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Zoee Shelley

from Graduate Environmental Engineer to Principal Advisor
I make sure mines and smelters plan for when they stop operating
Industry
Mining and Resources
Company
Rio Tinto
Job Level
Mid

Ask me about

  • What is it like working in a male dominated profession
  • What are the most influential sustainability aspects
  • How did I experience attending university in France
  • How did I find working in the Middle East compared to Australia

About me

  • International Experience

I was good at science and math and liked figuring out how things worked. My dad was an engineer, and I got to try out environmental engineering when I was in year 12 and decided it was something I could see myself doing for work. I didn’t quite get the marks I wanted so my path to becoming an engineer involved multiple steps. I even did an exchange to France while at uni because I wanted a break but didn’t want to lose a whole year. Since graduating I have worked on lots of really big projects, with big trucks and equipment, and in remote and regional areas. I even moved to the Middle East and lived in Abu Dhabi working in construction and smelters for almost 5 years

About my role

  • Analytical
  • Creative
  • Passionate
  • Personable
  • Thorough

As an environmental engineer, working in heavy industry and mining, I work with different sites to make sure they consider the impact they will have when operations finish. I help them to find better ways to operate to decrease their footprint. I work with all the teams on site to consider how the decisions they make on a daily basis will affect what they leave behind

Education

  • Bachelor of Civil Engineering
  • Project Management Professional
  • Chartered Professional Engineer
  • Associate Teacher - Drama - Trinity College London

Subjects

  • Chemistry
  • Drama
  • English
  • Health and Human Development
  • History
  • Languages
  • Legal Studies
  • Mathematical Methods (Maths B)
  • Physics
  • Science

Awards

  • Leadership and Safety
  • Women in Engineering Committee for Engineers Australia

Hobbies

  • Art
  • Gardening
  • Reading
  • Travel
  • Yoga

15 year old me!!

“You can have multiple career changes in the same profession”

My career journey

Curious to know how I got here? Here’s a snapshot of my career pathway.
  1. Did as many vac positions as possible
  2. Got a great job out of uni
  3. Wanted to do more site work so got a FIFO role
  4. Moved to Abu Dhabi
  5. Became a closure and strategy enviro/engineer

My typical day

My employer

Rio Tinto operates in 35 countries where its 60,000 employees are working to find better ways to provide the materials the world needs. Rio’s portfolio includes iron ore, copper, aluminium and a range of other minerals and materials needed for people, communities and nations to grow and prosper, and for the world to cut carbon emissions to net zero. Continuously searching for new projects that can support the energy transition, Rio Tinto is currently exploring for 8 commodities in 17 countries. The organisation has more than 150 years of mining and processing experience guiding its work and, today, the business relies on technology such as automation and artificial intelligence to help it run more safely, more efficiently and leave a lighter footprint.