Mechanical Design Engineer

Copper Quail; Johannesburg; On-site; ZAR 900,000 - 1,200,000; Full time

Job summary

Copper Quail in Johannesburg is seeking a Mechanical Design Engineer to design, analyse and optimise mechanical systems for heavy mining and drilling equipment, combining detailed engineering, 3D CAD, calculations and field commissioning.

You will work with manufacturing, supply chain and development teams to deliver safe, manufacturable designs, perform engineering calculations, create models, drawings and BOMs, and drive design verification and field improvements.

Qualifications

• BEng or BSc in Mechanical Engineering.
• Candidate Engineer registration with ECSA.
• 5–8 years of mechanical design experience with heavy rotating, drilling or heavy equipment.
• Experience in mining, drilling or heavy-equipment OEM environments.
• Strong CAD modelling and manufacturing drawings capability.
• Experience with hydraulic systems.
• Valid driver's licence and medical fitness for workshop/underground site exposure.

Responsibilities

• Develop practical, manufacturable mechanical designs for heavy-duty equipment and assemblies.
• Produce engineering calculations, 3D models, drawings, BOMs and documentation.
• Design and integrate hydraulic and mechanically driven systems for demanding environments.
• Support design reviews, verification testing, prototype builds and commissioning.
• Collaborate with manufacturing, supply chain, operations and development teams.
• Investigate field issues and implement design improvements for reliability.
• Manage engineering changes and technical documentation.

Skills

CAD modelling

Engineering calculations

Design verification

Field commissioning

Heavy equipment design

Education

BEng / BSc Mechanical Engineering

Candidate Engineer - ECSA

Tools

Autodesk Inventor

SolidWorks

Ansys

Inventor Nastran

PLM systems

Job description

Johannesburg, South Africa | Posted on 09/16/2026

Copper Quail’s objective is to become a trusted partner within our clients’ organizations in Africa, understanding not only the people at their heart, but also their culture and ethos. We are Recruitment Advisors, specializing in Executive Search, Contingency Recruitment, Headhunting, Outsourced Labour and training. Using our significant market knowledge across, experience and judgement to help our clients employ the best qualified individuals for each position in Africa.

We’re known for our successful track record, responsiveness and discretion. We have a high performance culture and employ only experienced recruiters. These knowledgeable professionals provide a high level of service, deliver effective solutions and foster successful relationships through regular conversations with clients and candidates.

Job Description

Mechanical Design | Heavy Equipment | Hydraulics |Product Engineering

Role Overview

A Mechanical Design Engineer is required todesign, analyse and optimise mechanical systems, components and assemblies forheavy mining and drilling equipment. The position combines detailedengineering, CAD, calculations, design verification, manufacturing support andfield commissioning.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop practical, safe andmanufacturable mechanical designs for heavy-duty equipment and assemblies.
• Produce engineeringcalculations, 3D models, manufacturing drawings, bills of materials andtechnical documentation.
• Design and integrate hydraulicand mechanically driven systems for demanding operating environments.
• Support design reviews,verification testing, prototype builds and first-of-type commissioning.
• Work closely withmanufacturing, supply chain, operations and development engineering teams.
• Investigate field issues andimplement design improvements to enhance reliability, maintainability andperformance.
• Manage engineering changes,technical documentation and configuration requirements.
• Apply relevant drawing,tolerancing, structural and engineering standards throughout the designprocess.

Experience & Requirements

• BEng / BSc in MechanicalEngineering.
• Candidate Engineer registrationwith ECSA, with a clear path toward professional registration.
• 5-8 years of mechanical designengineering experience involving heavy rotating, drilling or comparable heavyequipment.
• Experience in mining, drillingor heavy-equipment OEM environments.
• Strong CAD modelling andmanufacturing-drawing capability, including engineering calculations and designverification.
• Experience with hydraulicsystems and hydraulically driven equipment.
• Valid driver's licence andmedical fitness for workshop and operational / underground site exposure.

Advantageous

• Advanced Autodesk Inventorand/or SolidWorks.
• FEA tools such as Ansys,Inventor Nastran or equivalent.
• DFMA and Product LifecycleManagement systems.
• Pr.Eng registration or relevantpostgraduate qualification.
• Experience with prototypetesting, commissioning and heavy underground mining equipment.

What Will Make You Successful

• Highly analytical anddetail-focused with strong technical judgement.
• Hands-on engineer comfortablein design office, workshop and field environments.
• Innovative, solution-orientedand disciplined around engineering standards.