Instrument Technician

Ikwezi Mining (Pty) Ltd; South Africa; On-site; ZAR 380,000 - 520,000; Full time

Job summary

Ikwezi Mining (Pty) Ltd is seeking an experienced Instrumentation & Control Technician to maintain and calibrate plant instrumentation and automate control systems. The role covers PLC/HMI/SCADA troubleshooting, PDS and radio systems, electrical and electronic repairs, and safety-compliant reporting in a coal processing environment.

Applicants should have a National Diploma or Trade Test in Instrumentation or Electrical Engineering, with 4–6 years of relevant experience in a wash plant setting.

Qualifications

• Minimum requirement: National Diploma / N6 / Trade Test in Instrumentation Engineering or Electrical Engineering (Process Control / Light Current preferred).
• Experience in coal processing or wash plant environment is highly regarded.

Responsibilities

• Maintain and calibrate plant instrumentation, incl. belt scales, density meters, flow, level and pressure instruments.
• Maintain and troubleshoot PLC, HMI and SCADA systems; assist with control logic fault finding and optimisation.
• Maintain and repair VSDs, motor control circuits and plant electronic control panels.
• Install, maintain and troubleshoot PDS, two-way radio, GPS and telemetry systems; ensure safety systems are operational.
• Perform advanced fault finding on instrumentation and control systems; respond to breakdowns to minimise downtime.
• Maintain and repair solenoids and pneumatic systems; ensure proper operation of valves and control loops.
• Ensure compliance with mining regulations and safety standards; document maintenance in reports and records.

Skills

Fault finding

Diagnostic capability

Instrument calibration

PLC programming (advantageous)

Electrical schematics

Education

Instrumentation/Electrical Engineering Diploma

Tools

Multimeters

Calibrators

Communicators

Job description

Key Responsibilities

• Instrumentation Maintenance & Calibration
  • Maintain and calibrate plant instrumentation, including:
  • Belt scales and weighbridges
  • Density meters, flow meters, level and pressure instruments
  • Ensure accurate measurement and reporting of production data
  • Conduct routine inspections and preventative maintenance
• Control Systems & Automation
  • Maintain and troubleshoot:
  • PLC systems (Programmable Logic Controllers)
  • HMI systems (Human Machine Interfaces)
  • SCADA interfaces (where applicable)
  • Assist with control logic fault finding and system optimisation
  • Support plant automation and process improvements
• Electrical & Electronic Systems
  • Maintain and repair:
  • Variable Speed Drives (VSDs)
  • Motor control circuits
  • Plant electronic control panels
  • Diagnose faults in electrical and electronic systems
• Communication & Safety Systems
  • Install, maintain, and troubleshoot:
  • Proximity Detection Systems (PDS)
  • Two-way radio communication systems
  • GPS and telemetry systems (if applicable)
  • Ensure all safety systems are fully operational and compliant
• Fault Finding & Breakdown Support
  • Perform advanced fault finding on plant instrumentation and control systems
  • Respond to breakdowns and minimise plant downtime
  • Conduct root cause analysis and implement corrective actions
• Valves & Pneumatics
  • Maintain and repair:
  • Solenoid valves
  • Pneumatic control systems
  • Ensure proper operation of actuated valves and control loops
• Compliance & Safety
  • Ensure compliance with mining regulations and safety standards
  • Adhere to lock-out and isolation procedures
  • Maintain high housekeeping and safety standards
• Reporting & Documentation
  • Complete maintenance reports, job cards, and calibration records
  • Maintain asset registers and instrument databases
  • Track and report recurring faults and system performance

Minimum Requirements

Education

• National Diploma / N6 / Trade Test in:
  • Instrumentation Engineering OR
  • Electrical Engineering (Process Control / Light Current preferred)

Experience

• Minimum 46 years experience in:
  • Coal processing / wash plant environment
  • Instrumentation and control systems
• Proven experience with:
  • Belt scales and weighbridges
  • PLCs and HMIs
  • VSDs and plant electronics
  • PDS and radio systems
  • Solenoids and pneumatic systems

Technical Skills

• Strong fault-finding and diagnostic capability
• Knowledge of:
  • PLC programming (advantageous)
  • Instrument calibration procedures
  • Process control systems
  • Electrical schematics and loop diagrams
  • Familiar with test equipment (multimeters, calibrators, communicators)

Additional Requirements

• Valid drivers license
• Medically fit for mining environment