Senior Tailings Engineer (South Africa)

Jones & Wagener; Johannesburg; On-site; ZAR 1,200,000 - 1,800,000; Full time

Job summary

Jones & Wagener (Pty) Ltd is seeking a senior tailings engineer based in Rivonia, Johannesburg, to lead design and surveillance of tailings storage facilities and return water dams. The role requires 7+ years in tailings, a Civil Engineering degree, and ECSA registration.

You will travel across Africa, supervise a project team, and collaborate with project managers to ensure safety, quality, and compliance on challenging geotechnical projects. Experience in CPTu is preferred.

Qualifications

• More than 7 years of tailings engineering experience.
• BEng or BSc Eng in Civil Engineering.
• Postgraduate geotechnical experience advantageous.
• Registered Professional Engineer with ECSA.
• Strong understanding of soil mechanics.
• Knowledge of CPTu testing & interpretation.
• Experience in geotechnical investigations & tailings dam breach assessments.
• Proficient in MS Word/Excel/Outlook/PowerPoint/Projects.
• Proficient in AutoCAD Civil 3D or Modelmaker.

Responsibilities

• Plan and schedule projects.
• Prepare proposals and appoint sub-contractors.
• Surveil tailings storage facilities and return water dams.
• Support Engineer of Record in annual audits.
• Travel to sites in SA, Tanzania and West Africa.
• Lead design of tailings storage facilities and related infrastructure.
• Conduct stability analyses of various facilities.

Skills

Tailings engineering

GeoStudio

Plaxis

Slide

AutoCAD Civil 3D

MS Office

MS Projects/Primavera

Water/ dam design

Education

BEng or BSc Eng in Civil Engineering

Postgraduate geotechnical engineering (advantage)

Professional Engineer (ECSA)

Tools

GeoStudio

Plaxis

Slide

AutoCAD Civil 3D

Modelmaker

MS Projects/Primavera

Job description

Salary package: Market related salary including company benefits, dependent on individuals experience and qualifications.

Closing Date: 31/01/2027

Jones & Wagener is seeking to employ a senior-level self-motivated tailings engineer with more than 7 years of tailings-related experience, in the tailings department, based in our Rivonia offices, on a full-time basis. The engineer would contribute to new and existing projects and assist project managers and project directors with the surveillance of existing tailings storage facilities and the design of new ones, as well as return water dams.

The requirements associated with the position are as follows:

• More than 7 years of tailings engineering experience
• B Eng or BSc Eng in Civil Engineering
• Postgraduate experience in geotechnical engineering will be advantageous
• Registered as a Professional Engineer with ECSA
• A strong fundamental understanding and knowledge of soil mechanics
• A strong fundamental understanding and knowledge of CPTu testing and interpretation
• A strong fundamental understanding and knowledge of related laboratory testing of soils and tailings material
• A strong understanding of the various types of engineering contracts
• Experience in geotechnical investigations
• Experience in Tailings Dam Breach Assessments
• Candidate should have at least 5 years of experience with limit equilibrium and numerical slope stability and seepage analysis, with a strong understanding of software such as GeoStudio, Plaxis or Slide.
• Candidate should be proficient in MS Word, MS Excel, MS Outlook, MS PowerPoint and MS Projects / Primavera
• Candidate should be proficient in AutoCAD Civil 3D or Modelmaker
• Valid driver’s license and passport

Key responsibilities will include:

• Planning and scheduling of projects
• Compilation of proposals and appointment of sub-contractors and sub-consultants
• Surveillance of tailings storage facilities and return water dams
• Performing as and/or assisting the Engineer of Record (EoR) in carrying out annual audit inspections on tailings storage facilities and return water dams
• Travel to sites, predominantly South Africa, Tanzania and West Africa, to conduct site inspections related to monitoring and construction management
• Driving and managing the design of new tailings storage facilities, return water dams or associated infrastructure, together with travelling to the site to conduct field investigations relevant to the project
• Performing and overseeing stability analysis of various facilities and types of residue
• Transfer of knowledge and delegating work to a team of graduate, junior and intermediate level engineers
• Should be able to manage a project and report back to project managers and directors
• Keep up with the latest developments in the tailings industry and improve the knowledge base.

Preference to candidates with the following skills and attributes:

• Good critical thinking and problem-solving skills
• Good communication skills, fluent in English
• Dynamic, self-motivated, takes responsibility and ownership of tasks
• Able to manage client relationships, source new work and promote the company service offerings
• Able to manage time effectively
• Attention to detail
• Strong mentoring skills.
• Strong organisational and planning skills.