{"id":4092066,"url":"https://alion.io/job/aeci-mining-plant-technical-superintendent","title":"Plant Technical Superintendent","company":{"id":3897597,"name":"AECI Mining","domain":"aeciworld.com","url":"https://alion.io/company/aeci-mining","size_band":"51-200","is_staffing_agency":false,"employer_type":"direct","is_intermediary":false,"listed_via":null,"ats_vendor":"SuccessFactors","truth_index":null},"role":"Industrial Engineering","role_family":"Industrial Engineering","seniority":"senior","employment_type":null,"work_mode":"on_site","remote_scope":null,"remote_scope_basis":null,"remote_working_hours":null,"hiring_geo_confidence":"structured","locations":["Sasolburg, South Africa"],"countries":["ZA"],"hiring_countries":[],"hiring_countries_total":0,"salary":null,"salary_estimate":null,"experience_years_min":8,"visa_sponsorship":false,"relocation_package":false,"has_equity":false,"technologies":[{"name":"CAPA","optional":false}],"status":"live","first_seen_at":"2026-11-04T00:00:00Z","employer_posted_date":"2026-11-04","last_verified_at":"2026-11-11T20:28:09Z","board_verified":true,"closed_at":null,"days_open":7,"trust":{"level":"ok","repost_count":null,"flags":[],"days_open":7},"description":"Purpose of the job:\nTo provide technical and operational leadership to the laboratory function within the manufacturing facility, ensuring that analytical services are accurate, reliable, timely and fit for purpose to support safe and efficient manufacturing operations. The Laboratory Technical Superintendent is accountable for the technical integrity of laboratory methods, analytical equipment, quality systems, laboratory performance and technical competence of laboratory personnel. The role provides specialist analytical support to Production, Quality, Process Engineering, Maintenance, SHEQ, Research & Development and Supply Chain.\nRequired outputs: Functional\nLaboratory Technical Leadership\nProvide technical leadership and direction to the laboratory team.\nEnsure the laboratory has the analytical capability required to support current and future manufacturing processes.\nEstablish and maintain appropriate analytical methods, specifications, sampling plans and testing frequencies.\nReview and approve analytical methods, method changes and technical procedures within delegated authority.\nEnsure analytical methods are validated, verified and fit for their intended purpose.\nProvide technical interpretation of laboratory results and identify trends, anomalies and potential process issues.\nAct as the laboratory's technical interface with Production, Process Engineering, Quality and other technical functions.\nProvide expert technical support during process deviations, investigations, customer complaints and product-quality issues.\nLead root-cause investigations where laboratory or analytical performance contributes to a process or quality deviation.\nLaboratory Operations\nEnsure effective day-to-day operation of the laboratory to meet production and quality requirements.\nEstablish priorities based on production requirements, critical analyses and business needs.\nEnsure laboratory turnaround times meet agreed service levels.\nMonitor laboratory workload, capacity and resource requirements.\nEnsure effective sample management, identification, preparation, testing and disposal.\nEnsure laboratory housekeeping and 5S standards are maintained.\nEnsure appropriate segregation and handling of chemicals, samples and hazardous materials.\nEnsure laboratory activities do not compromise manufacturing continuity or SHEQ requirements\nManagement and Compliance\nMaintain and continuously improve the laboratory quality management system.\nEnsure compliance with applicable legislation, company standards, customer requirements and relevant laboratory standards.\nMaintain appropriate laboratory documentation, procedures, work instructions and records.\nEnsure analytical results are traceable, accurate and defensible.\nMonitor and manage non-conforming analytical results.\nLead investigations into out-of-specification (OOS), out-of-trend (OOT) and questionable results.\nEnsure appropriate corrective and preventive actions are implemented.\nParticipate in internal and external audits and ensure laboratory findings are effectively closed out.\nMaintain laboratory readiness for customer, regulatory and accreditation audits where applicable.\nEnsure appropriate control of laboratory chemicals, standards, reagents and reference materials.\nAnalytical Equipment and Asset Management\nEnsure laboratory equipment is fit for purpose, available and maintained to required standards.\nEstablish and manage calibration, verification and preventive-maintenance programmes.\nEnsure equipment failures are investigated and resolved promptly.\nManage equipment lifecycle requirements, including replacement and obsolescence planning.\nDevelop technical specifications for new laboratory equipment.\nParticipate in equipment procurement, commissioning, qualification and acceptance.\nEnsure critical laboratory equipment has appropriate contingency arrangements.\nMonitor equipment reliability and identify opportunities to improve laboratory uptime.\nPeople Leadership and Competence\nLead, coach and develop laboratory personnel to achieve high levels of technical competence and performance.\nEstablish competency requirements for laboratory roles.\nDevelop and maintain laboratory competency matrices.\nEnsure employees are trained and assessed as competent before performing critical analytical activities independently.\nIdentify technical skills gaps and implement appropriate development plans.\nConduct performance management in accordance with company requirements.\nBuild a culture of technical excellence, accountability, safety and continuous improvement.\nDevelop succession plans for critical laboratory capabilities.\nPromote effective communication between the laboratory and manufacturing teams.\nManufacturing and Process Support\nProvide analytical support to Production for process control and troubleshooting.\nIdentify analytical trends that may indicate developing process problems.\nSupport process optimisation and continuous improvement initiatives.\nParticipate in plant investigations, HAZOPs, risk assessments and process improvement projects where laboratory expertise is required.\nSupport commissioning and start-up of new processes and equipment.\nAssist Process Engineering in establishing appropriate process-control parameters and analytical requirements.\nProvide rapid technical support during process upsets and abnormal operating conditions.\nSupport product development, scale-up and process changes from an analytical perspective.\nSafety, Health and Environmental\nEnsure all laboratory activities are conducted in accordance with company SHEQ standards.\nMaintain appropriate controls for laboratory chemicals, hazardous substances and waste.\nEnsure appropriate risk assessments, SOPs and safe-work procedures are in place.\nPromote a proactive safety culture within the laboratory.\nInvestigate laboratory incidents and implement corrective actions.\nEnsure appropriate management of laboratory waste and environmentally sensitive materials.\nParticipate in facility SHEQ initiatives and audits.\nBudget and Cost Management\nDevelop and manage the laboratory operating budget.\nControl expenditure on laboratory consumables, reagents, standards, equipment and services.\nIdentify cost-reduction opportunities without compromising analytical integrity or product quality.\nManage external laboratory testing and specialist analytical services where required.\nDevelop capital expenditure proposals for laboratory equipment and infrastructure.\nMonitor laboratory costs and identify opportunities to improve cost efficiency.\nContinuous Improvement\nDrive continuous improvement in laboratory efficiency, quality and reliability.\nIdentify opportunities to automate, digitise and simplify laboratory processes.\nImprove laboratory turnaround times and analytical productivity.\nReduce repeat analyses, errors, rework and unnecessary testing.\nDevelop and monitor laboratory KPIs.\nBenchmark laboratory practices against relevant industry standards.\nLead improvement projects using appropriate problem-solving methodologies.\nRequirements: Qualifications and Experience\nEssential:\nBSc / BTech / National Diploma in Chemistry, Analytical Chemistry, Chemical Engineering or related scientific/technical discipline.\nRelevant laboratory and analytical experience within a manufacturing, chemical, mining, pharmaceutical, food, petrochemical or related industrial environment.\nDemonstrated experience in laboratory quality systems and analytical methodology.\nAdvantageous:\nHonours or postgraduate qualification in a relevant scientific/technical discipline.\nFormal quality-management or laboratory accreditation training.\nSix Sigma / Lean / continuous-improvement qualification.\nProject management qualification\nExperience\nTypically 8-10+ years' relevant laboratory/analytical experience, preferably in an industrial manufacturing environment.\nAt least 3-5 years in a supervisory, senior technical or laboratory leadership role.\nExperience managing laboratory personnel and technical competence.\nExperience with analytical method development, validation and troubleshooting.\nExperience with laboratory equipment, calibration and maintenance.\nExperience with investigations, deviations, OOS/OOT and root-cause analysis.\nExperience supporting manufacturing process control.\nExperience working within a formal quality-management system.\nExperience managing laboratory budgets and external service providers is advantageous","description_format":"text","description_chars":8409,"description_truncated":false,"requirements":{"experience_years_min":8,"management_years_min":null,"team_size_min":null,"manages_managers":false,"education":null,"security_clearance":false,"languages":[]},"benefits":[],"hiring_locations":[],"hiring_excludes":[],"relocation_offered":false,"industries":["Mining","Chemical Manufacturing"],"lifecycle":[{"event":"open","at":"2026-11-11T20:28:09Z"}],"visa":[],"liveness":{"score":78,"band":"hot","label":"Hiring now","p_open":1,"p_active":0.824,"p_room":0.945,"age_days":7,"expected_fill_days":13,"reasons":["conf:2","win:mid"],"computed_at":"2026-11-11T22:43:09Z"},"pay":null,"html_url":"https://alion.io/job/aeci-mining-plant-technical-superintendent","json_url":"https://alion.io/job/aeci-mining-plant-technical-superintendent.json","meta":{"generated_at":"2026-11-11T22:43:09Z","cache_seconds":300,"methodology":"https://alion.io/methodology","terms":"https://alion.io/terms","contact":"https://alion.io/contact","api":"https://alion.io/developers","about":"Alion is a live layer of people, companies and AI agents: who they are, whether they are real and active right now, what they do and how to work with them, readable by people and by agents and paid per call.","catalog":"https://alion.io/catalog.json","usage":{"tier":"crawler_verified","counted_by":"address","units_charged":1,"used_today":45045,"day_limit":null,"remaining_today":null,"minute_limit":300,"resets_at":"2026-11-12T00:00:00Z"}},"offers":[{"id":"company.slices","title":"One company in depth, by slice","status":"live","price":{"credits":0.1,"usd":0.01,"plus_per_slice":{"credits":0.05,"usd":0.005}},"unit":"per company, plus each slice with data","note":"the employer in depth","call":{"mcp_tool":"get_company","arguments":{"id":3897597},"rest":"https://alion.io/mcp/rest/get_company?id=3897597"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=company.slices&for=job%2Faeci-mining-plant-technical-superintendent"},{"id":"market.stats","title":"A market slice: pay, demand and time to fill","status":"live","price":{"credits":2,"usd":0.2},"unit":"per slice","note":"pay, demand and time to fill for this role and place","call":{"mcp_tool":"market_stats"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=market.stats&for=job%2Faeci-mining-plant-technical-superintendent"},{"id":"job.search","title":"Open jobs by role, technology, place, pay and visa","status":"live","price":{"credits":0.1,"usd":0.01},"unit":"per posting in a list","note":"similar open postings","call":{"mcp_tool":"search_jobs"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=job.search&for=job%2Faeci-mining-plant-technical-superintendent"},{"id":"company.verify","title":"Is this company real and active right now","status":"pilot","price":null,"unit":"per company","request":{"url":"https://alion.io/catalog/request","method":"POST","body":"{\"offer\": \"company.verify\", \"for\": \"job/aeci-mining-plant-technical-superintendent\", \"note\": \"what you need it for\"}"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=company.verify&for=job%2Faeci-mining-plant-technical-superintendent"}],"agent":{"mcp":"https://alion.io/mcp/jobs","mcp_open":"https://alion.io/mcp/open","next":[{"tool":"get_job","arguments":{"id":4092066}},{"tool":"search_jobs","arguments":{"company":"aeciworld.com","detail":"compact"}},{"tool":"match_people","arguments":{"job_id":4092066},"note":"people open to offers who fit this vacancy"}],"note":"The same data through MCP tools: https://alion.io/mcp/open needs no sign-in (compact searches, postings, people); https://alion.io/mcp with an Alion account has everything. Docs: https://alion.io/developers"}}