The posting
An inclusive environment for all We are committed to creating an inclusive environment where employees feel comfortable being themselves. We also want everyone to feel that their voices matter, that all cultures are respected, and that perspectives, as diverse as they are, are not only welcome, but essential to our success. We treat each other fairly and with dignity, regardless of race, gender, nationality, ethnicity, religion, age, sexual orientation or any other distinguishing aspect.
At Rio Tinto, we welcome and encourage applications from women, older workers, persons with disabilities and representatives from diverse backgrounds.
Everyone is different, and we believe that these differences are our strength. The diversity of skills, life experiences, and perspectives within our team enhances the way we work and our ability to succeed together.
About the Role
The Belt Specialist is the technical authority for conveyor belt condition, maintenance, splicing assurance and lifecycle performance across SimFer fixed plant operations. The role establishes and sustains the standards, strategies, competencies and controls required to ensure conveyor belts are installed, operated, inspected, repaired and replaced safely and to the required quality.
The position provides specialist support to Operations, Maintenance, Engineering, Reliability, Shutdowns, Operational Readiness and contractor teams. It converts belt health information into risk-based decisions, planned interventions and practical improvements that reduce belt damage, repeat defects and unplanned downtime
Key Responsibilities
- Champion visible safety leadership across belt inspections, splicing, repairs, change-outs and breakdown response.
- Ensure belt work complies with SimFer safety requirements, critical controls, statutory obligations and approved work methods.
- Provide technical input to risk assessments, isolations, lifting and stored-energy controls, working at height, confined-space entry and hot-work planning where applicable.
- Participate in incident investigations and ensure technical learnings are converted into standards, tactics, training and field controls.
- Establish and maintain conveyor belt engineering, maintenance, inspection, splicing and repair standards for fabric and steel-cord belts.
- Define minimum technical requirements for belt selection, storage, handling, installation, splicing, vulcanisation, repair and change-out.
- Provide technical assurance of belt tracking, tension, take-up performance, pulley lagging, cleaners, skirts, loading zones, idlers and belt-protection systems where these affect belt life.
- Govern technical deviations, concessions and management of change, ensuring risk is understood and formally controlled.
- Maintain belt asset registers, technical files, belt histories, splice maps and critical technical records.
- Develop risk-based belt inspection and condition-monitoring strategies, routes, frequencies and acceptance criteria.
- Interpret belt thickness, cover wear, splice condition, edge damage, tracking, steel-cord integrity and other belt-health information.
- Integrate visual inspection, online monitoring, belt scanning and work-management data into clear asset-health assessments.
- Maintain a prioritised conveyor belt watchlist with defined controls, intervention triggers, repair windows and change-out recommendations.
- Facilitate belt asset-health reviews and clearly communicate emerging risks, residual life and required decisions.
- Define and assure splice and repair methodologies, materials, tooling, environmental controls, cure parameters and hold points.
- Verify contractor quality plans, job packs, competency evidence, inspection and test records, splice documentation and completion dossiers.
- Provide field assurance during critical splices, repairs and belt change-outs, escalating non-conformance before return to service.
- Lead technical investigations into splice failures, belt damage and premature wear, and ensure corrective actions address systemic causes.
- Standardise QA/QC requirements and ensure belt maintenance records remain complete, traceable and accessible.
- Develop and optimise preventive and predictive maintenance tactics for belts and associated belt-critical components.
- Translate belt risk into scopes, notifications, work orders, job plans, task lists, bills of materials and shutdown priorities.
- Provide technical input to long-range belt replacement plans, shutdown readiness, sequencing, contingency planning and return-to-service criteria.
- Confirm critical spares, splice kits, repair materials, specialist tooling and belt change-out equipment are fit for purpose, serviceable and available.
- Support breakdown response with disciplined fault diagnosis, repair decisions and escalation based on safety, quality and operational risk.
- Act as a key technical interface with conveyor belt maintenance contractors, belt manufacturers, splicing providers and specialist inspection suppliers.
- Define technical scope, deliverables, competency requirements, QA/QC expectations and acceptance criteria for contracted belt work.
- Monitor contractor performance across safety, quality, schedule, rework, documentation and equipment readiness.
- Coordinate OEM and supplier support for complex defects, technical investigations, belt selection and improvement opportunities.
- Develop and execute belt readiness plans for commissioning, ramp-up and steady-state operations.
- Participate in design reviews, constructability and maintainability reviews, equipment acceptance, pre-start checks and performance testing.
- Verify baseline belt condition, splice quality, belt-protection functionality, maintenance tactics, spares, tooling, documentation and workforce capability before handover.
- Identify commissioning defects and early-life risks, and coordinate timely resolution with Project, Commissioning, Engineering and Operations teams.
- Develop belt competency frameworks, authorisation requirements, training plans and practical assessment pathways.
- Coach maintainers, operators, supervisors, planners and contractor personnel in belt fundamentals, defect recognition, QA/QC and effective escalation.
- Promote standardised work, learning from events and replication of proven belt-reliability practices.
- Identify and deliver improvements that reduce exposure, belt damage, repeat work, downtime and lifecycle cost.
Qualifications and Experience
- Recognised belt-splicing, mechanical trade or relevant engineering/technical qualification, supported by substantial conveyor belt experience.
- Demonstrated experience with fabric and steel-cord belt installation, splicing, repair, change-out and technical assurance in mining, processing or bulk-materials operations.
- Strong knowledge of hot and cold vulcanisation, splice QA/QC, belt construction, failure modes and belt condition assessment.
- Experience developing maintenance strategies, scopes, work packs and risk-based belt replacement plans.
- Demonstrated ability to lead technical investigations, solve complex belt problems and influence multidisciplinary teams.
- Experience assuring contractor performance in high-risk belt maintenance and shutdown activities.
- Clear written and verbal communication and disciplined technical-record management.
- Iron ore fixed plant, overland conveyor, stockyard or port conveyor experience.
- Greenfield project, commissioning, operational-readiness or ramp-up experience.
- Experience with online belt monitoring, belt thickness measurement, steel-cord scanning or non-destructive inspection technologies.
- Working knowledge of SAP or an equivalent enterprise asset-management system.
- Formal training in root-cause analysis, reliability engineering, condition monitoring, auditing or continuous improvement.
- Experience in Guinea, Africa or remote multicultural operations; French language capability is advantageous.
What we offer
Get recognition for your contributions, your ability to think, your hard work, and the satisfaction of knowing that you have helped the world move forward.
- Work environment where safety is always the top priority
- Competitive base salary based on your skills and experience
- Annual cash incentives for eligible employees
- Career development opportunities and training assistance to achieve your aspirations • Access to family-friendly health programs, top-notch retirement and savings plans
- Wellness benefits
- Rio Tinto's generous employee stock ownership plan
- Employee Assistance Program
- One-on-one wellness support (personal and professional matters) for you and your family
- Comprehensive leave policy covering all important life moments (vacation/annual, paid parental leave, etc.)
About the Simandou Project The Simandou Iron Ore Project is located in the Republic of Guinea, West Africa. It is Africa’s largest infrastructure and mining project and represents one of the largest known reserves of high-grade iron ore in the world.
Rio Tinto holds rights to Simandou Blocks 3 and 4 through SimFer, a joint venture between the Government of the Republic of Guinea, Rio Tinto and Chalco Iron Ore Holdings (CIOH). Construction of the mine, together with the associated rail and port infrastructure, is well underway with first production from the SimFer mine expected in 2025.
About Rio Tinto Rio Tinto is a global leader in the mining and materials companies. We are established in 35 countries where we produce iron ore, copper, aluminum, critical minerals, and other materials needed for the global energy transition and the prosperity of people, communities, and nations. We have been in business for 150 years, drawing on knowledge accumulated over generations and on different continents. Our mission – to find better ways to provide the materials the world needs – guides us in our quest for innovation and continuous improvement, with the goal of making products that are low in emissions and meet the right environmental, social and governance standards. But because we can't do it alone, we focus on creating partnerships that allow us to solve problems, create mutually beneficial situations and seize opportunities.
