Lead Design Engineer – Bellville, Cape Town – Market Related

SUMMARY:
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.

POSITION INFO:

Lead Design Engineer – Bellville, Cape Town – Market Related

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.

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.

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.