Mechanical Engineer

Position Title

Mechanical Engineer Lead

Department

Engineering and Maintenance

Reporting To

Engineering Manager / Plant Production and Maintenance Manager

Location

Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa

Employment Type

Permanent

POSITION PURPOSE

The Mechanical Engineer Lead is responsible for leading the mechanical engineering function within the steel manufacturing plant by providing technical leadership, engineering expertise, and strategic direction for the maintenance, optimisation, reliability, and continuous improvement of mechanical assets and equipment. The role ensures maximum equipment availability, plant reliability, operational efficiency, and compliance with statutory, safety, and quality standards.

The incumbent leads mechanical engineering projects, provides technical support to maintenance and production teams, manages engineering resources, and drives engineering excellence across the organisation.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Mechanical Engineering Leadership

• Provide technical leadership to the Mechanical Engineering team.
• Develop and implement mechanical engineering strategies aligned with business objectives.
• Lead engineering initiatives to improve plant reliability, efficiency, and performance.
• Mentor, coach, and develop engineers, technicians, artisans, and apprentices.
• Establish engineering standards, procedures, and best practices.
• Promote a culture of innovation, safety, and continuous improvement.

Plant Reliability and Asset Management

• Lead reliability improvement programmes for mechanical plant and equipment.
• Analyse equipment failures and implement corrective and preventive actions.
• Develop asset management strategies to maximise equipment life cycles.
• Monitor mechanical equipment performance and reliability trends.
• Lead Root Cause Failure Analysis (RCFA) investigations.
• Support Reliability-Centred Maintenance (RCM) initiatives.
• Ensure optimal utilisation of plant assets.

Maintenance Engineering

• Provide engineering support for preventive, predictive, and corrective maintenance programmes.
• Review and approve maintenance procedures and engineering standards.
• Support maintenance planning and shutdown execution.
• Assist with troubleshooting complex mechanical failures.
• Develop equipment maintenance strategies based on risk and criticality.
• Ensure maintenance activities comply with engineering standards.

Project Engineering

• Lead mechanical engineering aspects of capital projects and plant upgrades.
• Develop project scopes, technical specifications, and engineering designs.
• Manage equipment installations, commissioning, and plant modifications.
• Coordinate engineering contractors and consultants.
• Ensure projects are delivered safely, on time, within budget, and according to specification.
• Conduct technical evaluations of new technologies and equipment.

Equipment Design and Improvement

• Design and improve mechanical systems, equipment, and plant infrastructure.
• Review and approve engineering drawings and technical documentation.
• Recommend equipment upgrades to improve productivity and reliability.
• Standardise mechanical components and engineering practices.
• Support plant expansion and modernisation initiatives.

Budget and Cost Management

• Prepare mechanical engineering budgets and forecasts.
• Monitor engineering expenditure against approved budgets.
• Identify cost reduction opportunities while maintaining plant reliability.
• Evaluate capital expenditure proposals and return on investment.
• Optimise maintenance and engineering costs through effective planning.

Contractor and Supplier Management

• Evaluate and manage engineering contractors and service providers.
• Review contractor performance against agreed service levels.
• Assist Procurement with technical evaluations of suppliers and equipment.
• Approve technical specifications for procurement activities.
• Build strategic relationships with equipment manufacturers and service providers.

Risk Management and Compliance

• Ensure compliance with the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA) and relevant engineering regulations.
• Ensure plant equipment complies with statutory inspection requirements.
• Conduct engineering risk assessments and hazard analyses.
• Participate in HAZOP, FMEA, and engineering safety reviews where applicable.
• Ensure compliance with company engineering standards and quality requirements.

Health, Safety, Environmental and Quality (SHERQ)

• Promote a zero-harm safety culture.
• Ensure engineering activities comply with SHERQ policies and procedures.
• Participate in safety audits, inspections, and incident investigations.
• Ensure mechanical systems comply with environmental requirements.
• Lead corrective actions arising from engineering and safety audits.

Engineering Documentation and Standards

• Approve engineering drawings, specifications, and technical documentation.
• Ensure engineering documentation remains current and accurate.
• Develop engineering procedures and standard operating practices.
• Maintain engineering records and equipment history files.
• Ensure compliance with engineering document control requirements.

Team Leadership

• Supervise Mechanical Engineers, Engineering Technicians, and Mechanical Draftsmen.
• Allocate engineering workloads and monitor performance.
• Conduct performance reviews and skills development planning.
• Identify succession planning opportunities within the engineering team.
• Promote employee engagement and continuous learning.

Reporting and Administration

• Prepare engineering performance reports and technical presentations.
• Monitor engineering KPIs and reliability metrics.
• Report on plant performance, equipment failures, and engineering initiatives.
• Provide engineering recommendations to executive management.
• Maintain engineering project and maintenance documentation.

Continuous Improvement

• Lead Lean Manufacturing and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Drive equipment optimisation and process improvement programmes.
• Benchmark engineering performance against industry best practices.
• Promote innovation and adoption of new engineering technologies.
• Support digitalisation and Industry 4.0 initiatives where applicable.

Any other duties which may be reasonable required, due to the operational requirements of the business.

QUALIFICATIONS

Minimum Requirements

• Bachelor's Degree (BEng or BSc Engineering) in Mechanical Engineering.

Mandatory Requirements

• Registration with the Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA) as a Professional Engineer (Pr Eng) or Professional Engineering Technologist (Pr Tech Eng), or eligibility to obtain registration within an agreed timeframe.
• Valid driver's licence.

Preferred Qualifications

• Government Certificate of Competency (Factories) (GCC) is advantageous.
• Postgraduate qualification in Engineering, Asset Management, or Maintenance Management.
• Project Management qualification (PMP, PRINCE2, or equivalent).

Advantageous Certifications

• Certified Maintenance and Reliability Professional (CMRP).
• ISO 55001 Asset Management Training.
• Lean Manufacturing or Six Sigma Certification.
• SAP PM, Pragma, or CMMS Certification.

EXPERIENCE

Minimum Requirements

• 8–10 years' mechanical engineering experience in a heavy industrial or manufacturing environment.
• Minimum 5 years' experience in steel manufacturing, foundries, mining, smelting, or similar heavy industry.
• At least 3 years' experience leading engineering teams or major engineering projects.

Preferred Experience

• Experience with electric arc furnaces (EAF), rolling mills, scrap processing plants, refractory systems, hydraulic systems, compressors, conveyors, pumps, cranes, and heavy rotating equipment.
• Experience managing plant shutdowns and major capital projects.
• Experience in reliability engineering and asset management.
• Experience using SAP PM or equivalent CMMS.

KNOWLEDGE REQUIREMENTS

The incumbent must have knowledge of:

• Mechanical engineering principles.
• Steel manufacturing processes and equipment.
• Reliability-centred maintenance (RCM).
• Root Cause Failure Analysis (RCFA).
• Preventive and predictive maintenance.
• Mechanical design and engineering standards.
• Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA).
• Pressure Equipment Regulations and Driven Machinery Regulations.
• Asset management principles.
• Project management methodologies.
• Budgeting and financial management.

SKILLS AND COMPETENCIES

Technical Skills

• Mechanical engineering design.
• Reliability engineering.
• Project management.
• Maintenance strategy development.
• Engineering calculations and analysis.
• Risk assessment.
• CMMS and SAP PM proficiency.
• AutoCAD and engineering software proficiency.
• Technical report writing.

Leadership Competencies

• Strategic thinking.
• Leadership and people management.
• Coaching and mentoring.
• Decision-making.
• Conflict resolution.
• Performance management.
• Stakeholder engagement.

Behavioural Competencies

• Analytical thinking.
• Innovation.
• Problem-solving.
• Communication and presentation skills.
• Planning and organising.
• Attention to detail.
• Integrity and accountability.
• Adaptability and resilience.

KEY PERFORMANCE AREAS (KPAs)

Key Performance Area

Performance Measure

Plant Reliability

Improvement in equipment availability and MTBF

Maintenance Support

Reduction in unplanned downtime

Engineering Projects

Delivery within scope, budget, and schedule

Safety Compliance

Zero engineering-related lost-time incidents

Asset Management

Improved equipment lifecycle performance

Budget Control

Engineering expenditure within approved budget

Team Leadership

Achievement of performance and development objectives

Engineering Standards

Compliance with engineering and statutory requirements

Continuous Improvement

Implementation of improvement initiatives

Stakeholder Support

Effective support to production and maintenance operations

DIRECT REPORTS

This position may directly supervise:

• Mechanical Engineers
• Mechanical Engineering Technicians
• Maintenance Planner
• Maintenance Draftsman
• Junior Draftsman
• Mechanical Foremen (functional relationship)
• Engineering Interns and Graduates

AUTHORITY LEVEL

The Mechanical Engineer Lead is authorised to:

• Approve mechanical engineering designs and technical specifications.
• Recommend equipment upgrades and engineering improvements.
• Approve engineering procedures and maintenance standards.
• Coordinate engineering resources and contractors.
• Escalate engineering risks affecting plant operations.
• Recommend capital expenditure for engineering projects.

WORKING CONDITIONS

• Combination of office and plant-based work.
• Frequent exposure to heavy industrial environments, including heat, dust, noise, and moving machinery.
• Availability for planned shutdowns, breakdowns, and emergency call-outs.
• Occasional travel to supplier facilities, project sites, and training venues.
• Mandatory use of PPE when entering operational areas.

Pay: R35 000,00 - R40 000,00 per month

Education:

• Bachelors (Preferred)

Experience:

• Mechanical Engineering: 3 years (Required)
• heavy industrial or manufacturing environment: 3 years (Required)

License/Certification:

• •Registration with (ECSA) (Pr Eng) (Pr Tech Eng), (Required)

Work Location: In person