Maintenance Technician: Instrumentation and Electrical

Pronel Personnel; Pinetown; On-site; ZAR 420,000 - 540,000; Full time

Job summary

Pronel Personnel seeks a Maintenance Technician with a strong Electrical and Instrumentation background to join a cGMP pharmaceutical manufacturer in Pinetown, KwaZulu-Natal. You will maintain plant utilities and process equipment, execute planned maintenance, and support CAPEX projects.

Expect fault-finding leadership, instrument calibration, and participation in validation studies (IQ/OQ/PQ). GMP/OSH awareness and PLC/SCADA experience are essential for this role.

Qualifications

• Minimum 3 years of work experience in a process or manufacturing environment.
• Minimum 3 years of hands-on experience with electrical installations and process instrumentation.
• Solid background in PLC programming, fault-finding, and SCADA systems.
• Working knowledge of Refrigeration, HVAC systems, and Cold Chain management.
• Familiarity with P&IDs.
• Exposure to GMP and OSH Act as it relates to electrical safety.

Responsibilities

• Perform routine checks and planned preventive maintenance on critical process utilities and manufacturing equipment.
• Calibrate control and measuring instruments according to production schedules.
• Analyze breakdowns, perform fault-finding, and implement root-cause repairs to minimize downtime.
• Serve on engineering standby team for after-hours call-outs and coordinate with third-party contractors.
• Ensure compliance with GMP and OSH Act; document incidents and deviations; support IQ/OQ/PQ validation and commissioning.
• Lead small CAPEX projects, plant improvements, and supervise contractors during upgrades.
• Assist production teams with startup, troubleshooting, and equipment setup; provide maintenance training.
• Maintain spare parts records and manage inventory to avoid outages.

Skills

PLC programming

Fault-finding

SCADA systems

Process instrumentation

Electrical installations

Refrigeration/HVAC knowledge

P&ID familiarity

Education

N6/S4 Electrical or Instrumentation + Millwright

BTech Electrical/Instrumentation + 1 Trade Test

Tools

SAP PM

Job description

Here is a clean, recruiter-friendly job advert designed to attract top technical talent while maintaining complete confidentiality.

Maintenance Technician: Instrumentation & Electrical

Location: Pinetown, KwaZulu-Natal

Industry: Pharmaceutical / High-Care Manufacturing

Position Type: Full-Time, Permanent

About the Role

Are you an experienced Maintenance Technician with a strong dual background in Electrical and Instrumentation?

We are seeking a skilled multi-trade technician to join a dynamic engineering team within a cGMP-compliant manufacturing environment. In this role, you will play a critical part in maintaining maximum online availability of plant utilities and process equipment, executing planned preventive maintenance, leading fault-finding efforts, and supporting CAPEX continuous improvement projects.

Key Responsibilities

• Plant Maintenance & Reliability:

  • Perform routine checks and planned preventive maintenance (PPM) on critical process utilities and manufacturing equipment.

  • Facilitate the calibration of control and measuring instruments according to strict production schedules.

  • Analyze breakdowns, execute rapid fault-finding, and implement root-cause repairs to minimize production downtime.

• Breakdown & Standby Support:

  • Serve as part of the engineering standby team to respond promptly to after-hours call-outs.

  • Liaise with third-party contractors for specialized repairs when necessary.

• Compliance & Validation:

  • Ensure all work complies with Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) standards and the OSH Act.

  • Prepare detailed incident and deviation reports following any equipment failures.

  • Support validation studies (IQ, OQ, PQ) and commissioning of new unit operations.

• Projects & Optimization:

  • Lead and support small-scale CAPEX projects, plant continuous improvements, and process optimizations.

  • Supervise project contractors during plant upgrades and installations.

• Operations Support & Training:

  • Assist production teams with machine start-ups, basic troubleshooting, and equipment setups.

  • Provide first-line maintenance training and skill evaluation for machine operators.

  • Maintain spare parts records and order necessary inventory to avoid stock outages.

Minimum Requirements

• Education & Trade Qualifications (Either option):

  • Option A: N6 or S4 in Electrical or Instrumentation Engineering AND Trade Tested Millwright, OR Trade Tested Technician with at least two trades (Electrical, Instrumentation, or Electromechanics).

  • Option B: BTech Degree in Electrical or Instrumentation Engineering AND 1 Trade Test.

• Experience:

  • Minimum 3 years of work experience in a process or manufacturing environment.

  • Minimum 3 years of hands-on experience with electrical installations and process instrumentation.

  • Solid background in PLC programming, fault-finding, and SCADA systems.

  • Working knowledge of Refrigeration, HVAC systems, and Cold Chain management.

  • Familiarity with Piping & Instrumentation Diagrams (P&IDs).

• Additional Requirements:

  • Valid driver’s license and own reliable transport (essential for standby/call-out duties).

  • Exposure to GMP and experience using SAP PM (or a similar maintenance management system) are strongly advantageous.

  • Sound knowledge of the OSH Act as it pertains to electrical safety.

Key Competencies & Personal Attributes

• Strong analytical problem-solving skills with the ability to troubleshoot independently.

• Excellent technical report writing and oral communication skills.

• High level of accountability, engineering professionalism, and a positive, proactive attitude.

• Strong team player capable of collaborating with cross-functional operations and engineering teams.