Principal Engineer Mechanical

SmartRecruiters, Inc.; Johannesburg; On-site; ZAR 1,200,000 - 2,000,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Meaningful work

Market-aligned reward

Learning and progression

Job summary

Valterra Platinum, a leading PGM producer, seeks a technical leader to drive reliability and defect elimination across its mining and processing operations. You will own RCA processes, mentor engineers, and partner with OEMs to embed best practices for safe, cost-effective asset performance.

This role is based at Rosebank, Johannesburg, and offers opportunities to shape the PGM value chain while fostering a culture of continuous improvement and engineering excellence.

Qualifications

• Demonstrated thought leadership in reliability systems and defect elimination.
• Deep knowledge of failure mechanisms, metallurgy, corrosion and related processes.
• Experience with major failure investigations and RCA-focused methodologies.
• Strong understanding of design, execution, and maintenance processes.

Responsibilities

• Provide technical leadership for reliability across platinum operations.
• Set guidelines for excellence in Reliability and Defect Elimination.
• Drive RCA/DE implementation and share learnings across the organization.
• Collaborate with OEMs to ensure root causes are addressed in designs.
• Inject reliability thinking into new designs and maintenance planning.
• Oversee CoP governance and alignment with service strategies.

Skills

Reliability systems

Defect elimination

Failure mechanisms

Metallurgy

Corrosion

Heat treatment

Condition monitoring

Root cause analysis

ERP modules

Data analytics

Mining engineering

Safety standards

Education

Bachelors in Mechanical or Electrical Engineering

Postgraduate in Failure Mechanisms/Reliability

Registered Professional Engineer

Govt certificate (Mining and Factories)

Tools

ERP systems

Data warehousing

Projects modules

Job description

• Business Entity: Africa - Platinum Group Metals (PGMs)(BU005)

Company Description

Valterra Platinum, formerly Anglo American Platinum, is a leading primary producer of platinum group metals (PGMs), with integrated mining, smelting, and refining operations in South Africa and Zimbabwe, marketing the metal we produce globally. Following our demerger from Anglo American plc, Valterra Platinum is now an independent, publicly listed company with a primary and secondary listing on the Johannesburg and London stock exchanges respectively.

As we embark on this exciting new chapter, Valterra Platinum is positioned to define and pursue its own strategy, anchored in operational excellence, sustainability, and value creation for the long-term. With full accountability for our performance and growth, we are focused on strengthening our capabilities across the entire PGM value chain, from mine to market.

Our independence empowers us to deepen our commitment to stakeholders and lead with purpose – to Unearth Value to Better Our World. We remain steadfast in our ambition to be the world’s foremost producer of platinum group metals, while embedding safety and sustainability in everything we do.

If you're driven by purpose and the opportunity to make a lasting impact, we invite you to join us. Apply today and be part of something bigger.

This role is based in 144 Oxford Road, Rosebank

Job Description

To provide technical leadership and governance for reliability and mechanical engineering across platinum operations, ensuring safe, reliable and cost-effective asset performance through engineering standards, risk management, defect elimination and continuous improvement

Performance and Delivery

• Set the Guidelines and expectations for excellence in Reliability and Defect Elimination across platinum operations.
• Drive Technical best practices in the processes for Root Cause Analysis and Defect Elimination.
• Drive the social and organisational best practices to move the organisation to a High Reliability Organisation thereby transforming the company towards:
  • Having chronic unease / preoccupation with defects and failures no matter how small
  • Ensuring high quality experts with the skill and knowledge of failure mechanisms
  • The tenacity to investigate to the root cause and not stop at symptoms of a problem
  • Have a practical approach to operations and what can be implemented.
  • Creating a reliability culture that is resilient and sustainable.
• Is the custodian of the reliability CoP’s and excellence where guidance, learnings and best practices are shared.
• Oversight of RCA/DE implementation, value add across the Platinum organisation.
• Involvement with more complex RCA’s in the organisation
• Involvement with OEM’s on common problems and ensure that root causes flow back to the OEM to ensure engineering solutions are designed out of the equipment or process – monitor this.
• Via the CoP’s, Equipment Asset Owners, and the Master Data Governance Group ensure that root causes make their way back into the service strategies and tactics.
• Building of Reliability Block Diagrams, driving the discussion on opportunities and risks
• Involvement with project teams to ensure maintainability and reliability thinking are injected into new designs.

Qualifications

• Bachelors degree in Mechanical or Electrical Engineering
• A postgraduate degree in Failure Mechanisms or Reliability Systems (Desirable)
• Registered Professional Engineer (Desirable)
• Government certificate of Competence. (Mining and Factories) (Desirable)

Experience:

• 7 – 10 years working experience

Technical knowledge (experience) required for role:

• A demonstrated thought leader and considered an expert in reliability systems and defect elimination
• Significant knowledge of failure mechanisms, Metallurgy, Corrosion, heat treatment, welding, Clean Fluids, Condition Monitoring Alignment and Balancing.
• Experience with major failure investigations,
• Good knowledge of design, execution, operational readiness, work management and maintenance supply processes
• Advanced ERP competencies in the Engineering, Costing, Material Management, Data Warehousing and Projects Modules.
• Expert in reliability centred maintenance.
• Advanced analytical skills.
• Advanced Data Management skills.
• Advanced knowledge of mining operations and associated engineering practices.
• Expert in process equipment including technology development, including:
  • Concentrators
  • Smelters
  • Converters
  • Boilers
  • Autoclaves etc.
• Expert knowledge and application of engineering safety standards, risk management principles and safe work practices.

Additional Information

What We Offer

At Valterra Platinum, you will join a team committed to excellence and impact.

We offer:

• Meaningful work in a high-performance, values-led environment.
• Market-aligned reward and recognition.
• Opportunities for learning, development and progression.
• A culture that respects diversity and encourages innovation.
• A clear commitment to safe Operations.

Inclusion and Diversity

Valterra Platinum is an equal opportunities employer. We are committed to promoting an inclusive and diverse workplace where we value and respect every colleague for who they are and provide equality of opportunity so that everyone can fulfill their potential.
Valterra Platinum has a zero tolerance to dignity harms, these include all acts of gender based violence, bullying, harassment and victimisation. Ensuring the safety of our employees extends beyond physical safety and includes the eradication of harmful behaviours from our workplace. This responsibility extends to everyone at Valterra Platinum both during work hours and outside of work. We are unconditional in creating a respectful, inclusive, and safe working environment to ensure that no colleague will be violated or harassed under our watch.

Closing Date

12 October 2026