Mining Ventilation Engineer Lead

Location: Centurion, Gauteng
Work Model: Office-based for the first 6 months (training and integration), thereafter hybrid
Industry: Mining / Engineering Consulting
Employment Type: Permanent

This role is particularly suited to candidates with substantial underground mine ventilation experience rather than general mechanical/mining engineering experience.

About the Role

A leading engineering and consulting organisation in the mining sector is seeking an experienced Lead Ventilation Engineer to provide technical leadership across mine ventilation, cooling, refrigeration and occupational environmental engineering projects.

The successful candidate will be responsible for leading ventilation engineering scopes across mining studies, optimisation projects and EPCM/project execution, while providing technical direction, quality assurance and mentorship to engineering teams.

This is a senior technical role requiring strong underground mining ventilation experience, sound engineering judgement, client-facing capability and the ability to lead multidisciplinary engineering interfaces.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide technical leadership in mine ventilation, refrigeration, cooling and occupational environmental engineering.
• Lead ventilation engineering scopes for concept, scoping, pre-feasibility, feasibility and optimisation studies.
• Develop ventilation design criteria, philosophies, strategies and life-of-mine ventilation plans.
• Perform and review mine ventilation network modelling and simulation.
• Design and assess primary, secondary and auxiliary ventilation systems.
• Conduct airflow, heat load, thermal environment, cooling and refrigeration assessments.
• Assess ventilation requirements for deep-level and underground mining operations.
• Undertake ventilation surveys, audits, capacity assessments and optimisation studies.
• Perform contaminant dilution assessments, including diesel particulate matter, gas and dust.
• Develop technical reports, engineering calculations, specifications, datasheets and design documentation.
• Lead ventilation engineering during detailed engineering, EPCM and project execution.
• Support procurement, technical bid evaluations, construction, commissioning and performance testing.
• Participate in design reviews, HAZOPs, risk assessments, constructability reviews and technical workshops.
• Act as a senior technical representative when engaging with clients, mine management, OEMs, contractors and other engineering disciplines.
• Provide technical input into proposals, scopes of work, fee estimates and business development activities.
• Mentor and develop junior and intermediate engineers and contribute to technical standards and quality assurance.

Minimum Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Mining Engineering, Mechanical Engineering or a relevant engineering discipline.
• Mine Environmental Control Certificate (MECC) or equivalent recognised mine ventilation qualification.
• 10+ years' relevant mining and ventilation engineering experience.
• Strong practical and theoretical understanding of underground mine ventilation systems.
• Proven experience in a senior, lead or specialist ventilation engineering capacity.
• Experience with mine ventilation simulation/network modelling software, such as Ventsim, VUMA, VentGraph or equivalent.
• Experience across technical studies, engineering design and/or EPCM project execution.
• Strong understanding of ventilation requirements within underground mining environments.
• Excellent technical report writing, communication and client-facing skills.

Highly Advantageous

• Pr Eng or Pr Tech Eng registration with ECSA or eligibility for professional registration.
• Experience within the South African mining industry.
• Experience in deep-level, hard-rock and/or tabular mining.
• Strong experience in mine refrigeration, cooling and thermal environment assessments.
• Experience developing life-of-mine ventilation plans.
• Postgraduate qualification in ventilation, mining engineering, thermodynamics, refrigeration or a related discipline.
• Knowledge of the Mine Health and Safety Act, applicable regulations, mandatory Codes of Practice and relevant mining standards.
• Experience leading multidisciplinary engineering teams.

R 120 000.00 - R 180 000.00 per month, plus annual performance based bonus.