Electrical and Automation Engineer - Citrusdal

Vine Recruitment; Citrusdal; On-site; ZAR 600,000 - 900,000; Full time

Job summary

Vine Recruitment seeks an experienced Electrical Engineering Lead to plan, design, specify and deliver electrical and automation projects across farm sites in the Western Cape. You will oversee infrastructure, renewables, Eskom liaison, pumps and control systems, while leading a small irrigation team.

The role requires a degree or diploma in electrical engineering, hands-on fault-finding in industrial settings, strong coordination skills and a proactive approach to reliability and cost reduction.

Qualifications

• National Diploma/ Degree in Electrical Engineering or related field.
• Practical electrical installation, maintenance and fault-finding experience in industrial/agricultural settings.
• Strong understanding of motors, pumps, protection and control systems.
• Ability to manage projects, contractors and stakeholders across multiple sites.

Responsibilities

• Lead planning, design, specification, evaluation and delivery of electrical and automation projects.
• Oversee electrical infrastructure across farms, pump stations, workshops and support areas.
• Manage renewable energy projects, energy data, budgets and remote monitoring systems.
• Coordinate Eskom-related supply, metering, outage and upgrade matters.
• Support electrical and basic mechanical aspects of pumps, motors and drives.

Skills

PLC/SCADA

IoT

Telemetry

Energy management

Electrical drawings

Maintenance software

Education

Electrical Engineering degree

Tools

Pragma maintenance software

Job description

Key Responsibilities

• Electrical projects: Lead the planning, design, specification, technical evaluation and delivery of electrical and automation projects.
• Electrical infrastructure & systems: Oversee electrical infrastructure across farms, pump stations, workshops and support areas.
• Renewable energy & energy management: Manage renewable energy projects, energy data, budgets and remote monitoring systems, while identifying opportunities to reduce costs, improve efficiency and support better operational decisions.
• Eskom liaison: Coordinate Eskom-related supply, metering, outage and upgrade matters.
• Pumps & mechanical equipment: Support the electrical and basic mechanical aspects of pumps, motors, drives, valves and related equipment.
• Automation & controls: Develop and support PLC, VSD, SCADA, telemetry, instrumentation, control-panel and system-integration solutions.
• Contractor & compliance management: Manage contractors, drawings, specifications, budgets, schedules, commissioning records, electrical safety and compliance requirements.
• Team leadership & training: Lead the electrical irrigation team by allocating work, monitoring progress, maintaining standards, and providing practical training and coaching where needed.
• Operational support: Manage your team to respond to breakdowns, investigate recurring faults, reduce downtime and improve system reliability.

Essential Requirements

• National Diploma/ Degree in Electrical Engineering, Electrical Technology, or a related field.
• Practical electrical installation, maintenance and fault-finding experience in an industrial, agricultural or similar environment.
• Good understanding of motors, pumps, protection, distribution, control panels, VSDs, instrumentation and electrical drawings.
• Able to manage projects, contractors, priorities & stakeholders across multiple sites.
• Strong problem-solving, communication and record-keeping skills.
• Valid driver’s license.

The following will be beneficial

• Practical mechanical skills with pumps, pipework, valves and rotating equipment.
• Experience with solar PV, energy management, generators, battery storage, grid connections or power-quality improvement.
• Knowledge of PLCs, SCADA, telemetry, IoT, automation and remote monitoring.
• Familiarity with Pragma or similar maintenance software and SOP development.