Senior Laboratory Engineer/Technician

WSP is one of the most diverse consulting firms in Africa. To further our strategic business execution plan, we are seeking leaders that share our guiding principles – we value our people and our reputation; we are locally dedicated with international scale; we are future focused and challenge the status quo; we foster collaboration in everything we do and we have an empowering culture and hold ourselves accountable. We are committed to the achievement and maintenance of diversity and equity in employment.

Main Activities and Responsibilities (including but not limited to):

•  Typically, 70%-100% of time spent in laboratory, following the instructions and guidance of senior lab members.
• High competence in working and having effective communication with lab personnel and project teams. 
• Highly competent to supervise junior laboratory staff.
• Highly competent in identifying safety hazards and report OH&S incidents. Aware of WSPS approach to risk management, ethics and safety. Commitment to all associated WSP HSE Lab policies and procedures.
• Highly competent in all sample preparation techniques and advanced laboratory testing including triaxial, DSS, Consolidation and settling column in accordance with standard and procedures. Competence in advanced laboratory testing including cyclic triaxial, bender element, resonant column in accordance with standard and procedures.
• Highly competent in prepare and review laboratory test certificate.
• Highly competent in laboratory test software and recording data using both hard-copy templates and computer-based applications (Excel/Access/Word).  
• Contributing to laboratory factual reports and development of laboratory test procedures.
• Highly competent in understanding laboratory test requests and all laboratory sample registration protocols.
• Highly competent in equipment checks, maintenance and calibration.
• Commitment to best laboratory practices and good housekeeping and tidiness essential
• Demonstrated multiple instances of delivering best client outcomes/options which have saved the client costs/time.
• Competence in applying legislation, standards, guidelines and project specifications. Coaches' others
• Highly competent in monitoring and managing the scope of multiple projects of varying complexity and size. 
• Competence in developing and maintaining client relationships.
• Extensive experienced in applying QA and OH&S systems, auditing of other more junior staff
• Contributes to building the technical capability of others and transferring the technical expertise within the organisation
• Built technical, operational and commercial capability of others (training & mentoring) and transferred expertise within the organisation.
• Competence in supervising graduates and managing professionals and seniors.          

Personal Attributes

• Balances innovation, quality and technical excellence with delivery to timelines and budget.
• Role models company and project's vision and guiding principles
• Is self-aware, promotes professional image and is emotionally intelligent.
• Quality and technical excellence with delivery to timelines
• Open to receiving and providing constructive feedback
• Adopts "Best for Project" approach in day-to-day activities.
• Manages self and others under pressure
• Lives company and project’s vision and guiding principles
• Physically fit to perform manual handling while correctly following the manual handling procedure.
• Must pass medical, background check.
• Quality focused

• Minimum qualification Advanced Diploma for Laboratory Techniques plus minimum 10+ years relevant work experience
• Completed SANS 17025 training.
• Preferably Geotechnical Engineering/Engineering Geologist degree
• Experience, skills and organisational knowledge
• Ability to take direction and work independently as well as be team member and collaborate with other lab personnel.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Previous field work experience not essential but highly regarded.
• Driver's license (unrestricted, preferably manual transmission).
• Relevant internal and external SHEQ training including, First Aid, Construction general safety induction, etc
• Reliable and committed to producing high-quality work
• Time management skills, organizational skills, independent thinking skills, problem-solving and good attention to details.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment and able to schedule and coordinate multiple tasks and assignments

What's in it for you?

What if we can have work-life balance? What if we can be rewarded in ways that support our individual needs? What if we can be accepted for who we are? Here at WSP – we can!

WSP recognizes that work is only one part of our lives and making time for the other things in our life is important – be that our families, our friends or ourselves. So, if working from home, working part-time or having flexible start and finish time will help with this let us know as part of your application.

As well as rewarding you with competitive pay, WSP offers standard benefits including first class medical cover, generous days annual leave, and paid professional subscriptions.

Be you, be happy - we strive to have a friendly and inclusive culture which respects and maximizes the contribution individuals can bring to WSP. We recognize the benefits that people with varying backgrounds and experiences can bring. Here at WSP we positively encourage applications from suitably qualified and eligible candidates regardless of sex, race, disability, age, religion or belief, marital status, pregnancy or maternity/paternity. We will interview all disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria.