Project Engineer (Plant & Engineering)

Overview

We are recruiting!

Our client in South Africa, Pretoria is looking for a Project Engineer (Plant & Engineering) to join their team for a job vacancy within the Manufacturing/Financial Services industry.

To apply or for more information follow the link below.

Purpose.
To plan, manage, and deliver mechanical, electrical, plant equipment, and maintenance-related projects within the highly regulated and secure environment of the company industry. The Project Engineer will be responsible for overseeing all technical aspects of these projects—from planning and procurement to installation, commissioning, and handover. The role ensures that all work meets required quality standards, adheres to safety and regulatory compliance, and supports the organisation’s strategic and operational objectives. The Project Engineer will collaborate with cross-functional teams to mitigate risks and ensure project delivery within the approved scope, budget, and schedule, with minimal disruption to core production activities.
Main Responsibilities (not limited to):
• Manage the end-to-end lifecycle of Mechanical, Industrial and Electrical engineering projects, including specification, design, procurement, installation, commissioning, and handover.
• Lead projects involving plant equipment upgrades, production machinery, HVAC systems, electrical and compressed air distribution, automation, and Engineering infrastructure.
• Review and ensure all equipment, materials, and services comply with quality standards and specifications during procurement. Verify that vendors and contractors adhere to quality requirements throughout project execution.
• Support maintenance improvement initiatives through engineered solutions that reduce downtime, enhance reliability, and extend asset life.
• Establish and manage hold points throughout the project lifecycle to verify that key deliverables and milestones meet quality standards before proceeding to the next phase. Ensure inspections are carried out at appropriate stages, and any issues are addressed before advancing.
• Develop project scopes of work, technical specifications, cost estimates, schedules, and resource plans for capital and operational projects.
• Develop, implement, and manage Quality Control Plans (QCP) for mechanical, electrical, plant, equipment, and maintenance projects. Ensure all design and construction activities meet the required quality standards and project specifications.
• Collaborate with Maintenance, Production, Engineering, Procurement, and external vendors to ensure smooth execution of plant-related projects.
• Ensure projects comply with relevant engineering standards (e.g., SANS, ECSA, ISO), occupational health and safety laws, and industry-specific regulatory requirements.
• Provide technical support for the evaluation, selection, and procurement of equipment, spares, and engineering services.
• Participate in technical evaluations, bid committees, and contract management activities.
• Use engineering tools such as AutoCAD, SolidWorks, and related software to review and create technical drawings and models.
• Oversee contractor performance on-site, ensuring work is completed according to plan, with strict adherence to safety, quality, and security protocols.
• Plan, develop documentation, and execute Factory Acceptance Testing (FAT), Site Acceptance Testing (SAT), and performance validation of new equipment and systems before operational handover.
• Lead root cause analysis (RCA) and reliability improvement initiatives for repetitive equipment failures.
• Ensure that engineering documentation, equipment records, and project close-out reports are maintained and handed over to relevant departments.
• Ensure Health, Safety and Environmental regulations are adhered to in line with the legal requirements for both companies employees and contractors.
The Preferred Candidate is likely to have
• Bachelor’s degree in mechanical, Industrial or Mechatronics Engineering (Essential)
• Professional registration with ECSA (Pr Eng or Pr Tech Eng) (Preferred but not mandatory)
• Project Management Qualification e.g. PMP is preferred or demonstrated experience managing projects using structured methodologies (e.g. PMBOK, PRINCE2, Agile).
• 5 -8 years of relevant experience in engineering, plant, equipment or infrastructure project engineering preferably in an industrial manufacturing environment.
• Proficiency in AutoCAD, Revit, Solidworks, or other drawing or engineering design software is required.
• Experience managing contractors, construction sites, and multidisciplinary teams.
Knowledge and Skills:
• Working knowledge of CIDB procurement standards and associated documentation.
• Familiarity with standard construction, building and engineering contracts (GCC, FIDIC, JBCC, PROCSA). (Essential – Intermediate).
• Strong project management knowledge, including schedule integration of quality tasks and inspections (based on PMBOK or similar) (Essential – Intermediate).
• Strong understanding of quality assurance and quality control processes, tools, and best practices (Desirable- Intermediate)
• Strong coordination and verbal and written communication skills across multidisciplinary teams.
• Understanding of construction regulations and health & safety standards (Essential – Intermediate).