Ivanhoe Mines Mechanical Artisan

Ivanhoe Mines is seeking an experienced Mechanical Artisan to support the maintenance and engineering integrity of mechanical equipment within its industrial and mining operations. The opportunity is suited to a technically qualified artisan with a strong mechanical maintenance background and experience working in demanding environments such as mining, heavy industry or large-scale processing plants.

The successful candidate will contribute to the reliability and availability of critical mechanical assets, including pumps, compressors, piping systems, valves and lifting equipment. The role involves developing maintenance plans, coordinating repair activities, investigating mechanical incidents and ensuring that equipment and installations comply with applicable engineering and safety requirements.

This position calls for more than practical mechanical repair skills. Candidates should have a recognised mechanical trade qualification, relevant post-qualification experience and the ability to coordinate maintenance teams, contractors and resources. Supervisory or foreman experience overseeing mechanical maintenance and plant reliability is also frequently requested.

Applicants with between five and eight years of post-qualification experience in a heavy industrial, plant or mining environment should review the requirements and responsibilities carefully before applying.

Minimum Qualifications and Requirements

Candidates must possess the following qualifications and technical credentials:

1. Grade 12

Applicants must have a Grade 12 National Senior Certificate.

2. Mechanical Engineering Qualification

Candidates must have an N3 Certificate or higher in Mechanical Engineering. Higher qualifications listed in the advert include:

• N4 Mechanical Engineering.
• N5 Mechanical Engineering.
• N6 Mechanical Engineering.
• National Diploma in Mechanical Engineering.
• BTech in Mechanical Engineering.

3. Mechanical Trade Test Certificate

Applicants must hold a recognised Mechanical Trade Test Certificate under Section 13 or Section 26D.

Relevant artisan qualifications include:

• Fitter.
• Millwright.
• Diesel Mechanic.

The trade qualification demonstrates the practical technical foundation required to work with mechanical equipment, maintenance systems and industrial machinery.

Required Work Experience For Ivanhoe Mines Mechanical Artisan

The advertised experience requirement is five to eight years of post-qualification experience within one or more of the following environments:

• Heavy industrial operations.
• Mining environments.
• Industrial plants.
• Processing and production facilities.

Supervisory or foreman experience overseeing mechanical maintenance, equipment repairs and plant reliability is also frequently requested.

This experience is particularly relevant because the role involves coordinating maintenance activities, directing technical teams, monitoring equipment performance and ensuring that mechanical assets remain reliable.

Key Responsibilities

The successful candidate will be responsible for maintaining mechanical assets, coordinating maintenance activities and supporting operational reliability.

1. Mechanical Asset Maintenance and Engineering Integrity

• Manage the maintenance and engineering integrity of mechanical assets within the approved GES scope.
• Oversee equipment such as pumps, compressors, piping, valves and lifting equipment.
• Ensure that assigned mechanical plant and equipment remain in suitable operating condition.
• Support the reliability and availability of critical mechanical assets.

2. Preventative, Predictive and Corrective Maintenance

• Develop and implement preventative maintenance plans.
• Support predictive maintenance activities to identify potential equipment failures.
• Coordinate corrective maintenance when equipment defects or breakdowns occur.
• Work with operations and maintenance teams to plan and prioritise maintenance activities.

3. Mechanical Incident Investigation

• Investigate mechanical incidents and near misses.
• Identify contributing factors and potential equipment-related risks.
• Implement corrective and preventive actions to reduce the likelihood of recurring incidents.
• Support continuous improvement in mechanical maintenance practices.

4. Maintenance Planning and Resource Coordination

• Coordinate labour, tools and materials required for planned maintenance.
• Arrange contractor support and access to equipment or work areas.
• Coordinate resources for urgent breakdown repairs.
• Ensure that maintenance activities are properly organised and executed.

5. Engineering Standards and Compliance

• Ensure mechanical equipment, installations and repairs comply with applicable legislation.
• Follow approved engineering standards, original equipment manufacturer (OEM) requirements and site procedures.
• Promote compliance with relevant safety and technical requirements.
• Help maintain the engineering integrity of assigned mechanical assets.

6. Technical Supervision and Quality Control

• Provide technical direction to supervisors, artisans and service providers.
• Verify the competency of personnel performing maintenance work.
• Monitor the quality of repairs and maintenance activities.
• Ensure that completed work meets the required technical and operational standards.

7. Maintenance Budget and Cost Management

• Provide input into the mechanical maintenance budget.
• Monitor maintenance expenditure and related costs.
• Track labour, spare parts and repair expenses.
• Support effective use of maintenance resources.

8. Reporting and Documentation

• Compile accurate daily, weekly and monthly maintenance reports.
• Report on equipment downtime and maintenance activities.
• Document operational risks, maintenance costs and improvement actions.
• Maintain relevant information to support planning and management decisions.

9. Departmental Coordination

• Coordinate maintenance activities with mining and processing departments.
• Work with infrastructure and safety teams to manage operational requirements.
• Liaise with procurement and other relevant departments.
• Help prioritise maintenance work and manage interfaces between different operational teams.

Important Skills and Competencies

Although the supplied advert does not provide a separate skills checklist, the responsibilities indicate that candidates should be able to demonstrate competence in:

• Mechanical maintenance and equipment reliability.
• Preventative, predictive and corrective maintenance.
• Mechanical fault investigation and troubleshooting.
• Maintenance planning and resource coordination.
• Technical supervision and quality control.
• Engineering compliance and workplace safety.
• Maintenance budgeting and cost monitoring.
• Technical reporting and documentation.
• Communication and coordination across operational departments.

Thabang Maimela’s Tip

For this opportunity, your CV needs to demonstrate both your technical ability as an artisan and your experience coordinating maintenance activities.

Do not simply state that you worked as a Fitter, Millwright or Diesel Mechanic. Explain the mechanical equipment you maintained, the types of repairs you performed, your involvement in preventative maintenance programmes and the industrial or mining environments in which you gained experience.

If you have supervised artisans, coordinated contractors, allocated maintenance resources or contributed to equipment reliability improvements, make these responsibilities visible in your employment history.

Also list your trade test category, Section 13 or Section 26D qualification, Mechanical Engineering certificates and years of post-qualification experience clearly. These details will help recruiters assess your suitability for a technically demanding maintenance position.

Closing Date: 25 November 2026

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