DAM ENGINEER

Ingérop; Gauteng; On-site; ZAR 1,200,000 - 1,600,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading engineering firm in South Africa is seeking an experienced Dam Engineer with a minimum of 10 years' experience. The role involves leading the design, assessment, and rehabilitation of dams and related hydraulic structures. Candidates must be registered as a Category III Approved Professional Person and have strong skills in dam stability and seepage analysis. The position offers opportunities for business development, mentoring, and project management within a collaborative team environment.

Qualifications

• 10+ years’ experience on dam engineering projects.
• Experience in construction supervision and quality assurance.
• Proficiency in dam stability, seepage, and deformation analyses.

Responsibilities

• Lead design and assessment for dams and hydraulic structures.
• Conduct dam safety inspections and compile reports.
• Plan and oversee geotechnical investigations.

Skills

Dam safety inspections

Seepage analysis

Technical report writing

Problem-solving

Stakeholder engagement

Education

PrEng registered with ECSA

Matric/Grade 12

Relevant tertiary qualification

Tools

GeoStudio (SLOPE/W, SEEP/W)

Plaxis 2D/3D

AutoCAD/Civil 3D

Job description

Ingérop South Africa is seeking an experienced Dam Engineer registered as a Category III Approved Professional Person (APP) with the Dam Safety Office (DSO). You will lead the design, assessment, rehabilitation and safety evaluation of dams and related hydraulic structures (spillways, outlet works, energy dissipation structures, embankments and appurtenant systems), ensure regulatory compliance, and contribute to project delivery and client engagement across the region.

What you will do

• Deliver technical design and analysis for concrete and embankment dams, spillways, outlet works and appurtenant structures.
• Lead/perform dam safety inspections and evaluations; compile Safety Evaluation Reports (SERs), risk registers and potential failure mode analyses.
• Undertake stability, seepage and deformation analyses, including seismic ground motion selection, liquefaction assessment and earthquake‑induced deformation checks.
• Plan and oversee geotechnical investigations (drilling, in‑situ tests) and laboratory characterisation of soils and rock.
• Provide construction oversight and quality assurance for dam rehabilitation and new construction; close out non‑conformances.
• Support project management and contract administration under FIDIC/NEC frameworks; manage schedule, budget and risks with the PM.
• Coordinate multidisciplinary inputs and subconsultants; engage with clients and the Dam Safety Office (DWS) for regulatory compliance.
• Contribute to business development through proposal inputs, client meetings and technical presentations.
• Mentor junior engineers and support capability development across the dams team.

Qualifications

• Matric/Grade 12 essential; Relevant tertiary qualification(s) or similar (advantageous)
• PrEng registered with ECSA.
• Category III APP registered with the Dam Safety Office (DSO).
• 10+ years’ experience on dam engineering projects (inspection, rehabilitation and/or new design and construction).
• Proficiency in dam stability, seepage and deformation analyses; experience with seismic and liquefaction assessments.
• Exposure to hydrology, flood routing and (advantageous) dam breach/consequence modelling.
• Software exposure (advantageous): GeoStudio (SLOPE/W, SEEP/W), Plaxis 2D/3D, Rocscience (Slide, RS2), HEC‑RAS; AutoCAD/Civil 3D.
• Experience in construction supervision and quality assurance on dam sites.
• Strong technical report writing and client communication skills.

The ideal candidate will have

• Strong analytical and problem‑solving capability with sound engineering judgement.
• Professional communication and stakeholder engagement skills.
• Organisation, attention to detail and quality orientation.
• Ability to work under pressure across multiple projects and deadlines.
• Collaborative approach and mentoring mindset for junior engineers.
• Business development orientation and initiative.

Additional Information

Interested applicants are invited to apply by responding to the questionnaire on the MS Office platform, followed by sending a concise CV and supporting documents to [e-mail]. Closing date for applications will be 28th February 2026. Due to the volume of applications, regrettably correspondence will only be entered into with short listed candidates.