Instrumentation Engineer (North West) at Tharisa

Role Context

Operational Tasks

• Provide technical leadership and strategic direction for the Instrumentation function to ensure safe, reliable and efficient operation of instrumentation, control and automation systems.
• Develop, implement and continuously improve instrumentation standards, procedures and engineering practices to support operational excellence and regulatory compliance.
• Drive asset reliability through the approval and oversight of maintenance, calibration, inspection and asset management strategies.
• Provide specialist engineering support for complex instrumentation and control system failures, ensuring effective root cause analysis and sustainable solutions.
• Oversee instrumentation-related shutdown planning, system upgrades and improvement projects to optimise plant performance and equipment availability.
• Monitor instrumentation performance, reliability and risk indicators, driving continuous improvement initiatives and ensuring alignment with business objectives.

Financial Management

• Develop and manage the Instrumentation Engineering budget, including forecasting, cost optimisation and resource planning to support operational and capital requirements.
• Monitor expenditure against approved budgets and implement corrective actions to ensure financial performance remains within approved limits.
• Analyse operational, maintenance and asset performance data to identify cost-saving opportunities and support informed financial decision-making.
• Ensure compliance with all financial, procurement, governance and company policies to mitigate financial and operational risk.
• Review and approve instrumentation-related procurement requirements, contracts and service agreements to ensure value for money and operational effectiveness.
• Optimise the allocation and utilisation of financial, technical and contractor resources to achieve departmental objectives and improve asset performance.

People Management

• Lead and manage the Instrumentation team in accordance with company values, leadership principles and human resources policies to foster a high-performance culture.
• Provide technical leadership, coaching and mentorship to develop team capability, succession strength and continuous professional growth.
• Establish clear performance objectives, monitor progress and provide regular feedback to ensure the achievement of departmental and organisational goals.
• Drive performance management, employee development and talent retention initiatives to ensure a competent and motivated workforce.
• Identify current and future skills requirements and implement training, development and upskilling programmes to meet business and operational demands.
• Promote a safe, inclusive and productive work environment that encourages collaboration, accountability and continuous improvement.

Stakeholder Relations

• Build and maintain effective relationships with internal and external stakeholders to support operational objectives, align expectations and ensure effective communication on instrumentation-related matters.
• Collaborate with Operations, Maintenance, Engineering and Project teams to resolve technical issues, improve plant performance and drive continuous improvement initiatives.
• Provide specialist instrumentation and control systems advice to support informed decision-making and business objectives.
• Foster positive engagement between management, employees and organised labour to promote collaboration, trust and constructive working relationships.
• Establish and maintain strategic partnerships with suppliers, contractors and service providers to ensure reliable technical support and service delivery.
• Promote knowledge sharing and cross-functional collaboration to enhance operational efficiency, innovation and overall departmental performance.

Risk, Safety and Compliance

• Ensure compliance with all applicable legislation, regulations, standards and company policies, including the Mine Health and Safety Act, by providing governance oversight for the Instrumentation function.
• Develop, maintain and monitor the Instrumentation risk register, implementing mitigation strategies to manage operational, safety and asset reliability risks.
• Promote and drive a culture of safety, health and wellbeing, ensuring adherence to safe work practices and taking corrective action where required.
• Ensure instrumentation systems, maintenance activities and engineering practices comply with statutory, regulatory and organisational requirements.
• Monitor and review maintenance, calibration and asset performance records to ensure accuracy, traceability and audit readiness.
• Lead compliance audits, risk assessments and continuous improvement initiatives to strengthen governance, minimise risk exposure and improve operational performance

Requirements

Qualifications:

• Grade 12/Matric (NQF4)
• Bachelor's Degree or BTech in Electrical Engineering, Electronic Engineering, Mechatronics or Instrumentation Engineering Prescribed.
• Government Certificate of Competency (GCC Mines & Works) will be advantageous.
• ECSA registration as a Professional Engineer or Professional Engineering Technologist will be advantageous.

Certifications:

• Trade Certificate in Measurement, Control and Instrumentation will be advantageous.

Job specific experience:

• 5 to 8 years' experience in instrumentation, control systems and automation within mining, mineral processing or heavy industrial environments.
• Experience with PLC, SCADA and DCS systems.
• Proven experience in instrumentation maintenance, reliability engineering and project execution.
• Experience with process control optimization and troubleshooting.
• Experience using ERP systems with MRP modules (Microsoft Dynamics 365 etc.)