Industrial Automation Engineer – Chemical Processing (Hybrid)

Placements24; Pretoria; Hybrid; ZAR 700,000 - 900,000; Full time

Job summary

Placements24 is seeking an experienced Industrial Automation Engineer to enhance our chemical production facilities in Pretoria. The role covers design, implementation, and maintenance of automated control systems, with a focus on efficiency, safety, and advanced automation integration.

You will design and commission PLC/SCADA/HMI solutions, troubleshoot issues, and collaborate with process engineers to deploy new capabilities while ensuring compliance with industry standards.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering or Mechatronics with automation focus.
• Minimum 6 years' experience in industrial automation, preferably in chemicals.
• Hands-on PLC programming across Siemens, Rockwell, Mitsubishi platforms.
• Experience with SCADA/HMI software like WinCC, Ignition or Wonderware.
• Solid understanding of process control, instrumentation and networks.

Responsibilities

• Design, program, and commission PLC, SCADA, and HMI systems for chemical processes.
• Develop automation strategies to boost efficiency, safety, and cost savings.
• Troubleshoot automation issues to minimize downtime.
• Collaborate with process engineers to integrate new solutions.
• Conduct root cause analysis and implement corrective actions.
• Maintain documentation for control logic, schematics and manuals.
• Stay updated on automation advances and regulatory standards in chemical plants.
• Train maintenance and operations staff on automated systems.
• Perform system upgrades with minimal production disruption.

Skills

Automation design

Troubleshooting

Cross-functional collaboration

Safety compliance

Education

Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering or Mechatronics

Tools

Siemens PLC

Rockwell PLC

Mitsubishi PLC

WinCC

Ignition

Wonderware

Profibus

Ethernet/IP

SIL (Functional Safety)

Job description

Placements24 is seeking an experienced Industrial Automation Engineer to enhance our chemical production facilities in Pretoria. The role covers design, implementation, and maintenance of automated control systems, with a focus on efficiency, safety, and advanced automation integration.

You will design and commission PLC/SCADA/HMI solutions, troubleshoot issues, and collaborate with process engineers to deploy new capabilities while ensuring compliance with industry standards.