Permanent - Maintenance Fitter - Ekurhuleni (East Rand) - South Africa

Reporting To: Engineering Manager / Maintenance Supervisor

Job Purpose:

To ensure all machinery, utilities, and production equipment operate at optimal performance to sustain a minimum of 90% line efficiency within a lean FMCG toothpaste manufacturing environment. The Maintenance Fitter is responsible for proactive maintenance, rapid breakdown response, effective changeovers, and continuous improvement to minimize downtime and support production targets.

Key Responsibilities:

Planned & Preventative Maintenance 

Perform planned maintenance according to maintenance schedules and check sheets. 

Accurately complete and update maintenance records. 

Conduct routine inspections to prevent unplanned downtime.

Identify wear patterns and recommend improvements to increase equipment reliability.

Breakdown & Emergency Repairs:

Respond immediately to breakdowns to minimise production downtime.

Diagnose and repair mechanical and electrical faults efficiently. 

First-line electrical fault finding on manufacturing equipment 

Ensure equipment is restored in a cost-effective and sustainable manner. 

Identify and replace sensors, motors, contactors, relays, photo-eyes, proximity switches

Conduct root cause analysis to prevent repeat failures.

Production & Changeover Support:

Execute fast and effective changeovers to maintain production targets.

Assist in line start-ups and shutdowns. 

Support production to maintain 90%+ operational efficiency. 

Ensure machinery operates within quality parameters. 

Electrical Support (Essential) (No electrical technicians on site) 

Assist with VSD resets and PLC I/O tracing (no programming required)

Utilities & Services Maintenance:

Maintain and repair:

Pumps, Compressors, Tanks,  Water treatment plant,  Homogenisers,  Pallet jacks,  Structural components (doors, railings)

Start up and shut down services and utilities as required.

Spares & Contractor Management:

Identify and communicate spares requirements. 

Assist in maintaining optimal spare parts inventory levels. 

Oversee contractors when required and ensure work meets engineering standards.

Compliance & Hygiene:

Maintain clean and hygienic work practices aligned with GMP.

Safe isolation and lock-out of equipment

Ensure all work complies with safety, quality and food manufacturing standards.

Follow all SHE and company procedures. 

Minimum Requirements:

Matric (Grade 12)

Trade Tested Fitter (Red Seal preferred) 

Minimum 7 years’ post-trade experience in FMCG or high-speed production environment 

Experience in lean manufacturing environments 

Proven experience in high-speed automated production lines 

Demonstrated hands-on electrical fault-finding capability on production equipment 

Forklift license (advantageous or willingness to obtain) 

Sound knowledge of GMP and hygiene standards 

Computer literate (maintenance systems, check sheets, reporting)

Key Competencies:

Strong mechanical fault-finding and troubleshooting skills 

Practical electrical fault finding (not theoretical) 

Pneumatics and hydraulics 

Knowledge of pumps, compressors, homogenisers, filling machines and packaging lines 

Understanding of lean principles, OEE, and downtime reduction 

Ability to work independently under pressure in high-efficiency environments 

Production-focused mindset 

Strong problem-solving and root cause analysis capability

Ability to read and interpret mechanical drawings

Welding, fitting and turning skills 

High attention to detail and quality standards

Strong safety awareness

Working Conditions:

FMCG production environment (toothpaste manufacturing) 

Shift work will be required: 

Current Day Shift - Monday to Thursday: 07h00 – 17h00, Friday: 07h00 – 13h00 

Current Night Shift - Monday to Thursday: 18h00 – 06h00 

Standby and overtime as operationally required 

Physically demanding role involving lifting and machine work