Lead Irrigation Engineer - Cape Town, Water Tech Leader

Placements24; Cape Town; On-site; ZAR 1,500,000 - 2,100,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary + incentives

Medical aid

Retirement fund

Professional development

Cape Town facility

Job summary

Placements24 seeks a Lead Agricultural Engineer in Cape Town to lead the design, implementation and optimization of advanced irrigation systems for large-scale farming. The role focuses on water management, hydraulic engineering and precision irrigation technologies to improve water use efficiency.

The candidate will guide a multidisciplinary team, ensure project delivery within timelines and budgets, and engage with farmers, agronomists, and regulators in South Africa.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Agricultural Engineering, Civil Engineering (water resources) or related discipline.
• Minimum 8 years of professional experience in agricultural irrigation design, project management and field implementation.
• Proven expertise in hydraulics, fluid mechanics and water resource management.

Responsibilities

• Lead the engineering team in conceptualization, design, and development of irrigation and water management solutions.
• Oversee installation, commissioning and maintenance of complex irrigation systems within timelines and budgets.
• Conduct site assessments to determine optimal irrigation strategies considering soils, crops and climate in Western Cape.
• Utilize modeling tools to predict performance and identify water efficiency improvements.
• Develop testing protocols to ensure reliability of irrigation components and systems.
• Provide mentorship to junior engineers and field staff.
• Collaborate with farmers, agronomists and agencies for project outcomes and regulatory compliance.
• Research and integrate sensor networks, IoT and AI-driven controls into irrigation infrastructure.

Skills

Hydraulics

Fluid mechanics

Water resources

Irrigation scheduling

AutoCAD

SolidWorks

Irrigation design tools

Leadership

Stakeholder management

Problem solving

Education

Bachelors/Masters in Agricultural or Civil Eng (water resources)

Tools

AutoCAD

SolidWorks

Job description

Placements24 seeks a Lead Agricultural Engineer in Cape Town to lead the design, implementation and optimization of advanced irrigation systems for large-scale farming. The role focuses on water management, hydraulic engineering and precision irrigation technologies to improve water use efficiency.

The candidate will guide a multidisciplinary team, ensure project delivery within timelines and budgets, and engage with farmers, agronomists, and regulators in South Africa.