Process Control / Smart Plant Engineer

Optim-G Sourcing; Gauteng; On-site; ZAR 800 000 - 1 200 000; Full time

Job summary

A leading engineering firm in South Africa is seeking a senior process engineer with extensive experience in industrial process control and advanced process control (APC) systems. The ideal candidate will have at least 25 years of experience, particularly in the mining or minerals processing industry, with a strong understanding of process control systems and data historian tools. Responsibilities include conducting process studies, tuning APC systems, and providing client support post-implementation.

Qualifications

• Minimum 25 years of experience in industrial process control, preferably mining.
• Exposure to advanced process control (APC) systems.
• Experience with minerals processing plants.

Responsibilities

• Conduct plant visits and evaluate production performance.
• Translate process study findings into solution requirements.
• Perform daily APC performance checks and controller tuning.
• Support clients post-implementation with optimization workshops.

Skills

Industrial process control

Data historian tools

PID tuning principles

Control strategy logic

Education

BEng / BSc in Chemical or Metallurgical Engineering

Tools

Siemens PCS 7

Rockwell

Honeywell

PI

Dart

Job description

Qualifications & Experience Required

BEng / BSc in Chemical, or Metallurgical Engineering. 25 years of experience in industrial process control, with exposure to APC, preferably in the mining or minerals processing industry. Familiarity with process control systems (e.g., Siemens PCS 7, Rockwell, Yokogawa, Honeywell).

Working knowledge of data historian tools and trending systems

Working knowledge of data historian tools and trending systems (e.g., PI, IP.21, Phoenix, Dart, PI, Rockwell, ABB, Aveva).

Solid understanding of PID tuning principles and control strategy logic

Solid understanding of PID tuning principles and control strategy logic.

Preferred Experience

Exposure to rule-based or model predictive APC systems. Experience supporting production reporting and OEE initiatives. Practical exposure to process areas such as milling, flotation, leaching, or smelting. (minerals processing plants like precious metals, base metals, coal, manganese, diamonds) Experience with OPC and other integration technologies and protocols.

Key Responsibilities

Consulting & Process Studies: Conduct plant visits and engage with operations, engineering, and maintenance teams. Perform structured process studies to evaluate production performance, control loop health, and optimization opportunities. Develop baseline assessments and support the business case development for improvement initiatives. Solution Design & Implementation: Translate process study findings into solution requirements (e.g., reporting formats, control strategies, APC logic). Configure, implement, and test APC solutions using our Smart Plant stack (Psibyl, Phoenix RTE, Opto One, Dart, etc.). Assist in deploying and integrating data historian and reporting tools (Phoenix DB, Fluid Reports).

APC Tuning & Operational Support

Perform daily APC performance checks, controller tuning, and optimization tasks. Analyse operational reports and dashboards to identify deviations and propose improvements. Support change management and operator engagement during system rollouts. Reporting & KPI Development: Design and validate production and engineering reports aligned with client needs. Provide input on dashboard visualizations and KPIs for operations and management reporting. Assist in defining and maintaining the "single source of truth" for operational data.

Continuous Improvement & Client Support

Support clients post-implementation through troubleshooting, performance reviews, and optimization workshops. Collaborate with internal developers, control engineers, and process experts to improve solution modules. Stay current with emerging trends in process optimization, APC, and digital mining.