Instrumentation Technician

Tharisa Plc; Noordwes; On-site; ZAR 600,000 - 900,000; Full time

Job summary

Tharisa Plc is seeking an experienced instrumentation professional to manage and optimise plant instrumentation, PLC/SCADA/HMI networks, and maintenance programs. The role emphasizes safety, reliability, and cost efficiency while coordinating with operations, maintenance, and asset management teams.

Responsibilities include diagnosing complex instrumentation issues, implementing preventive maintenance, planning shutdowns, and ensuring compliance with health and safety regulations.

Qualifications

• Experience in instrumentation, control systems and automation within industrial plants.
• Ability to maintain, calibrate, repair and commission instrumentation and associated networks (PLC/SCADA/HMI).
• Familiarity with health, safety and environmental regulations in instrumentation operations.
• Competence in diagnosing complex instrumentation issues using test equipment.

Responsibilities

• Implement instrumentation strategies across the plant to optimise performance and cost efficiency.
• Develop and follow preventive maintenance programs to minimise downtime.
• Troubleshoot PLC, SCADA, HMI and networks; set action plans to minimise disruptions.
• Plan shutdown activities to keep equipment well-conditioned and safe.
• Support asset care and ensure availability of plant equipment through clear operational plans.
• Collaborate with operations and maintenance to optimise performance and safety.

Skills

Instrumentation

PLC

SCADA

HMI

Maintenance planning

Troubleshooting

Asset management

Team leadership

Tools

PLC

SCADA

HMI

Job description

• Implement instrumentation operational and tactical strategies across the plant by delivering on set operational plans in line with standard operating procedures to optimise performance and ensure cost efficiency.
• Keep abreast of changes in relevant guidelines and other legislation, to make recommendations where policies, processes and/or procedures require amendment.
• Deliver on maintenance, calibration, repair and commission instrumentation, control systems, PLCs, SCADA systems, and associated automation equipment to ensure safe, reliable, and efficient operation of plant processes.
• Implement preventive maintenance programs to minimise equipment downtime and optimise performance in line with health, safety and environmental regulations in instrumentation operations and TM's standards.
• Perform the troubleshooting and diagnostic process with regards to complex instrumentation issues, PLC, SCADA, HMI, and industrial communication networks.
• and set up action plans to minimise disruptions in operations.
• Execute critical daily maintenance tasks including the planning of shutdown activities to keep equipment well-conditioned and safe to operate to optimise instrumentation performance.
• Competent in the development, configuration, installation, commissioning, and maintenance of PLC, SCADA, HMI and industrial communication networks.
• Manage the implementation of clear operational plans and principles with regards to asset management to ensure safe and reliable asset care and optimum availability of plant equipment.
• Diagnose malfunctioning systems, apparatus, and components, using test equipment and hand tools, to locate the cause of a breakdown and correct the problem.
• Inspect plant equipment components and systems to identify hazards, defects, and the need for adjustment or repair, and to ensure compliance with the relevant standards.

Purpose of Role

Operational Management

• Implement instrumentation operational and tactical strategies across the plant by delivering on set operational plans in line with standard operating procedures to optimise performance and ensure cost efficiency.
• Keep abreast of changes in relevant guidelines and other legislation, to make recommendations where policies, processes and/or procedures require amendment.
• Deliver on maintenance, calibration, repair and commission instrumentation, control systems, PLCs, SCADA systems, and associated automation equipment to ensure safe, reliable, and efficient operation of plant processes.
• Implement preventive maintenance programs to minimise equipment downtime and optimise performance in line with health, safety and environmental regulations in instrumentation operations and TM's standards.
• Perform the troubleshooting and diagnostic process with regards to complex instrumentation issues, PLC, SCADA, HMI, and industrial communication networks.
• and set up action plans to minimise disruptions in operations.
• Execute critical daily maintenance tasks including the planning of shutdown activities to keep equipment well-conditioned and safe to operate to optimise instrumentation performance.
• Competent in the development, configuration, installation, commissioning, and maintenance of PLC, SCADA, HMI and industrial communication networks.
• Manage the implementation of clear operational plans and principles with regards to asset management to ensure safe and reliable asset care and optimum availability of plant equipment.
• Diagnose malfunctioning systems, apparatus, and components, using test equipment and hand tools, to locate the cause of a breakdown and correct the problem.
• Inspect plant equipment components and systems to identify hazards, defects, and the need for adjustment or repair, and to ensure compliance with the relevant standards.

Financial Monitoring and Control

• Analyse all relevant Department data and report on Departmental trends and operating requirements to recommend funding requirements for the instrumentation department.
• Monitor and control own spending and align spend in area of accountability, to support and maintain effective and efficient functioning within budgetary constraints.
• Manage own expenditure against budget allocations, requesting appropriate reallocation as required, to manage the prevention of unnecessary spend.
• Comply with all financial, Supply Chain Management (SCM) and other Tharisa Minerals (TM) regulations and policies by maintaining the right actions to reduce financial risk in area of accountability.

Supervisory Oversight

• Create and maintain a conducive work environment by appropriately applying Human Resources policies and procedures to ensure optimum performance is realised for the benefit of the Department and, by extension, the organisation.
• Supervise and monitor junior team members according to TM's leadership principles and values throughout the entire employee life cycle (performance management, reward etc) to ensure, inter alia, a high-performance culture.
• Actively seek coaching, mentorship, guidance from line management to gather impactful knowledge and identify and recommending opportunities for growth and improvement to drive the success of the team.
• Set clear goals and objectives for own development and monitor progress and sought regular feedback and guidance to achieve the set goals in line with TM's regulations and standards.
• Supervise and manage graduates and assistant's performance and forecasting the skills required to meet business demands and ensure training and upskilling initiatives to ensure the team remains competent and fit for purpose within their roles.

Stakeholder Relations

• Build and maintain relationships with internal and external stakeholders to ensure information, advice or opinions on relevant matters is made available and/or communicated with all relevant stakeholders, to manage expectations and timelines.
• Utilise opportunities presented to enhance the relationships and implement processes to maximise a collaborative working relationship.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams including operations, engineering and maintenance to support asset care and optimise performance to meet customer needs.
• Engage with all relevant Departments to address instrumentation related issues and provide advice and recommendations to ensure resolution and continuous improvement.
• Communicate with internal and/or external stakeholders, where required, to achieve work objectives and to maintain relationships.

Compliance, Risk and Safety

• Keep abreast of industry legislative and regulatory changes and drive the alignment of governance, risk and compliance frameworks in order to adhere to regulations and policies including the Mine Health and Safety Act 29 of 1996.
• Contribute to the development of the risk profile for the instrumentation department in order to manage critical risks and ensure feedback integration.
• Implement a work ethos across the department that is committed to safeguarding own and employee safety, health and wellbeing and take remedial actions where necessary to minimise incidents.
• Gather and record all maintenance and calibration activities, equipment performance and repairs to ensure compliance with company policies, procedures and regulatory standards.