Principal Environmental Geochemist

At BHP we support our people to grow, learn, develop their skills and reach their potential. With a global portfolio of operations, we offer a diverse and inclusive environment with extraordinary career opportunities. Our strategy is to focus on creating a safe work environment where our employees feel strongly connected to our values and objectives, and where the capability of our people is key to our success.

Come and be a part of this success.

About the Role

We are seeking a highly motivated person to be an Environmental Geochemist in the Closure Planning team for reporting to the Superintendent Environmental Geochemistry, Closure Planning. The role will be performed out of our Perth office but will require occasional travel to site. In this role, you will support the Environmental Geochemistry Supervisor undertake studies/investigations to advance understanding of operational and closure Environmental Geochemistry risk and management solutions. You will also provide support to studies and projects and providing planning guidance that contributes to development, update and implementation of internal and external closure plans for our operations. The role will be focused on Western Australia Iron Ore assets.

Working closely with the Closure Planning and other planning and operational groups, your technical expertise will contribute to progressing geochemical knowledge to support operational mine waste management and inform successful closure and rehabilitation efforts.
This is unique opportunity to come and see the practical side of AMD management and how geochemical risk can influence how we develop, mine, and close our sites.

Key responsibilities can include work in any of the following areas:

• Support Closure Planning and Projects in geochemical investigations, as required
• Conduct/support Acid and Metalliferous Drainage (AMD)/Environmental Geochemistry Risk Assessments, including source-pathways-receptor risk assessment and site conceptualisation
• Support developing and improving closure planning, procedures, systems and tools related to AMD/Environmental Geochemistry management
• Provide support to environmental geochemical programs, including designing sampling programs, data interpretation, landform geochemical monitoring, reporting
• Assist with environmental data QA/QC and data management
• Supporting AMD/Environmental Geochemistry risk input to water planning, mine development studies and environmental assessments
• Support studies where geochemical oversight/input is required
• Manage projects and consultants

You will have an interest and a working knowledge of mining, preferably with a background in Geology or Geochemistry or relevant discipline with 7-10 year's technical experience in Environmental Geochemistry. A working understanding of geochemical modelling and water quality predictions would be a plus.

To be successful in this role you will have:

• Mine waste characterization, data interpretation, design and implement sampling and analytical programs, including field trials
• Environmental geochemistry including water quality assessment, hydrogeochemical modelling, and understanding of water/rock interaction
• Experience with water quality modelling to predict AMD loads from waste rock dumps, tailings facilities, and pit voids
• Closure cover modelling, data assessment and interpretation
• Seepage assessment and modelling
• Erosion and soil stability working knowledge

In addition, you will have/be:

• Scientifically minded, practical, dynamic, responsible, pro-active, curious, and capable to work independently and as part of a team
• A strong grasp of technical problem solving, with the ability to succinctly frame the work required to appropriately solve problems. Ability to develop solutions that account for uncertainty and risk
• Capable of establishing clear goals and responsibilities. Hold yourself and others accountable to deliver on commitments. Challenge others
• Identify and focus on the critical few things that add the most value. Identify ways to reduce complexity and remove low-value work
• Strong and demonstrable project management, oral and written communication skills
• Strong interpersonal skills and be able to demonstrate the ability to work in a diverse team environment
• Ability to identify and understand relevant health, safety, environment, and community risks in the work you perform and the plans you prepare
• Encourage transparency in all discussions and when sharing information. Divulge learnings, good or bad

At BHP, we are committed to employing individuals who align with the BHP Charter Values and meet the requirements of the role. As part of the recruitment process, there are a number of checks which may be conducted to demonstrate applicants suitability for a role including police / criminal background checks, medical, drug and alcohol testing, due diligence checks, right to work checks, and/or reference checks.

If you are already employed directly by BHP, please log in using your BHP email address or apply via our internal jobs portal.

The size, stability and magnitude of our business not only provides significant opportunity for professional development, but also attractive salary packages with performance-based bonuses and a best-in-class employee share program. We know there are many aspects of our employees' lives that are important, and work is only one of these, so we offer benefits to enable your work to fit with your life. These benefits include flexible working options, a generous paid parental leave policy, other extended leave entitlements and parent rooms. 

At BHP, we know that we are strengthened by diversity. We are an Equal Opportunity employer that is committed to making BHP a safe and inclusive workplace where everyone can thrive and be at their best every day. We are focused on creating a workforce that's more diverse and represents the communities where we work and live. providing a work environment in which everyone is included, treated fairly and with respect. We are an Equal Opportunity employer and recognise that true diversity includes gender, age, race, disability status, sexual orientation, religion, neurodiversity, education levels, and many more aspects of your identity.

BHP is committed to providing a recruitment process that is fair, equitable and accessible for all. If you have a disability, we know that it may be helpful for us to adjust our process to make it equitable for your individual situation. If you would like to reach out to someone about your situation and our recruitment process, please email us at *********@bhp.com.