Mechanical Engineer

Sappi; Mbombela (Nelspruit); On-site; ZAR 480,000 - 640,000; Full time

Job summary

Sappi in Mpumalanga is hiring a Mechanical Engineer to maximise equipment performance in a safe, legal and cost-effective manner. You will lead maintenance standards and support capital projects.

The role covers SHEQ compliance, root-cause analyses, budget control, reporting, and stakeholder communication with internal teams and external contractors. A recognized engineering degree and relevant experience are required.

Qualifications

• BSc / BEng / BEng Tech / Advanced Diploma in Mechanical Engineering.
• 2–8 years’ maintenance experience in heavy industry.
• Supervisory experience is advantageous.
• SAP experience is advantageous.
• Government Certificate of Competence (Factories) advantageous.
• Registration as a professional engineer advantageous.

Responsibilities

• Health, Safety, Environmental and Quality: enforce compliance with policies and ISO standards.
• Operational Excellence: maintain equipment integrity, lead root-cause analyses, and plan shutdowns.
• Budget and Cost Control: oversee expenditure and support capital planning within budget.
• Reporting: provide weekly maintenance performance and cost updates to the Maintenance Manager.
• Build Customer Relations: maintain proactive communication with internal and external customers and suppliers.

Skills

Leadership

Education

BSc / BEng / BEng Tech / Advanced Diploma in Mechanical Engineering

Tools

SAP

Job description

We are hiring! At Sappi, we are a leading global provider with a reputation for delivering high-quality sustainable Woodfibre products and solutions for the global markets. We lead through our values centred around safety, integrity, courage, making smart decisions which we execute with speed. We are seeking unique people who believe in fostering a diverse and inclusive and safe environment. We are on the lookout for a Mechanical Engineer to maximize equipment performance in a safe, legal, and cost-effective manner.

As a Mechanical Engineer, You Will Be Responsible For

Health, Safety, Environmental and Quality

• Enforce statutory compliance, SHEQ policies, ISO standards (9000/14001/50001/45001), permit-to-work rules, and hazardous waste protocols.
• Educate and guide the technical team via regular inspections, detailed record-keeping, Safe Work Procedures, and Critical Task Analyses.

Operational Excellence

• Develop, implement, and audit maintenance standards and business processes to maintain equipment integrity and legal compliance.
• Lead root-cause failure analyses, coordinate corrective repairs, and execute both long-term and incidental shutdown planning.
• Analyze SAP maintenance data, manage external contractor alliances, and perform required standby and overtime duties.

Budget and Cost Control

• Oversee maintenance expenditure, track weekly variances against budget, and handle purchase approvals within delegated authority.
• Propose cost-effective plant changes/business cases, support 5-year capital planning, and manage capital renewal projects on budget.

Reporting

• Provide weekly reports to the Maintenance Manager Mechanical covering overall plant performance, engineering issues, and costs.

Build Customer Relations

• Maintain proactive communication with internal and external customers/suppliers, responding promptly to feedback with corrective action.

What are we looking for?

• BSc / BEng / BEng Tech / Advanced Diploma in Mechanical Engineering.
• Minimum of 2 to 8 years’ maintenance experience in heavy industry.
• Supervisory experience and relevant management qualifications are advantageous.
• SAP experience would be advantageous.
• Government Certificate of Competence (Factories) would be advantageous.
• Registration as a professional engineer would be advantageous.

What’s in it for you?

• Opportunity to work within a global organisation that continues to thrive in a rapidly changing world even after 80 years of existence.
• Learning and development programmes to fast-track your career within Sappi.
• Opportunities to travel.
• Market leading leave benefits.
• Employee wellbeing benefits.