Senior Project Engineer

About the Role

My client, a leading mining company, is looking for a Senior Project Engineer to join their projects team in Rosebank, for an 18 month contract. Applicants must be willing and able to travel to site as and when required. Reporting to the Owner's Team Engineer, the purpose of the role is to take accountability for technical oversight and assurance of multiple projects, serving as the company's technical representative to ensure all engineering aspects align with the owner's strategic objectives and technical standards.

Duties and Responsibilities

Safety, Health and Environment

• Ensure adherence to all safety, health and environmental practices and requirements
• Escalate all unsafe practices or risks to the direct supervisor/manager
• Support good housekeeping in the department and on-site to ensure compliance
• Participate in VFLs, Risk Assessments and close-out of Safety Actions
• Ensure consultant compliance with company SHE standards and requirements

Technical Oversight and Quality Assurance

• Review and approve consultant's engineering designs, reports, and drawings against technical specifications and owner's standards
• Conduct technical due diligence on feasibility study deliverables, ensuring accuracy, reliability, and comprehensive risk assessment
• Implement and enforce quality assurance protocols for all engineering deliverables produced by consultants
• Ensure alignment with Group Engineering Standards for each project phase
• Conduct constructability and operability reviews with input from operational teams to ensure designs are practical and cost-effective
• Review and ensure delineation of technical responsibilities to ensure owner's interests are sufficiently protected

Scope and Change Management

• Actively monitor and manage the engineering consultant's scope of work to prevent scope creep
• Assist with the development and validation of the Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)
• Ensure integrity of data between Scope, WBS, Schedule, and technical deliverables
• Initiate formal change process where applicable and maintain oversight of technical change control
• Review and approve technical change requests from consultants, assessing impact on project scope, cost, and schedule
• Identify technical variance and analysis of root causes
• Review options to remedy causes and/or recover schedule impacts

Consultant Management

• Assist in the selection of engineering consultants and managing contracts to ensure terms are met
• Regularly track consultant's progress, performance, and compliance with project schedule and budget
• Address any deviations or underperformance promptly through formal performance management processes
• Serve as primary point of contact for consultants, providing clarification on owner requirements and strategic direction
• Review and approve invoices from engineering consultants based on progress achieved and contract terms
• Support development of commercial contracts to understand risks to technical delivery and treatment strategies
• Ensure quality-assured consultant data collection and deliverable production processes

Integration and Co-ordination

• Ensure seamless integration between engineering consultants and other parts of the owner's team (geology, project controls, operational readiness, environmental)
• Facilitate exchange of information and data between owner's organization and consultants
• Liaise frequently with Project Controls team to understand schedule conflicts, resource constraints, and time constraints
• Co-ordinate with procurement and contracts teams on technical specifications and requirements
• Establish required tools and techniques to ensure ongoing data integrity (auditable) and alignment
• Ensure effective (audience-focused) communication of key technical messages to stakeholders

Risk Management and Reporting

• Identify technical risks associated with consultant's designs and study deliverables
• Propose mitigation strategies and escalate significant risks to the Project Manager
• Monitor the greater environment to identify potential risks to technical delivery and project objectives
• Prepare and present regular technical reports to Project Manager and stakeholders, summarizing consultant progress, risks, and key findings
• Provide technical support to other departments as requested to ensure operational efficiency
• Conduct project technical evaluations as initiated by the business to assess feasibility and viability

Regulatory Compliance

• Work with consultants to ensure all engineering plans and studies comply with South African mining regulations, environmental standards, and permit requirements
• Maintain awareness of regulatory changes and ensure project compliance
• Support environmental and social impact assessment processes
• Enforce compliance requirements and ensure consultant adherence to legal policies and corporate governance Principles

Stakeholder Engagement and Support

• Maintain appropriate stakeholder relationships, enhancing the corporate profile and fostering collaboration
• Provide relevant technical support to applicable stakeholders, ensuring their needs are met effectively
• Maintain internal and external relations, including interactions with consultants, contractors, and regulatory authorities
• Collaborate with project managers and project controls to identify and manage technical risks throughout the project lifecycle

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Mining Engineering, Civil Engineering or related Engineering discipline
• Active PrEng registration with ECSA, or eligibility for registration
• 10+ years of experience in mining project development and engineering
• Proven experience in feasibility studies and concept development phases
• Valid medical certificate for underground mine access
• Must be willing and able to travel to site as and when required
• PMP preferred
• Technical knowledge in mining and related operations environment (underground and open pit), including geology, mining, metallurgy, engineering disciplines
• 10+ years' experience in the following:
  • Mining project development and feasibility studies
  • Engineering design review and quality assurance
  • Construction / Engineering Project Management environment
  • Consultant and contractor management
  • Owner's engineering and technical oversight
• Knowledge of South African mining regulations and environmental standards.
• Understanding of project controls, scheduling, and cost management principles.
• Familiarity with Engineering Standards.
• Able to review and critique complex engineering designs and technical drawings
• Strong understanding of engineering principles across multiple disciplines (civil, mechanical, electrical, mining)
• Ability to make sound technical decisions based on available information and analysis.
• Capability to deliver precise and engaging technical presentations to various audiences.
• Strong research abilities to gather and analyse technical data effectively.
• Proficiency in analysing and interpreting complex technical information and data.
• Understanding of constructability and operability principles.
• Ability to identify patterns and connections between technical information and project risks.
• Able to judge situations from a business perspective and use business sense to identify and respond to opportunities.
• Able to scan the local and broader environment to gather diverse information potentially relevant to achieving project objectives.
• Skilled in working effectively in different contexts, demonstrated by the capacity to amend one's approach to be in line with evolving circumstances and priorities.
• Professional technical report writing skills (minimum requirement that must be demonstrated).
• Experience with engineering software and project management tools.