Principal, Project Control & Instrument Engineer – AngloGold Ashanti
Job Description
Role Overview
Modern gold plants rely extensively on operational data generated by field sensors and automated control systems. As the Principal Control and Instrumentation Engineer, you will spearhead the creation of automation architectures that ensure operational safety, stability, and high efficiency. Operating as the primary in-house technical authority for strategic initiatives and expansion ventures, you will collaborate with external design consultants across the entire project lifecycle, from initial conceptualization to final operational handover. This newly established position allows you to influence long-term site operations by bridging field-level realities with high-level design philosophies, working alongside the Director of Studies, external partners, and operational teams to optimize safety, simplicity, and economic value.
Key Responsibilities
Deliver specialised automation and instrumentation oversight for development studies, progressing concepts smoothly through to the commissioning phase. Direct external design consultants during study phases, critically evaluating their automation blueprints for safety, technical excellence, and cost efficiency. Assist ongoing expansion and brownfield initiatives during execution phases whenever specialist intervention is required. Evaluate alternative control architectures and modern technologies to identify the most suitable options for specific operational locations. Discourage overly complex designs in favour of right-sized, compliant, and secure methodologies. Spearhead comprehensive safety and risk evaluations, encompassing hazard assessments and operational readiness verification. Review financial and scheduling implications associated with external vendor automation packages and control agreements. Coordinate with multinational project squads and international design bureaus to maintain uncompromising benchmarks. Mentor and guide project personnel, fostering the professional development of junior and senior engineering staff. Shape cross-functional strategies and international decisions through influence rather than direct operational command. Integrate operational feedback from active mining sites to ensure future installations function seamlessly for daily plant operators.
Required Qualifications
Possess a recognised bachelor degree in electrical engineering, electronic engineering, mechatronic engineering, or control and instrumentation engineering. Mandatory active registration as a Professional Engineer alongside the Engineering Council of South Africa. Accumulate between eight and ten years of professional engineering background centered on mineral processing and mining automation domains, encompassing distributed control architectures, field sensors, data communications, and remote operational hubs. Minimum of five years functioning in senior, principal, or authority roles, preferably within owner-side teams overseeing major engineering, procurement, and construction agreements. Prior exposure to gold mining operations is considered advantageous, while broader mining sector experience is also highly appreciated. Demonstrated mastery of industrial control frameworks, programmable logic controllers, and supervisory data acquisition structures. Comprehensive familiarity with industrial communication fabrics, functional safety protocols, and recognized global frameworks including IEC 61508, IEC 61511, and ISA standards. Practical comprehension of measurement hardware covering fluid flow, pressure, material density, vessel level, temperature, along with specialised gold room and slurry analytical equipment. Proven capabilities in risk mitigation, design safety principles, and hazard evaluation methodologies.
How to Apply
Submit your application through the employer’s application page: Apply now.
