Tailings Engineer at WSP in Africa

Job Description

WSP has a new opportunity for a Tailings Engineer to join our Mine Waste team on a full-time basis in Midrand.   This is an Intermediate level position in the consulting team and is regarded as a professional person in the delivery of tailings and geotechnical services, in line with the WSP suite of engineering products.

Key duties and responsibilities will include:

• This is the first intermediate level in the consulting stream
• The employee has strong general technical skills and has begun to establish specialist skills in an area of technical discipline (which may include project management)
• Displays independence in completing basic elements of work tasks
• Makes decisions of moderate complexity or consequence with input and review from senior staff
• Major focus is oversight / management of projects or project tasks, including interpretation of data, analysis, and development of conclusions and recommendations, main communication link between senior staff and junior staff
• Provides technical direction to junior staff
• Contributes to significant sections of proposals and prepares complete reports
• Beginning to demonstrate an understanding of WSP business systems, in particular those relating to quality
• Mentor for junior staff
• This is the first level having regular contact with external clients
• Work is reviewed by senior staff
• Providing tailings services and technical advice on complex tailings issues to clients (external & internal) on projects within the mining industry
• Using advanced techniques, modifications and extension of theories, practices to synthesise and analyse data for decision making / recommendations
• Managing, analysing tailings and geotechnical reporting for projects which may include the design and inspection of mine waste storage facilities, the construction of tailings deposits, the operation and management of deposits, properties and behaviour of tailings, closure and deposits stability and seeping analysis and water storage dams and earthworks
• Providing safety leadership in health & safety
• Participating in training activities, mentoring and transferring knowledge to junior tailings / geotechnical engineers;
• Planning, developing schedules, coordinating and overseeing manpower on important engineering projects to meet completion deadlines

Success attributes:

• Strong project management: able to breakdown problems into manageable size, ability to manage scope
• Understands project context: can connect the following; tasks, project, report and client need
• Effective delegation: assignment, communication, sets clear expectations, checks-in, identifies parameters/constraints to achieve tasks
• Technical excellence: has sound knowledge in technical discipline, actively expands their technical knowledge
• Ownership attitude: aware of fiscal responsibility, proactively works within budget (cost or time), willing to shoulder more responsibility
• Strong writing skills: understands what is important to both WSP and the client, identifies key messages – sorts the wheat from the chaff
• Good judgement: awareness and understanding of risk and liabilities – knows their limits
• Good problem solver: anticipates problems and solves them
• Client focused (includes internal clients): starting to develop strong client relationships and ability to cross-sell
• Business focused: beginning to approach problems from a business perspective
• Leadership: sets a good example, is a role model for junior staff, able to lead small teams and/or projects

Qualifications

• Relevant degree (BEng or BSc) in the Civil Engineering including 8 years plus experience post-graduation with developed specialist skills in the area of tailings and geotechnical engineering;
• Honors degree (BEng or BSc) in the Geotechnical field preferred
• Professional registration at ECSA preferred
• Legislation related to engineering design supporting water use and waste management license applications
• Financial knowledge (Understanding of Work in Progress, Accounts Receivables and DSOs)
• Proven skills/ experience to lead mine waste projects coupled with sound project management skills; and
• Proficient in MS Word, MS Excel (Advanced), MS PowerPoint, MS Outlook , MS Projects, slope stability analysis, seepage analysis and modelling software. Proficiency in other engineering related software will be considered beneficial