Principal Process Engineer

SENET; Johannesburg; On-site; ZAR 1,500,000 - 2,100,000; Full time

Job summary

SENET invites applications for a Principal Process Engineer to lead chemical/metallurgical process design across projects, ensuring compliance with all engineering standards, and delivering within time and cost constraints.

You will oversee PFD/P&ID development, mass and energy balances, equipment sizing, and process control philosophies, while mentoring a multi-disciplinary team through design, commissioning and start-up phases in mining or mineral processing environments.

Qualifications

• Experience leading process design on EPC/EPCM mining or mineral projects.
• Ability to interpret client requirements and guide design decisions.
• Strong communication and report writing skills.
• ECSA registration desired or pursuing PrEng.

Responsibilities

• Lead process engineering deliverables including PFDs, P&IDs, and mass/energy balances.
• Define scope, design basis and plant requirements with clients and multidisciplinary teams.
• Coordinate equipment sizing, utility requirements and process control philosophies.
• Provide technical oversight during construction, commissioning and start-up.
• Prepare technical reports, feasibility studies and operating manuals.

Skills

Process design

PFD/P&ID

Mass and energy balances

Equipment sizing

Technical leadership

Project coordination

MS Office

Education

B-Tech Degree Chemical/ Metallurgical Engineering

BEng/BSc in Chemical/ Metallurgical Engineering

ECSA registration (PrEng or working toward it preferred)

Registration with SAIMM; AusIMM etc

Tools

MS Office

Job description

SENET is seeking for a Principal Process Engineer to lead and develop a process engineering designs incorporating all relevant deliverables and activities to the governing process, and other engineering standards and design criteria and while keeping within the budget for time and cost as dictated by project requirements. The Principal Process Engineer will be required to take a leading role on all process engineering related matters on projects and/or studies.

KEY AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY

• Interpret client requirements and constraints, providing technical guidance and ensuring alignment with project objectives.
• Lead the development of metallurgical test work programmes in collaboration with test work engineers and laboratories, translating results into process flowsheets and design criteria.
• Define and oversee process scope of work, design basis; design criteria, battery limits and overall plant requirements.
• Direct, lead and review process engineering deliverables, including mass and energy balances, process flow diagrams (PFDs) Piping & Instrumentation Diagrams (P&ID’s), block flow diagrams and process control philosophies.
• Lead equipment sizing, specifications, schedules, process duty sheets and determination of preliminary power and utility requirements.
• Provide technical oversight and approval of equipment specifications, material selection, process control systems and technical adjudications.
• Coordinate and liaise with clients, multidisciplinary engineering teams and drawing offices to ensure technical compliance and timely project delivery.
• Lead and participate in design and model reviews, ensuring plant operability, maintainability and compliance with process requirements.
• Oversee the preparation and review of technical reports, feasibility studies, OPEX calculations, operating manuals and training documentation.
• Provide technical leadership and support during plant construction, commissioning and start-up, ensuring that design intent is achieved.
• Identify process deviations, recommend remedial modifications and support project close-out activities.

COMMISSIONING AND PROJECT SUPPORT

• Provide technical oversight during construction inspections and commissioning planning.
• Guide the development of commissioning procedures and programmes.
• Support cold, dry and hot commissioning activities where required.
• Ensure process design requirements are achieved during plant start-up and operation.
• Oversee technical reporting, remedial recommendations and project close-out documentation.

QUALIFICATIONS

• B-Tech Degree Chemical/ Metallurgical Engineering
• Beng/BSc in Chemical/ Metallurgical Engineering
• ECSA registration (PrEng or working toward it preferred)
• Registration with any of the institutions SAIMM; AusIMM etc

EXPERIENCE

• Minimum 15 years total in Industry
• Minimum 2 years in Plant Operations or Commissioning
• Minimum 5 years in Research & Development or Design
• Experience in within EPC/EPCM environments
• Experience in mining or mineral processing projects (advantageous)
• Technical and general fluency in English in verbal and written communication.
• Computer literacy in MS Office suite
• Manage man-hour budget and report to VP Processing on deviations.
• Technical Report Writing Skills Required
• Ability to prioritise own work and plan activities

We are an equal opportunity employer, celebrating diversity and valuing varied perspective for stronger teams. Discrimination based on race, ethnicity, religion, color, birthplace, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status or disability is discouraged.