Process Engineer (Chemical)

Reference: JHB000297-JVDW-3

A water resilience consultancy based in Pretoria is seeking a Process Engineer (Chemical): Groundwater & Water Treatment Plant Design.

The role is open to candidates from early career (newly graduated, 1-3 years' work) through mid-senior (8-12 years). Scope, mentoring relationship, and remuneration will be calibrated to level on appointment.

The role
Design treatment systems that delivers the required output quality, reliably, at the right capex and opex, by taking a client's raw water profile (groundwater, surface water, blackwater, process water). Duties & Responsibilities Must have:
- Engineering qualification. BEng / BSc Chemical Engineering, or BEng Process Engineering, or equivalent. Other engineering disciplines with strong demonstrable process-design depth in water treatment will be considered.
- Professional registration pathway. ECSA Candidate Engineer (registered or pending) at junior level; clear path toward Pr Eng at mid-level; Pr Eng or imminent at mid-senior level.
- Process design fundamentals. Mass and energy balances, P&IDs and PFDs, equipment sizing and specification, control philosophy.
- Water treatment exposure. Demonstrable academic or work exposure to water or wastewater treatment unit operations. Hands-on internship, vacation work, or project experience counts.
- Drafting and modelling. Competence with AutoCAD or Plant 3D; familiarity with Aspen Plus or comparable process simulation tools.
- Safety mindset. Understands HAZOP methodology and the importance of process safety in chemical handling environments.
- Driver's licence and own transport. Site work is part of the role.

Strongly preferred:
- Groundwater treatment depth. Borehole abstraction and raw groundwater treatment design — typically high iron, manganese, hardness, sometimes pathogens, sometimes elevated TDS or nitrates. RO / ion exchange / filtration / disinfection unit operations.
- Regulatory familiarity. SANS 241 (potable water quality), DWS general and special limits, National Water Act Section 21 water use authorisations, fit-for-purpose standards for non-potable reuse.
- Wastewater / package plant exposure. Effluent treatment, package plants, sludge handling, compliance with municipal and DWS effluent standards.
- Data and instrumentation literacy. SCADA, online quality monitoring (turbidity, conductivity, chlorine residual), telemetry, alarm management, performance verification.
- Programming and data tools. Python (Pandas, NumPy, SciPy, etc.) for design calculations, optimisation, or data analysis. Advanced Excel including VBA.
- Lean / continuous improvement. Process optimisation, cost reduction, lifecycle thinking.
- Member of WISA or comparable water sector professional body.

Key responsibilities:
*Groundwater treatment design
- Characterise raw water from boreholes, surface sources, or blended sources; specify the analytical scope required for design.
- Select and size unit operations: pretreatment (screening, sedimentation, coagulation/flocculation), filtration (multimedia, granular activated carbon, membrane), disinfection (chlorine, UV, ozone), softening, demineralisation (RO, ion exchange), and advanced oxidation as required.
- Produce mass and energy balances, hydraulic profiles, equipment specifications, and operating philosophy for the plant.
- Verify compliance with SANS 241 (potable), DWS general and special limits, and any fit for-purpose standards specific to the client's use case.
*Process documentation across all six ECSA stages
*Safety, compliance, and quality
*Cross-disciplinary coordination
*Productisation & methodology
Package & Remuneration R - Negotiable