Reliability Engineer (Minopex O&M) at Minopex

Description

• This role provides reliability engineering and asset management expertise in support of Minopex Operations across the Minopex Group. The role is responsible for the definition and planning of operational activities within the asset management workstream, maintain asset management systems, maintenance strategies and reliability programs for client operations, while providing technical support and guidance to existing operations to improve asset performance, availability and lifecycle cost.
• The incumbent is expected to operate with a high degree of autonomy, exercising sound engineering judgement with minimal supervision. This role requires an individual who can rapidly understand unfamiliar mining operations, identify key technical issues, develop practical solutions and confidently engage with clients and project teams. The successful candidate must be comfortable working in dynamic project environments where priorities evolve quickly and independent decision-making is essential.

Duties & Responsibilities:

Reliability Engineering and Asset Management

• Engage with clients, EPCM contractors, OEMs, and project stakeholders to identify operational risks, opportunities, and readiness requirements through structured Gap Analysis reviews and continuous improvement strategies.
• Develop Asset Management deliverables, including Asset Management Plans (AMPs), maintenance strategies, maintenance tactics, operating philosophies, procedures, and work management frameworks.
• Ensure all asset management deliverables align with industry best practices and ISO 55001 Asset Management principles.
• Support the development and implementation for Operational Readiness (OR) strategies, plans, budgets, schedules, and governance frameworks to ensure successful project execution and operational handover.
• Synthesise complex project information into structured operational readiness assessments and actionable improvement plans.
• Reliability Engineering and Maintenance Strategy
• Maintain current preventive, predictive, condition-based, and risk-based maintenance programs for new and existing operations.
• Conduct Reliability-Centred Maintenance (RCM), Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA/FMECA), Root Cause Failure Analysis (RCFA), criticality assessments, and reliability studies.
• Review OEM maintenance recommendations and optimise maintenance strategies to improve asset reliability, availability, maintainability, and lifecycle cost performance.
• Develop and implement equipment maintenance tactics from first principles where OEM information is limited or unavailable.
• Maintain current maintenance strategies through continuous improvement processes.
• Establish maintenance philosophies, spare parts strategies, critical spares lists, warranty management processes, and inventory optimisation plans.
• Manage maintenance budgets, resource plans, workforce requirements, shutdown strategies, and long-term maintenance plans.
• Provide reliability engineering and asset performance support to operational sites across the business.

Project and Technical Support

• Participate in project reviews, design reviews, risk assessments, HAZOP studies, operability reviews, maintainability reviews, and commissioning readiness evaluations.
• Provide technical input into engineering design to ensure assets are safe, maintainable, operable, and fit for purpose throughout their lifecycle.
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary engineering teams to ensure maintenance and operational requirements are integrated into project execution.
• Manage, coordinate, and collaborate with internal support functions and plant teams to ensure efficient delivery of asset management services.

Risk Management and Continuous Improvement

• Identify operational, maintenance, reliability, and business risks and develop mitigation strategies to reduce exposure.
• Evaluate asset performance data and operational trends to identify improvement opportunities and recommend corrective actions.
• Develop practical, risk-based recommendations that improve asset performance, operational efficiency, and business outcomes.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives aimed at improving reliability, maintenance effectiveness, asset utilization, and operational excellence across the organisation.

Stakeholder Management and Leadership

• Build and maintain strong relationships with clients, project teams, EPCM partners, OEMs, and operational stakeholders.
• Act as a trusted technical advisor to Operational Maintenance Engineers and Managers, engineering teams, maintenance teams, and client representatives.
• Facilitate technical workshops, asset management reviews, reliability studies, and engineering discussions with multidisciplinary teams.
• Share knowledge, best practices, lessons learned, and technical expertise across projects and operational sites.
• Influence decision-making by providing clear technical guidance and sound engineering judgment.

Professional and Technical Excellence

• Operate independently across multiple projects while maintaining a high standard of technical quality and professionalism.
• Rapidly assimilate technical information related to mineral processing operations and apply sound engineering principles.
• Identify gaps, risks, and improvement opportunities proactively without requiring detailed direction.
• Ensure all deliverables comply with relevant engineering standards, safety requirements, asset management principles, and company procedures.
• Contribute to the development of best practices, standards, templates, and methodologies within the Reliability and Asset Management function.

Qualification Requirements:

• Matric (Grade 12) or an equivalent qualification registered at NQF Level 4, including relevant NATED courses (e.g., N3 Certificate) where applicable.
• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical, Electrical or Maintenance engineering.
• Registered with ECSA will be an added advantage.

Experience and Skills Requirements

• 5 years post qualification experience within the engineering function in the Mining Industry.
• Experience and exposure to reliability engineering and Asset management
• Project and maintenance system set-up will be an added advantage.
• In-depth knowledge of maintenance engineering, reliability.
• Good understanding of maintenance work management processes.
• Sound working knowledge of the different types of mining assets.
• Knowledge of relevant safety and mining legislation.
• Sound knowledge of applicable mining policies and procedures.
• Knowledge of the project lifecycle and maintenance processes.
• Understanding of Operational Readiness within the maintenance space
• Understanding of engineering best practices and new technologies related to engineering principles and processes.
• Advanced computer skills, with emphasis on planned maintenance and condition monitoring software, Microsoft office suite and Power BI.
• Strong knowledge of preventive maintenance programs and the tools associated with failure detection a multi-tasking approach.
• Good Communication skills.