Former federal Liberal MP Sophie Mirabella has found a new career after last month’s second consecutive election defeat – working in mining with Gina Rinehart.

The billionaire magnate has appointed Mrs Mirabella general manager of government and media relations at her company, Hancock Prospecting.

She will be the first person to hold that position with Hancock.

“Sophie is not shy of hard work and we are pleased that she has accepted this new challenging role with our hardworking executive team and I look forward to her contribution towards the HPPL group,” Mrs Rinehart, who is in Brazil at the Olympics, said in a statement on Friday.

Ms Mirabella, a former Melbourne lawyer and 47-year-old mother of two, said the appointment was immediate.

“I look forward to working for Mrs Rinehart whom I know well, and whom I regard as a great Australian and outstanding role model,” she said.

Mirabella quit politics soon after her defeat to Independent MP Cathy McGowan. Photo: AAP

Ms Mirabella quit politics soon after her defeat to Independent MP Cathy McGowan, who enjoyed a 4.5 per cent swing in the Victorian rural seat of Indi.

Her campaign was marred by accusations she shoved Ms McGowan to get her out of a photo at the opening of a nursing home and controversial comments that the Wangaratta Hospital missed out on $10 million in funding it would have got if she had not lost at the 2013 poll.

Ms Mirabella held the seat for 12 years and was part of the party’s conservative faction.

Ms Rinehart said Hancock had grown substantially over the past several years with the establishment of its three Pilbara iron ore mines at Hope Downs and was ramping up to an annual production rate of 55 million tonnes at its Roy Hill mega project.

“We are also focused on investing further into our beef business in Australia, an area where I have a long-term and strong personal connection, and dairy also,” she said.

“Given the continued growth of Hancock this is a very exciting time to include our first GM of Government & Media Relations, and to welcome Sophie on our team,” she said.

– AAP