Operator Mechanic - Metals en Rio Tinto Lithium

Position Summary: Responsible for operation of chemical processing equipment, packaging equipment and material handling equipment meeting the requirements outlined in standard operating procedures.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• In emergency situations, remove people from confined spaces.
• Participates on the PERT team as an entry member. 
• Handles hazardous wastes during generation, transport, storage, or spill response activities. 
• Suppresses fires inside and outside of buildings.
• Administers basic first aid.
• Performs standard duties related to fire suppression, fire prevention, hazard spill response, emergency response, and rescue operations (PERT).
• Completes all applicable permits and job walk-downs for Maintenance and Contractor work (i.e. Lockout/Tag-out, Safe Work, Confined Space Entry, Line Break, etc.).
• Enters near miss or incident reports into SIMS database. Takes appropriate action to resolve then provides sufficient detail to enable root cause analysis through an incident investigation.
• Actively participates in the Behavior-Based Safety program.
• Responsible for maintaining 5S standards in production areas. 
• Complies with all circuit, regulatory, and safety training.
• Performs daily safety inspections
• Intervenes when unsafe acts or conditions are encountered.
• Participates and supports Process Safety activities including but not limited to risk assessments, preventive maintenance activities, pre-start up safety reviews, Management of Change initiation, work permit activities, and standard operating procedure reviews/updates.
• Other duties may be assigned.

Business Support

• Observes process variables using gauges and instruments and adjust valves and controls to set and maintain specified operating ranges.
• Observes processing and auxiliary equipment to detect malfunctions then repairs or submits a request for repairs. 
• Responsible to enter production data into VDBs, log/batch sheets, databases and systems (SAP).
• Drives forklift to move material to and from process areas.
• Samples and tests or submits requests for tests of process samples using LQM and makes required adjustments.
• Performs productivity maintenance tasks using basic hand tools.
• Collects and interprets information for making decisions from instruments and computers.
• Provides some written documentation of activities. 
• Using our word processing program, indicates needed changes in an SOP by “redlining” and using our electronic mail system routes the “redlined” SOP to appropriate people for review.
• Compares the information in Lithium Quality Management (LQM) database relating to a produced product to the appropriate Product Standard.

People

• Responsible to work with fellow operators and management to achieve the production goals of the area in a safe and efficient manner.
• Responsible to keep personal training up to date.  
• Responsible for shift reports and effective shift turnover to include leading the start of the shift safety huddle.

Qualifications: To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. 

Education and/or Experience: High school diploma or general education degree (GED); Minimum of three years of industrial work experience.

Skills:

• Has the ability to operate multiple circuits.
• Uses logic and appropriate methods to successfully troubleshoot and solve difficult problems. 
• Skilled in operating all area equipment and had the ability to run more than one unit at a time when required. 
• Has the ability to service, repair, adjust, and test machines, devices, and equipment that operate primarily on the basis of mechanical principles. 
• Uses the computer to accurately enter information and data into Livent business systems (LQM, SAP, Hang Tag, SIMS, MOC, CPAR, SBO, SharePoint). 
• Uses MS Word, Excel, Power Point, and VMX to communicate all work instructions, circuit and order statuses, and job assignments.  
• Maintains RCRA/Hazardous Waste handling skills including but not limited to awareness and satellite waste accumulation, container labeling, dating, and closure, transfer of waste containers, storage of waste containers, and hazardous material spill response.  
• Maintains skills associated with emergency response activities such as PPE usage, rescue techniques, fire suppression, basic first aid, and spill response.

Safety Requirements: (position and location specific) All employees are expected to carry out their work functions in a healthy and safe manner, to encourage and support safe work practices at all times, and to report and/or rectify any unsafe conditions that may come to their attention immediately.

Physical Demands: (position and location specific) The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. While performing the duties of this Job, the employee is regularly required to sit and talk or hear. The employee is frequently required to walk and use hands to finger, handle, or feel. The employee is occasionally required to stand; climb or balance and taste or smell. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision and color vision.

Work Environment: (position and location specific) The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job.  While performing the duties of this Job, the employee is frequently exposed to toxic or caustic chemicals. The employee is occasionally exposed to wet and/or humid conditions; moving mechanical parts; fumes or airborne particles and outside weather conditions. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

Personal Protective Equipment – (position specific) Must wear PPE as required based on job duties or when traveling to locations where PPE is essential.

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily.  The requirements listed above are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. 

RIO TINTO LITHIUM employs people across a broad range of occupations in locations across the world. We are looking for people to join us in creating, developing, and improving our products, our processes, and our markets. Employees enjoy competitive compensation, a menu of work/life benefits and opportunities to continue developing their skills and building their career. 

RIO TINTO LITHIUM is an Equal Opportunity Employer, EEO, AAE, MFDV and supports a drug free workplace.