Lead Design Engineer - Bellville, Cape Town - Market Related

Introduction

In this role, you won't just be drafting—you will be the gatekeeper of design excellence, driving continuous improvement, managing configuration control, and collaborating directly with executive leadership, R&D, and project teams to shape the future of our production plant and machinery.

Duties & Responsibilities

Key Responsibilities

• Technical Design & Development:

o   Lead the technical design, CAD modelling, and calculations for brand-new machinery and modifications to existing plant units.

• Create detailed machine layouts, P&IDs, and site plans based on project specifications.

• Schedule and lead design reviews with management and stakeholders to secure conceptual approvals.

• Conduct simulation process tests to verify model prototypes and ensure production data packs are complete and contain all necessary manufacturing information.

• Partner with Maintenance and Production departments to reduce machinery downtime and enhance overall efficiency through design improvements.

• Design Control, Governance & Safekeeping:

• Enforce acceptable drawing standards and manage the strict configuration and record-keeping of all drawings and CAD models.

• Review, sign off, and approve engineering design drawings and calculations to ensure strict compliance with health, safety, and department regulations.

• Manage the Engineering Change Proposal (ECP) process and oversee the general administration and safekeeping of the design archive.

• Research & Continuous Improvement:

• Research existing processes, machine parts, and techniques to drive continuous improvements in configuration management.

• Partner with the R&D department to identify and implement machine design improvements that optimize production efficiency.

• Machine Manuals & Reporting:

• Oversee the configuration, numbering, and tracking system for all machine manuals submitted to the design team.

• Generate and present weekly Design Task and Activity reports directly to the Technical Director and CEO via platforms like Monday.com.

Desired Experience & Qualification

Requirements

• Technical Expertise:  Proven experience in advanced mechanical design, CAD modeling, and engineering calculations. Experience keeping design software like  Solid Edge  up to date with maintenance, licensing, and updates is highly advantageous.

• Process & Production Mindset:  A strong background working alongside Maintenance, R&D, and Project Engineers to optimize machinery and reduce plant downtime.

• Standards & Compliance Champion:  Exceptional attention to detail regarding engineering standards, design principles, governance, and health & safety regulations.

• Project & Time Management:  Ability to manage strict project deadlines as provided by executive leadership, interface fluidly with stakeholders, and provide sound technical advice across multidisciplinary engineering teams.