Vacant Post – SKA Mid – Senior Electrical Engineer

Job level: Management
Work location: Cape Town, Western Cape
Contract type: Permanent
Closing date: 18 October 2022

The National Research Foundation (NRF) supports and promotes research and human capital development through funding, the provision of National Research Facilities and science outreach platforms and programmes to the broader community in all fields of science and technology, including natural sciences, engineering, social sciences and humanities.

  • The Square Kilometre Array (SKA) Telescope is an international effort by more than a dozen countries to build the world’s largest, most advanced radio telescopes in South Africa and Australia. Both South Africa and Australia are co-host members of the SKA Observatory (SKAO), a UK-based intergovernmental organisation responsible for the construction and operation of the SKA telescopes.
  • The first phase of the SKA will consist of two telescopes:
    South Africa will host the mid-frequency telescope (SKA-Mid). SKA-Mid will comprise up to 197 dishes spread along spiral arms spanning 150 km in the Karoo, Northern Cape. The South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO), a facility of the National Research Foundation, is responsible for managing all radio astronomy initiatives and facilities in South Africa, including the MeerKAT Radio Telescope, a precursor to the SKA telescope.
    Australia will host the SKA’s low-frequency telescope (SKA-Low). SKA-Low will comprise up to 131,072 antennas in clusters along spiral arms spanning 65 km at CSIRO’s Murchison Radio-astronomy Observatory (MRO) in WA.

The Senior Electrical Engineer will report to the SKA MID Telescope Engineering Manager.

Key responsibilities:

  • Legal appointment as GMR2 in terms of OSHA (1993)
  • Ensure the availability and reliability of electrical plant through effective planning, maintenance, and repairs in accordance with standards, procedures, policies, directives and work practices.
  • Oversee the construction, from a client perspective, related to establishment, upgrades and expansion of the electrical network both in the Karoo as well as Cape Town (if required)
  • Oversee maintenance and repairs of electrical distribution equipment.
  • Assume professional responsibility for providing proven specialist/technical expertise and leading a diverse team and resources including external suppliers/stakeholders to achieve relevant objectives.
  • Lead a team of engineers/technicians to develop solution(s) to fulfil requirements at subsystem and system levels and take professional responsibility for these solutions.
  • Innovate and perform parallel trade studies towards providing optimal solutions – including compliance with relevant statutory laws and regulations.
  • Assume accountability for meeting all requirements associated with electrical power system to enable overall organisational (or system level) objectives are achieved. This may also include ensuring that construction activities are carried out in accordance with the design (NEC4 Supervisor Duties).
  • Make technical and operational decisions independently of higher level authority based on sound knowledge of organizational processes, directives and guidelines and applicable laws.
  • Mentor team members and transfer specific technical knowledge.

Key requirements:
Qualification:

  • B. Tech with 13 years working experience, OR
  • B. Eng/BSc. Eng/MTech with 9 years working experience, OR
  • MEng with 7 years experience, OR
  • PhD with 5 years experience
    PLUS
  • Government Certificate of Competency (GCC) in Electrical Engineering
  • Registered with ECSA either PR.ENG or PR.Tech or PR cert Eng.

Experience:

  • Experience in the construction, operation, maintenance and repair of Electrical Distribution systems and renewable energy installations, up to and including 132 kV.
  • Preferably come from a consulting engineering background.
  • Previous experience on multi-disciplinary projects (Conceptual Stage to Construction Close-out)
  • Held position of responsibility and accountable for designs and project delivery
  • Experienced with complete project lifecycle from inception to close-out
  • Experience of working in the Karoo is desirable
  • Construction of major electrical projects covering large geographical areas
  • Renewable energy installation and designs, particularly solar PV and Battery Energy Storage Systems

Project Management

  • Monitoring and reporting of technical progress and cost against project schedules, risk dentification, planning, management and reporting analysis and development, implementation, and control of risk mitigation strategies where applicable.
  • Facilitation of effective communication and workflow both internally and externally.
  • Monitoring and management of project appointed consulting engineers, construction contractors, design engineers or specialists.
  • Change control.
  • Input to work package status reporting.
  • Ensuring that costs are contained, and options are chosen which reduce costs without degrading performance.

Knowledge:

  • Radio astronomy infrastructure projects
  • Karoo environmental conditions and communities

Additional Notes:
Ability to:

  • display problem-solving skills
  • display excellent interpersonal skills
  • work independently as well as in a team environment
  • handle multiple tasks concurrently
  • communicate effectively in English (both written and verbally)

Organisational Values
The SKA-Mid Senior Electrical Engineer will be expected to demonstrate the SARAO and SKAO’s values, and to work actively to instill those behaviors in all SKA-Mid staff in South Africa.

SKAO’s values are:

  • Diversity and Inclusion
  • Excellence
  • Collaboration
  • Creativity and Innovation
  • Sustainability

SARAO’s values are:

  • Passion for Excellence
  • World-class service
  • People-centered
  • Respect
  • Integrity and Ethics
  • Accountability

Both SARAO and SKAO value and respect difference and are committed to building an inclusive culture by creating an environment where you can balance a successful career with your commitments and interests outside of work. We believe that you will do your best at work if you have a work / life balance. Some roles lend themselves to flexible options more than others, so if this is important to you,
please raise this during your interview, as we are open to discussing flexible working opportunities during the hiring process.

Information:

The website www.nrf.ac.za provides more details on the NRF initiatives and activities.

Applications:

Applicants should submit a comprehensive CV by logging to https://ess.nrf.ac.za/Account/Recruitment and apply online. Applications should be accompanied by a letter of motivation indicating the applicant’s suitability for the position. The names and contact details of at least three referees should be provided.

The NRF offers a challenging career and competitive remuneration package which is commensurate with qualifications and experience.

The NRF is committed to employment equity and redress and the appointment to the position will be made in line with the NRF Employment Equity Plan.

The NRF reserves the right not to make an appointment.

Correspondence will be sent to short-listed candidates only.

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