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Lead Engineer

We are seeking an experienced and driven Lead Engineer to lead the engineering function within our water treatment business. This role is responsible for overseeing the design, technical quality, innovation, and successful delivery of water and wastewater treatment projects across multiple industries.

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The ideal candidate is both a strategic thinker and a hands-on engineering leader who enjoys solving complex technical challenges while mentoring a multidisciplinary engineering team. You will play a key role in ensuring every solution is technically robust, commercially viable, and aligned with the company’s commitment to quality, innovation, and sustainability.

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Key Responsibilities​

Engineering Leadership

  • Lead and manage the engineering department, including process, mechanical, electrical, and automation disciplines.

  • Establish engineering standards, best practices, and quality control procedures.

  • Mentor and develop engineering staff through coaching and technical guidance.

  • Build a culture of continuous improvement, innovation, and accountability.

  • Allocate engineering resources across multiple projects.

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Technical Leadership

  • Provide technical direction on complex water and wastewater treatment projects.

  • Review and approve engineering designs before manufacturing and construction.

  • Ensure systems are designed for performance, reliability, operability, and maintainability.

  • Solve complex engineering challenges throughout project execution.

  • Drive the development of new technologies and standardised treatment solutions.

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Project Support

  • Support the sales team with technical proposals and concept designs.

  • Review process flow diagrams (PFDs), P&IDs, equipment selections, and process calculations.

  • Participate in design reviews, HAZOP studies, and technical risk assessments.

  • Ensure engineering deliverables are completed on schedule and within budget.

  • Provide technical support during commissioning and troubleshooting when required.

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Engineering Design Oversight

Provide technical oversight for:

  • Reverse Osmosis (RO) systems

  • Ultrafiltration (UF)

  • Nanofiltration (NF)

  • Water softening systems

  • Media filtration

  • Wastewater treatment plants

  • Membrane bioreactors (MBR)

  • Clarification systems

  • Chemical dosing systems

  • Pumping systems

  • Containerised treatment plants

  • Industrial process water systems

  • Municipal water treatment solutions

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Innovation & Continuous Improvement

  • Identify opportunities to improve plant performance and reduce operating costs.

  • Develop standardised engineering solutions that improve manufacturing efficiency.

  • Evaluate emerging technologies and treatment processes.

  • Improve engineering documentation and design methodologies.

  • Lead research and development initiatives.

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Compliance & Quality

  • Ensure compliance with relevant South African regulations and international engineering standards.

  • Maintain high engineering documentation standards.

  • Ensure all designs comply with applicable safety requirements.

  • Review engineering calculations and technical reports.

  • Support ISO quality management systems where applicable.

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Cross-Functional Collaboration

Work closely with:

  • Project Managers

  • Manufacturing Team

  • Procurement

  • Commissioning Engineers

  • Automation Engineers

  • Sales & Business Development

  • Service & Maintenance Teams

to ensure successful project delivery from concept through commissioning.

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Minimum Qualifications

Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical, Chemical, Process, Civil, or Electrical Engineering.
Professional registration with ECSA (Pr Eng preferred).
10+ years of engineering experience within the water or wastewater treatment industry.
Minimum 5 years in a senior engineering leadership role.
Proven experience delivering large industrial water treatment projects.

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Bonus Technical Skills

Strong knowledge of:

  • Water treatment process design

  • Wastewater treatment processes

  • Membrane technologies (RO, UF, NF)

  • Hydraulic calculations

  • Pump selection

  • Piping design

  • Pressure vessels

  • Instrumentation and control

  • PLC/SCADA integration (working knowledge)

  • Process optimisation

  • Engineering documentation

  • Risk assessments

  • Technical report writing

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Software experience with:

  • AutoCAD

  • Autodesk Inventor or SolidWorks

  • Microsoft Project

  • Microsoft Office Suite

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Leadership Competencies

The successful candidate will demonstrate:

  • Strong technical leadership

  • Strategic thinking

  • Excellent problem-solving ability

  • Sound commercial awareness

  • High attention to detail

  • Strong communication skills

  • Ability to mentor and develop others

  • Decision-making under pressure

  • Excellent planning and organisational skills

  • Commitment to quality and continuous improvement

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Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

  • Engineering quality and compliance

  • Project delivery performance

  • Reduction in engineering errors and rework

  • Technical innovation and standardisation

  • Engineering team development

  • Successful commissioning outcomes

  • Customer satisfaction

  • Budget and resource management

  • Continuous improvement initiatives implemented

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Why Join Us?

You will join a team passionate about solving complex water challenges through innovative engineering. This role offers the opportunity to lead impactful projects across agriculture, industry, mining, hospitality, commercial developments, and municipal infrastructure while helping shape the future direction of our engineering capability.

If you are an experienced engineering leader with a passion for water treatment, technical excellence, and developing high-performing teams, we’d love to hear from you.

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