design, implementation and validation of cutting-edge algorithms and predictive statistical models to deliver insights from diverse data sources;
• The implementation of data science projects and products, including familiarity with machine learning libraries and frameworks (e.g. Sci-kit Learn, H2O, TensorFlow, tidyverse);
• Demonstrated experience in engaging with clients and key stakeholders to build their understanding of advanced data analytics, and support of non-technical functions by advising technical complexity of identified opportunities;
• Hands-on experience with analytics and cloud technologies within AWS or Microsoft Azure, with experiences in tools such as Sage maker, Azure Machine Learning, ML Ops, Databricks or Synapse;
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills to diagnose and logically resolve technical problems;
• A desire to lead and develop technical teams and willingness to mentor to build capability within the team.

Where you will be working

This role is based in Perth, Western Australia, out of our Central Park office, working Monday – Friday, with ad hoc travel to sites in the Pilbara. We support and encourage flexible working arrangements.

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 & 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);
• Exclusive employee discounts (banking, accommodation, cars, retail and more);
• Possible domestic relocation assistance.

This role is for applicants residing in or willing to permanently relocate to Western Australia.

Applications close on 15th March 2022 (Rio Tinto reserves the right to remove advertised roles prior to this date)

About Rio Tinto

Every idea, every innovation, every little thing the world calls ‘progress’ begins with
a first step, and someone willing to take it: explorers, inventors, entrepreneurs. Pioneers.

For nearly 150 years, Rio Tinto has been a company of pioneers – generations of people spanning the globe, all with the grit and vision to produce materials essential to human progress.

Our iron ore has shaped skylines from Shanghai to Sydney. Our aluminium – the world’s first to be certified “responsible” – helps planes fly and makes cars lighter. Our copper helps wind turbines power cities and our boron helps feed the world, and explore the universe.
Our diamonds help us celebrate the best parts of life.

Every Voice Matters

At Rio Tinto, we particularly welcome and encourage applications from Indigenous Peoples, women, the LGBTQIA2 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.