Vocational Placement - Mining Engineer

Shape Your World

At Alcoa, you will become an essential part of our purpose: to turn raw potential into real progress.

The way we see it, every Alcoan is a work-shaper, team-shaper, idea-shaper & world-shaper.

Shape your career by joining Alcoa’s Vocational Placement program! You’ll have the chance to put your university knowledge into practice, propelling you toward a career path that exceeds your wildest expectations.

Throughout your unpaid placement in Semester 2, 2026, you’ll experience professional growth, technical expansion, and join our vibrant community, where inspiration and daily challenges await.

With best-in-class bauxite mining and rehabilitation practices, the lowest-carbon alumina refining system on the planet, game-changing innovations in aluminium smelting, and the industry’s most comprehensive portfolio of low-carbon products, Alcoa is working to turn raw potential into real progress, and we want you to join us!

Throughout the placement, you will be paired with an experienced specialist who will provide you with the hands-on training, mentoring, and coaching to support you in becoming a creative problem solver, helping you towards completing the meaningful projects that you will be assigned.

What’s on offer


* Please note that Vocational Placements at Alcoa are unpaid.


* Initial placements will only be offered for up to 150 hours however there is a possibility of extension in certain circumstances.


* You will be based at Huntly Minesite.


* Your direct Supervisor will be a Mining Engineer.


* Workdays are Monday to Friday.


* Ideal start and finish times each day are 800am to 400pm.


* A workplace culture that strongly values your safety.


* Executive coaching, leadership training, and access to industry events to support your growth.


* Opportunities to invest in Alcoa’s future through employee share plans.


* Visibility across senior leadership and potential progression into corporate or operational executive roles.

The project: Productivity Analysis of a Truck - Shovel Operation for Mine Planning Optimization

Support the Mine Planning team by analysing the productivity of a truck-shovel mining operation to identify opportunities for improved efficiency and optimisation.

This project focuses on evaluating key stages of the mining cycle (drill, blast, load, and haul) and using data-driven insights to enhance scheduling, equipment utilisation, and overall operational performance.

Your involvement


* Conduct field-based time studies to assess operational performance


* Analyse productivity across drill, blast, load, and haul activities


* Engage with operational and mine planning teams to gather insights


* Collaborate with equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to understand performance factors


* Support identification of opportunities to reduce delays and improve efficiency

About you

We are interested in hearing from curious university students:
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