Chemist Vacation Student

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.

About the Role

Shape your career by joining Alcoa’s Vacation Student program! Based in WA at our Kwinana Refinery, 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 12-week paid summer placement, you’ll experience professional growth, technical expansion, and become an integral part of our vibrant community, where inspiration and daily challenges await.

During the program, you will be matched with a senior specialist who will offer hands-on training, mentoring, and coaching. The program is designed to support you in becoming a creative problem solver, assisting you in completing meaning projects that will be assigned to you.

What’s on offer

• Exposure to industry and a future career at Alcoa. 

• An attractive hourly rate of pay for the hours you work.

• Meaningful project work that provides you with valuable hands-on work experience

• Increased opportunity to gain a place in the Alcoa Graduate Program after you have completed your degree

• Working locally, in an onsite environment enabling you to return home to friends and family every night.

• Alcoa Live Well program offering travel, lifestyle, health and wellbeing discounts.

What you’ll be doing

• Based on site at our Kwinana Refinery.

• Assigned a project (either lab or refinery based) that both delivers real value to the business and provides you with hands-on industry experience.

• Exposed to a combination of data and statistical analysis of process information, refinery sampling and laboratory analysis.

• Involved in analytical instrument troubleshooting, computer-based data manipulation and trending analytical controls and sample results

• Work on the development of chemical and physical methods to support with continuous improvement projects and refining location laboratories.

• Work alongside highly skilled scientists, engineers, and support staff with expert knowledge in all areas of Bayer Alumina Refining.

You will be given an appropriate level of responsibility to handle assigned project(s), utilizing your innovative thinking, eagerness to learn, and passion for growth to make meaningful contributions to the business. In our open-minded workplace, your ideas will be highly valued within a supportive environment that encourages creative thinking.

If you are currently studying tertiary qualifications in Chemical Engineering, Minerals Processing, Chemistry, Mechanical Engineering or a related discipline, we want to hear from you!

What you can bring to the role

We are interested in hearing from curious university students who are:

• Ideally, in their penultimate year of study, however we do accept applications across all year groups.

• Self-motivated and passionate for their chosen discipline, eager to learn and expand their knowledge.

• Capable of working independently with the ability to communicate and engage with multiple stakeholders to obtain a project outcome.

• Strong team players with effective time management, organisational and problem-solving skills.

• Available to commence end of November for a full-time 12-week period ending February.

• Able to travel to and from your work location each day.

Additional information

• Interviews may progress prior to the closing date, although all applications will be considered.

• You will only be contacted if you are shortlisted for an interview, this process can take up to four weeks from the closing date.

Be part of shaping our organisation and join us in building a legacy of excellence for future generations.

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About the Location

Alcoa's Kwinana Refinery was the first of Alcoa’s three West Australian alumina refineries. Located within the Kwinana Industrial Area, south of Perth, the refinery implements a wide range of world-leading technology innovations that continuously improve production and environmental performance. By joining our team, you can shape the future of sustainability with world-changing innovations and low-carbon technologies.

We are values led, vision driven and united by our purpose of transforming raw potential into real progress.  Our commitments to Inclusion, Diversity & Equity include providing trusting workplaces that are safe, respectful and inclusive of all individuals, free from discrimination, bullying and harassment and that our workplaces reflect the diversity of the communities in which we operate.    

This is a place where you are empowered to do your best work, be your authentic self, and feel a true sense of belonging. Come join us and shape your career!  

Your work. Your world. Shape them for the better.