Demo

Senior Engineer, Functional Safety

Rio Tinto
Rio Tinto Salary
Salt Lake, UT Full Time
POSTED ON 6/4/2026
AVAILABLE BEFORE 7/2/2026
  • Join a global mining organization with an exceptional safety culture.
  • Excellent opportunity for career development of technical expertise
  • Permanent role based in Salt Lake City, Utah

About The Role

We are looking for a Senior Engineer, Functional Safety to join the Process Safety team and Implement and monitor the application of Kennecott’s Functional Safety program and ensure our most critical controls are in place and functioning. The Functional Safety engineer will design and develop tools to implement the D7 Functional Safety standard and the Kennecott Functional Safety Management Plan.

Reporting to the Process Safety Management Superintendent, your key responsibilities will include

  • Participate in and or facilitate Layers of Protection Analysis (LOPA) to aid in the Safety Integrity Level allocation of new safety instrumented functions.
  • Lead the development of Safety Requirements Specifications with process safety engineers and technical process engineers for new or modified safety instrumented functions.
  • Lead the development of safety instrumented function conceptual design to support process risk reduction per IEC 61511 requirements.
  • Develop cause and effect diagrams for safety instrumented functions.
  • Develop functional testing procedures and pass/fail criteria for new and modified safety instrumented functions per OEM and Safety Requirements Specifications.
  • Conduct SIL verification activities for new and modified safety instrumented functions using ExSILentia or similar modeling tools.
  • Lead and coordinate Functional Safety Assessments per the IEC 61508 Functional Safety Lifecycle, and develop actions plans with stakeholders to address any findings.
  • Provide technical assistance and troubleshooting support to instrument and electrical maintenance execution teams for failed functional tests.
  • Review functional test reports for quality and analysis of testing efficacy and frequency.
  • Provide support to projects and engineering in the Project Safety Planning, conceptual/final design, SIL Verification, acceptance testing, and commissioning of new safety instrumented functions
  • Adhere to all Rio Tinto health and safety standards, policies and procedures and report any safety hazards and risks to the appropriate channels

About You

To be successfully considered for this role, you will have

  • A Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, or chemical engineering.
  • Minimum 5 years of experience working in a fixed plant and / or MEM environment preferred
  • Ability to work collaboratively in small teams or independently and demonstrate adaptability
  • Experience in implementing Functional Safety programs to meet the requirements of IEC 61508 and IEC 61511
  • Experience facilitating or participating in Hazard and Operability (HAZOP) and Layer of Protection (LOPA) studies
  • Experience leading or participating in Functional Safety Assessments and development of Safety Requirement Specifications.
  • Demonstrate understanding of budget preparation, asset criticality, cost drivers, asset risk, asset performance and asset life cycles
  • Demonstrated knowledge of ExSILentia or equivalent functional safety software

Preferred Qualifications

  • Certified Functional Safety Expert (CFSE)

What We Offer

Here is just a glimpse of our industry leading rewards package

  • A safety-focused and inclusive working environment
  • A competitive salary package with annual cash incentive awards (STIP) for eligible employees
  • Career development & education assistance to further your ambitions
  • Access to top tier family-friendly health and medical programs
  • Excellent retirement plan including 6% defined company contribution
  • Generous 401k matching program
  • A comprehensive leave policy that covers all moments that matter in life (vacation/annual, paid parental leave, short term sick leave, paid holidays)
  • Ongoing individual wellbeing support for you and your family for personal and professional matter
  • Generous Rio Tinto employee share program

Where you will be working

Our Kennecott mine is a world-class, fully integrated copper mining operation, including a concentrator, smelter, and refinery, located just outside Salt Lake City, Utah, in the United States. We produce copper, precious metals including gold and silver, molybdenum, and sulfuric acid. Kennecott has been mining and processing minerals from the rich ore body of the Bingham Canyon Mine since 1903 and is one of the top producing mines in the world, comprising approximately 11 percent of U.S. annual copper production.

About Rio Tinto

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 situations and meet opportunities.

Respect and Inclusion

Rio Tinto is committed to equal employment opportunity. All qualified applicants will be considered without regard to race, color, sex, age, religion, national origin, disability, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law.

We are committed to an inclusive environment where people feel safe, respected and valued. We want our people to feel that all voices are heard and that a variety of perspectives are not only welcome but are essential to our success. We treat all our people fairly and with dignity.

Rio Tinto participates in E- Verify to confirm work authorization. Please visit http //www.ucis.gov/ for more information.

Salary.com Estimation for Senior Engineer, Functional Safety in Salt Lake, UT
$95,248 to $114,804
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