Balance Calibration Laboratory Technician/Technologist at Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR)

About the job:

The CSIR has a vacancy for a Balance Calibration Laboratory Technician/Technologist in the Aeronautics Systems Impact Area within the Defence and Security Cluster. The incumbent will be responsible to execute calibration activities on the suite of strain gauge wind tunnel balances used to collect data during wind tunnel tests. This position is based in Pretoria.

Key responsibilities:

• Calibrate wind tunnel strain gauge balances using physical weights and laboratory data acquisition systems; this will require the repeated manual lifting of heavy weights on a regular basis.
• Install and upgrade equipment such as instrumentation, data acquisition systems, measurements, and controls.
• Execute preventative and corrective maintenance tasks on laboratory systems and instruments, based on facility planned maintenance work orders, and unplanned breakdowns;
• Calibrate field instrumentation and control room data acquisition systems;
• Operate specified wind tunnel facilities in the role of Tunnel Operator during a wind tunnel test campaign;
• Maintain, upgrade and operate wind tunnel facility (Balance Calibration Laboratory) systems and ensure that the facility systems are operational (these systems include but are not limited to; electrical, mechanical, hydraulic, and pneumatic machines coupled to computer control and uncoupled systems such as PLCs, Scadas etc.).

Qualifications, skills and experience:

• A National diploma or equivalent NQF6 in electrical/mechanical/mechatronics engineering with at least three years’ experience in large complex industrial plant maintenance and operations;

The following will be advantageous:

• Trade-test certification;
• Metrology certification;
• Professional registration;
• Experience in the project management of electro-mechanical systems upgrades is required;
• Experience in metrology, instrumentation and calibrations will be advantageous;
• Knowledge of specification, use and maintenance of data acquisition systems;
• Knowledge of complex electro-mechanical systems and machinery;