- Pump Fitters required for the executing of a multi-year pump replacement and refurbishment programme for a major petroleum pipeline operator. The work covers the strip-down, refurbishment, assembly, testing, installation and commissioning of Sulzer and Byron Jackson 2, 3 and 4-stage mainline crude pumps (units up to 5 tons), refurbished back to nameplate duty under a client-approved quality control plan with witnessed hold points.
- Must be hands-on, trade-tested fitter who can work to fine tolerances, keep clean records, and represent the company professionally on client sites.
Employment type: Fixed-term contract (approx. 12 months, extension possible based on programme demand)
Base location in the workshop: (Industria North, Roodepoort - Gauteng), with planned site work at client pump stations in KwaZulu-Natal, the Free State and Mpumalanga.
Start date: as soon as possible
Reporting to :Engineering Lead / Workshop Supervisor
Minimum Requirements
- Trade-tested Mechanical Fitter or Fitter & Turner (Red Seal).
- Minimum 5 years post-trade experience on rotating equipment, of which meaningful time on multistage centrifugal pumps (API 610 / BB-type pumps strongly preferred).
- Proven laser alignment experience with printout-based reporting.
- Able to read and work from GA drawings, sectional arrangements and clearance tables.
- Valid driver's licence and willingness to travel to and stay near client sites for installation and commissioning campaigns.
- Medically fit for pump station site work (working at heights / confined space certification an advantage).
- OEM or OEM-service background (Sulzer, KSB, Flowserve, Weir or similar).
- Petrochemical, pipeline or utility (SOE) site experience with formal permit and safety file environments.
- Experience working under hold-point QCPs with client witness inspections.
About the Role
Key Responsibilities
- Strip and assess complete pump sets and components, support compilation of strip and assessment reports for client review.
- Refurbish and re-assemble multistage rotating elements: impellers, case and impeller wear rings, stage pieces, balance sleeves, throat bushes, white metal journal bearings, 7311/7409 thrust bearings and mechanical seals (Burgmann / Flowserve).
- Fit-up and dimensional control: machine-shop liaison for shaft hard chroming and grinding, casing line boring, wear ring clearance checks and recording of as-built clearances.
- Support rotor balancing of assembled shafts to 2960 rpm, including coupling and hub.
- Conduct casing and seal pressure tests and participate in witnessed performance tests (flow, head, bearing temperature and vibration).
- Site installation: rigging and lifting coordination, laser alignment to better than 0.2 mm total run-out, correct shimming of drive motors.
- Commissioning: monitor vibration and bearing temperatures over the post-start monitoring period (target below 3.0 mm/s; white metal bearing operating range 50 - 65°C) and contribute to signed-off commissioning reports.
- Complete job cards, measurement sheets and test records accurately - these feed directly into client data packs.
- Comply with all HSE requirements: OHS Act 85 of 1993, client site inductions, medical fitness certificates and permit-to-work systems.