PLS is delivering on its vision to be a leading global producer of lithium, a mineral critical to enabling the world’s transition to a more sustainably powered future.

As the owner and operator of the Pilgangoora Operation, the world’s largest independent hard-rock lithium mine, we are expanding fast, investing boldly, and building a global portfolio that positions us at the forefront of the energy transition.

Most recently, we acquired Latin Resources, adding the Colina Project in Brazil to our portfolio — strengthening our international footprint and creating new pathways for growth.

With more than 900 people employed globally, we’re building a future-focused business where talented people can create real impact. At PLS, our Values aren’t just words on a wall, they drive how we work, how we lead, and how we grow: Safety First. Great People. We Deliver. One Team. Shaping Tomorrow.

If you want to be part of an organisation that is ambitious, innovative and shaping the next era of battery minerals, this is a once in a lifetime opportunity to join us.

WHAT PLS OFFERS

• 18 weeks parental leave for primary carers and 4 weeks for secondary carers
• Health and wellbeing allowance
• Quarterly short-term incentive bonus that recognises individual and business performance
• PLS employee share scheme
• Novated leasing through salary sacrifice
• Newly refurbished facilities at Pilgangoora including gym, tennis, pickleball and volleyball courts, sports oval, and scenic walking tracks
• Paid community leave
• Monthly employee recognition awards
• Access to PLS’ KidsCo School Holiday Program

THE OPPORTUNITY: 

Reporting to the Applications Manager, the Process Control Systems Lead will be responsible for overseeing the Technology Process Control System Team to ensure effective and efficient support of systems in processing environment and the execution of planned and unplanned work to priority and schedule. This role requires focus and leadership to coordinate with other stakeholders (including site visits) to reduce unplanned outage and work effort while improving the outcomes of planned work execution. Provide effective and efficient technical support to site operations regarding all technology and services.

Responsible for optimising technology work execution process related to plan operations, ensuring that appropriate planning and service response is effective to reduce and minimise fault interruption.

Responsible for ensuring appropriate maintenance are in place and carried out for all Operation Technology equipment and application supporting processing systems and function.  

Develop and follow agreed procedures, respond to requests for assistance by providing information to enable users to resolve their problems ensuring a high quality of support and fast turn-around times for incidents and on-site service request.

This is a permanent full-time position based at our West Perth office, near the City West train station.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Technical Leadership

• Provide relevant information to managers, supervisors, co-workers, and employees (including in meetings, written communications, e-mail, via telecommunications and in person).
• Handle complaints, negotiate disputes, and resolve grievances and conflicts, to establish preferred business outcomes in and across teams.
• Develop and maintain constructive and cooperative working relationships within own team and across teams and individuals.
• Provide guidance and direction to teams and individuals regarding outcomes, including goal setting, progress and achievement.
• Encourage and build mutual trust, respect, and cooperation among teams.
• Establish effective teams through recruiting, interviewing, selecting, hiring, rewarding and promoting high caliber employees.
• Establish context and ensure alignment to values and standards within team.
• Monitor and develop the quality of team performance.
• Identify the development needs of individuals and coach, mentor, and support them to improve their knowledge, skills or performance.
• Deliver fit for purpose solutions and achieve set outcomes.

Technology Process Control Support Services

• Manage and ensure operation and availability of related process control technology infrastructure including but not limited to;
  • PLC, Drives and other APC and DCS
  • Instrumentation, IEDs.
  • SCADA and other plant automation and control systems.
  • Network & Communication assets within process control realm
  • Facilities and supporting services.
  • MES system and application (Manufacture and Execution Systems)
  • Historian
• Direct and organize the work of the external (Vendors) and internal Process Control System Engineers, Electrical engineers and Technicians to ensure appropriate system support and maintenance tasks are executed efficiently to maximize up time of equipment.
• Responsible for championing Process Control Management Processes including change management, continuous improvements, defect elimination and alarm rationalisation
• Accountable for standards and specifications for operations and projects
• Focus on work practice definition and conformance to required work practices and standards as required by planning and operational teams.
• Manage ongoing Technology Process Control Operation Services, work scheduling (short term), execution and issue resolution.
• Execute work to plan, schedule and quality as specified work planning teams (including technology support and project delivery).
• Respond to service interruption (unplanned) requests as defined and agreed by response levels and priority.
• Establish and maintain support process, SLAs and manage support contracts and associated vendors.
• Escalate and support Perth based teams in the resolution of network and Server/Storage based incidents and related faults ensuring fast service resolution.
• Complete appropriate Root Causes Analysis process and documentation to identify actions to mitigate fault re-occurrence, and drive implementation of agreed actions.
• Follow PLS Technology methodologies including request, change and problem management.
• Ensure risk assessments are performance for area of responsibility, and associated risks are captured.

Asset Management

• Ensure system documentation and associated maintenance plans for all processing control technology related assets including, facilities, control rooms and data centres are up-to-date and stored in appropriate knowledge repositories.
• Ensure all technology assets are documented and record maintained in PLS asset register.
• Ensure fit-for-purpose maintenance plans are in place for critical technology assets and equipment.
• Oversee the execution maintenance plans, and associated schedule testing ensuring testing is communicated and appropriate processes followed.
• Maintain Process Control Assets using through Lifecycle Management

Financial Management

• Monitor and manage assigned budgets, demonstrating financial prudence.
• Ensure fit for purpose solutions and alignment to the low margin business objective.
• Speak in business financial terms, as opposed to simply Technology (IT/OT) costs; highlighting value that can be expressed in dollar and business terms.
• Forecast budgeting requirements and manage under and overspends effectively.

Other

• Liaise with Projects team on greenfields, sustaining capital and minor projects
• Liaise with key stakeholders to ensure quality of service is maintained
• Installing, configuring, and maintaining operational technology equipment
• Identifying and resolving operational technology faults and issues,
• Implementing and maintaining appropriate system and security controls, security levels and systems access in according to the agreed design, process, and procedure,
• Developing and maintaining relevant documentation and procedures,
• Liaise with service providers and progress improvement to service levels for the company (incl. use of Service Level Agreements);
• Coordinate technology service requirements and recommend new initiatives,
• Ability to work collaboratively as part of a team and unsupervised to deliver initiatives on time.
• Prioritize and schedule problems. Escalate problem (when required)

ABOUT YOU:

• Tertiary qualification in electrical engineering, electronics and automation.
• Possession of a current Class C Driver’s License
• Practical experience in the design, implementation, operation and support of Process control systems
• Experience in implementation and support of MES systems
• Mining/processing industry experience with FIFO experience
• 10 years’ experience supporting SCADA and proc ess control systems and assets in a 24/7 production environment.
• PLC and SCADA programing experience in operation or project delivery (EPC)
• Minimum 10 years’ experience in managing project, vendors or internal support team for processing systems.
• Minimum 5 years’ IT OT Processing project experience in Services or Mining Company
• Rockwell systems and applications: (FactoryTalk Historian, MOM, Pi Vision, Asset Framework, Asset Centre.)
• Allen Bradley PLC, Drives and automation equipment
• AVEVA systems and applications (Plant SCADA Citect)
• Processing and MES application support experience
• Good understanding of networking topology and protocol in process control environment. (Ring, Star, OPC, MQTT…)
• Experience in process control optimization, management and support requirements.
• Technically minded and able to effectively lead and communicate with IT and Process Control Engineers on a deep technical level.

DESIRABLE

• Industry Certifications (Microsoft, VMware, Cisco, Juniper…)
• Server & Storage experience
• LAN / WAN communication  
• Process Control Network configuration and management experience.
• Good understanding of IT Service Management processes and procedures
• Experience with wireless technologies and application within the mining industry
• Knowledge and experience in supporting process control application and systems.
• Technical understanding of Layer 2 and 3 Networks
• Familiarity with cybersecurity principles for OT environments
• Experience with advanced process control strategies

SUPPORTING A DIVERSE WORKFORCE

PLS is committed to building and maintaining an inclusive and diverse workforce that reflects the communities in which we operate. We are an Equal Opportunity Employer and provide a recruitment process that is fair, equitable and accessible for all.

We encourage female candidates and First Nations peoples to apply. 

OUR RECRUITMENT PROCESS

As part of our recruitment process, there are several checks which may be conducted including police / criminal background checks, medical, drug and alcohol testing, due diligence checks, right to work checks, and/or reference checks.

We respectfully request agencies not to forward unsolicited resumes unless requested.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF COUNTRY 

PLS respectfully acknowledges the Nyamal and Kariyarra People of the Pilbara, and the Whadjuk Noongar People of the Perth region who are the traditional owners and first people of these lands. We would like to pay respect to the Elders past, and present and emerging for they hold the memories, the traditions, the culture and hopes of the Nyamal, Kariyarra and Whadjuk Noongar Peoples. 

If you are interested in learning more about PLS or registering for future opportunities, please visit our website  www.pls.com.