Maintenance Technician: Instrumentation and Electrical X2

NBISA Recruitment; Durban; On-site; ZAR 360,000 - 480,000; Full time

Job summary

National Bioproducts Institute NPC in Durban seeks a Maintenance Technician: Instrumentation and Electrical to ensure reliability of utilities and process equipment in GMP manufacturing. You will perform preventative maintenance, calibrate instruments, troubleshoot PLC/SCADA systems, and support engineering projects within GMP and safety regulations.

The role requires relevant education (N6 trades or Diploma/Degree in Electrical/Electronics) with experience in a process environment.

Qualifications

• Entry routes include N6 with two trades or Diploma/Degree in Electrical/Electronic Engineering with relevant experience or BEngTech.
• Experience in a pharmaceutical or regulated environment preferred.
• Knowledge of electrical installations, PPE, and safety regulations.

Responsibilities

• Perform routine maintenance on plant, utilities and process equipment to ensure correct operation.
• Calibrate critical instruments against traceable standards and document results.
• Diagnose faults in PLC/SCADA systems and implement corrective actions under change control.
• Support commissioning and qualification activities for new/modified equipment.
• Provide first-line technical support to Operations and coordinate with third-party service providers.

Skills

Fault diagnosis

Electrical maintenance

Instrumentation maintenance

PLC programming

SCADA experience

Electrical schematics

Education

Diploma - Advanced Certificate

Tools

Studio 5000 Logix Designer

Rockwell FactoryTalk View SE

Rockwell FactoryTalk View ME

Job description

Maintenance Technician: Instrumentation and Electrical X2

Details

Closing Date 2026/09/18

Reference Number NBI260901-2

Job Type Permanent

Job Title Maintenance Technician: Instrumentation and Electrical X2

Department Engineering Sciences, Projects and Technical Services

Job Grade 11

Workplace Type On-site

Location - Country South Africa

Location - Province KwaZulu-Natal

Location - Town / City Durban

Minimum Education Level Diploma - Advanced Certificate

Application Closing Date 18-Sep-2026

Job Category Pharmaceutical

Job Advert Summary

Guided by its purpose to provide products for patients to alleviate pain and suffering and improve their quality of life, NBI’s vision is to be the leading African manufacturer and supplier of quality therapeutic proteins and diagnostic products.

National Bioproducts Institute NPC has a vacancy for the role of Maintenance Technician: Instrumentation and Electrical . The successful incumbent will be required to:

Ensure the availability and reliability of the utilities and process equipment on which GMP manufacture depends, so that production is not interrupted by electrical or instrumentation failure.

The role delivers electrical and instrumentation expertise within the Engineering team: planned and breakdown maintenance, calibration of critical measuring and control instruments, standby cover, and support to engineering projects through installation, commissioning and qualification. All work is executed and documented in accordance with GMP requirements and the Occupational Health and Safety Act 85 of 1993 and its regulations.

When required, the incumbent assists other engineering disciplines, including mechanical, HVAC and utilities, in a supporting capacity only. Such work is performed under the direction of the responsible artisan or technician for that discipline and remains within the limits of the incumbent’s training, competence and authorisation

Applications are invited from suitably qualified and experienced candidates.

One of the following three entry routes:

• N6 in electrical or instrumentation engineering, with two relevant trade tests — instrumentation and electrical, or millwright together with an instrumentation trade test — and more than three years’ relevant experience; or
• National Diploma (or Diploma in Engineering Technology) in Electronic or Electrical Engineering, or an equivalent NQF-registered qualification, with three years’ relevant experience; or
• BEngTech (or the former B-Tech) in Electronic or Electrical Engineering, or an equivalent NQF-registered qualification, with two years’ relevant experience.
• Training or demonstrated competence in Allen-Bradley CompactLogix programming using Studio 5000 Logix Designer, and in Rockwell FactoryTalk View SE and View ME.
• Working knowledge of the Occupational Health and Safety Act 85 of 1993 and the regulations applicable to this role, in particular the Electrical Installation Regulations, Electrical MachineryRegulations and General Machinery Regulations, including isolation, lock-out/tag-out and permit-to-work requirements.
• A valid wireman’s licence (registered person under the Electrical Installation Regulations) is an added advantage.
• Relevant experience gained in a process or manufacturing environment; pharmaceutical or other regulated manufacture preferred.
• Maintenance and fault finding on electrical installations and process instrumentation.
• PLC programming and fault finding on Allen-Bradley CompactLogix using Studio 5000 Logix Designer.
• SCADA and HMI experience on Rockwell FactoryTalk View SE and View ME, including screen navigation, alarm handling and tag configuration.
• Maintenance of refrigeration and HVAC systems.
• GMP exposure preferred.
• Sound understanding of engineering principles.
• Able to read and interpret piping and instrumentation diagrams and electrical schematics
• Report writing, and participation in project and investigation work.

Duties & Responsibilities

Equipment availability and routine maintenance

• Perform routine checks on plant, utilities and process equipment to confirm correct operation.
• Execute maintenance activities in accordance with the approved preventive maintenance plan and schedule.
• Calibrate, or facilitate the calibration of, critical measuring and control instruments against traceable standards, to defined schedules and production requirements.
• Investigate and report out-of-tolerance calibration results, and assess the impact on product and process.

Fault finding, repair and prevention of recurrence

• Diagnose faults and determine the maintenance or repair work required to restore production.
• Fault find on PLC and SCADA systems, including Allen‑Bradley CompactLogix (Studio 5000) and FactoryTalk View SE and ME; any change to programme logic, parameters or configuration is made only under approved change control.
• Support deviation and incident investigations to root cause.
• Implement or recommend corrective and preventive actions arising from investigations.
• Provide technical liaison to third‑party service providers where repairs cannot be completed on site, and verify that the work performed meets the technical requirement.

Standby and after‑hours response

• Participate in the standby roster and respond to call‑outs in accordance with the standby policy.
• Maintain the ability to reach site within the response time defined in the standby policy.
• Diagnose and repair breakdowns to restore production; where the fault cannot be resolved, elevate to the Engineering Supervisor or Engineering Manager, who will agree next steps with respect to product integrity.
• Support Operations with equipment start‑ups and pre‑production checks.
• Hand over unresolved work and interim measures to the incoming shift or dayshift team.

Planned maintenance execution and GMP documentation

• Co‑ordinate and execute planned maintenance activities on NBI equipment.
• Perform isolations and lock‑out/tag‑out in accordance with approved procedures before work commences.
• Work under the applicable permit‑to‑work system, including hot work and confined space, where required.
• Complete maintenance, calibration and work‑order documentation contemporaneously, legibly and in accordance with GMP data integrity requirements.
• Close out work orders in SAP PM and maintain accurate equipment records.

Spares usage and availability

• Record all spares used against the relevant work order and equipment.
• Identify and recommend critical spares for stocking, based on equipment criticality and failure history.
• Notify the Engineering Supervisor of job‑specific spares required, in time to avoid extended downtime.
• Report shortages, incorrect items or unsuitable spares identified during a job.

First‑line technical support to Operations

• Provide practical demonstrations of equipment set‑up, operation and shut‑down.
• Coach operators in first‑line maintenance and basic troubleshooting.
• Provide technical input to maintenance and operating instructions for specified plant and equipment, and initiate updates through change control when equipment or procedures change.

Commissioning and technical support to qualification

• Co‑ordinate and execute commissioning of new and modified unit operations, including installation checks, functional testing and setting to work.
• Prepare and present equipment for qualification, confirming installation, calibration and functional readiness before protocol execution.
• Provide technical support to Validation during IQ, OQ and PQ execution, including operating equipment and demonstrating functions as required.
• Resolve engineering faults identified during qualification and report the outcome to Validation and the Engineering Supervisor.

Engineering projects and continuous improvement

• Support capacity expansion and capital (CAPEX) projects within the electrical and instrumentation scope.
• Provide technical input to project scope, installation requirements and equipment specifications.
• Identify and recommend process and equipment improvements that increase reliability or efficiency.

• Support change control for modifications to GMP equipment and systems.