PLC Programmer – Water Jets (Automotive Manufacturing)

Recruiter: Hlabahlosile

Job Ref: Elmarie

Date posted: Wednesday, July 29, 2026

Location: Pretoria, South Africa

Salary: Annual Salary

SUMMARY: We are recruiting an experienced PLC Programmer – Water Jets to maintain, troubleshoot, program, and optimise PLC-controlled water jet cutting systems within a fast-paced automotive manufacturing environment.

POSITION INFO: Key Responsibilities Program, modify and troubleshoot PLC-controlled Water Jet machines. Diagnose electrical, mechanical and automation faults on Water Jet equipment. Perform preventative and breakdown maintenance on PLC-controlled production equipment. Optimise machine performance to improve productivity and reduce downtime. Modify PLC logic and HMI programs when production changes require it. Fault-find using PLC software, electrical drawings and diagnostic tools. Maintain servo drives, VSDs, sensors, encoders and safety circuits. Assist with new equipment installations, commissioning and upgrades. Support Production, Maintenance and Engineering departments during machine failures. Develop and maintain PLC backups and machine documentation. Ensure compliance with all Health & Safety regulations. Participate in continuous improvement and root cause analysis projects. Train maintenance personnel and operators on machine functionality where required. Minimum Requirements Grade 12 \/ Matric. National Diploma or Degree in Electrical Engineering, Mechatronics, Industrial Automation or similar. Trade Tested Electrician or Millwright (advantageous). 3 to 5 years PLC programming experience in an automotive or manufacturing environment. Experience with Water Jet cutting machines is highly advantageous. Strong electrical fault-finding experience. Ability to read electrical schematics and technical drawings. Knowledge of industrial communication networks.