Principal Industrial Engineer: Design & Innovation Leader

Placements24; Durban; Hybrid; ZAR 1,200,000 - 1,800,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical and retirement benefits

Performance-based incentives

Professional growth opportunities

Job summary

Placements24 seeks a Principal Industrial Engineer to lead design and implementation of advanced production systems in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal. You will guide multi-disciplinary teams, apply simulation and optimization, and develop scalable manufacturing solutions.

The role requires a Doctorate or Master's in Industrial Engineering with 10+ years of experience, strong leadership, and proven track record in large-scale projects. Robotics/IoT exposure is a plus for this executive role.

Qualifications

• Doctorate or Master’s in Industrial Engineering or closely related field.
• ≥10 years in industrial engineering focusing on production system design and implementation.
• Lead/principal engineer on large-scale manufacturing projects.
• Expert in simulation software AnyLogic or Simio, plus optimization techniques.
• Knowledge of lean manufacturing, Six Sigma, and agile project management.
• Strong leadership, strategic vision and complex problem‑solving.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management.
• Experience with robotics and IoT is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Lead the design of new and re-engineered production systems.
• Apply simulation, optimization, and SPC to system design.
• Develop process diagrams, layouts, and material handling strategies.
• Perform performance analysis and capacity planning for facilities.
• Mentor a team of engineers and technical staff.
• Collaborate with R&D, operations, and IT for system integration.
• Build business cases for major capital investments in production systems.
• Drive continuous improvement focused on throughput, reliability, and cost.
• Ensure designs comply with safety, environmental, and quality regulations for KwaZulu-Natal.

Skills

Leadership

Strategic thinking

Communication

Stakeholder management

Problem solving

Agile PM

Lean Six Sigma

Team mentoring

Education

Doctorate or Master’s in Industrial Engineering

Tools

AnyLogic

Simio

Job description

Placements24 seeks a Principal Industrial Engineer to lead design and implementation of advanced production systems in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal. You will guide multi-disciplinary teams, apply simulation and optimization, and develop scalable manufacturing solutions.

The role requires a Doctorate or Master's in Industrial Engineering with 10+ years of experience, strong leadership, and proven track record in large-scale projects. Robotics/IoT exposure is a plus for this executive role.