Head: Comminution
Listing reference: minte_000469
Listing status: Online
Apply by: 6 November 2026
Position summary
Industry: Mining & Quarrying
Job category: Others: RandD, Science and Scientific Research
Location: Randburg
Contract: Permanent
Remuneration: Market Related
EE position: Yes
Introduction
Mintek has an exciting career opportunity for a Head: Comminution within the Mineral Processing Division. The successful candidate will manage a technical group in a technical division, being responsible for commercial and contract research test work related to area of specialist and leads research and innovation to increase the value and competitiveness of the technical offering to industry. Provide technical expertise and guidance to the Group in areas of speciality and keep up to date with all technologies and business in the Group’s work.
Job description
Leadership
- Live the Mintek values, foster a culture of collaboration within Mintek.
- Provide scientific leadership in specific discipline.
- Create an environment for the Section to succeed and manage outputs.
- Maintain consistently visible leadership.
Strategy
- Drive the Discipline RDI strategy and operations and develop plans for the implementation of the strategy.
- Support the Discipline business development and commercialization and manage the execution of strategic
programmes. - Visibility and credibility – ensuring that publication outputs, including journal and conference papers, are
met. - Provide technical direction and mentoring to staff in the Group
- Monitoring and Evaluation of project milestones to motivate for further funding.
- Keep up to date on latest developments in the discipline and in the industry that it serves/has potential to serve.
- Participate in technical forums e.g. conferences, client/collaborator engagements.
Financial Sustainability
- Secure the Section Budget.
- Balance the RDI portfolio funding and commercial targets as agreed.
- Ensure that there are effective inter Discipline collaborations and collaborations between Clusters to ensure that targets are met.
- Prepares large funding proposals to attract funding from a variety of sources to support the activities of the Group
- Manage and monitor the expenditure and project milestones against project targets
- Motivation and budgeting for CAPEX; handle tender process for equipment
- Annual budgeting and monthly review
People and Planning
- Ensure that the core Sections plans are aligned with Mintek’s strategy and the needs of the
Division market. - Ensure that adequate Divisional planning is done to ensure effective delivery of the plans.
- Ensure that there is an adequate pipeline of commercial and business leads to ensure that the
discipline can deliver on its targets. - Ensure that the Section is adequately resourced, with a particular focus on SET staff and resources. Also ensuring succession planning.
- Drive the transformation agenda in the Section.
- Contribute to the refinement and development of the Divisional strategy and plans.
Performance Management
- Deliver on the Section KPI’s.
- Undertake performance management for the Section.
- Ensure that systems and tools are in place to monitor and measure the delivery of RDI activities.
Governance and Risk Management
- Risk profiling and mitigation activities for the Section activities, including SHEQ.
- Responsible for the assessment and management of all risks related to the project programmes within the Section.
- Responsible for technical signoff of the work of the Section (reports, publications) and ensuring high technical standards are maintained.
- Adhere to all Mintek’s policies and ethics.
Relationship management and reporting
- Stakeholder engagement, including the development of relationships with new stakeholders, stakeholder management and satisfaction for both internal and external stakeholders.
- Reporting on all RDI activities of the Section.
- Commercialisation and technology transfer management for the Section.
- Lead Co-development and Co-funding initiative
Minimum requirements
QUALIFICATIONS:
- Minimum: MSc Engineering Degree or Metallurgical Engineering.
- Ideal: PhD
EXPERIENCE:
- Minimum experience: 8-10 years’ experience in the mineral processing field which is directly related to the duties and responsibilities specified.
- Ideal: 12 years’ experience.
- 5 years of processing and/or extractive experience.
- 5 years of line management experience.
- 3 years’ preferable experience in mineral processing (physical separation, comminution or flotation) simulation modelling experience will be an advantage.
- Any form of engineering design or technology demonstration / implementation should be at least 3 years.
SKILLS AND ABILITIES
- Good technical knowledge of comminution, physical separation and flotation.
- Good technical understanding of the Mineral Processing & Characterisation Cluster and ability to function at the highest level in a cross-disciplinary environment.
- Ability to think strategically and proactively.
- Ability to lead diverse teams to ensure delivery and efficiency.
- Innovation, developing, implementing and commissioning projects, including major pilot plants.
- Ability to manage large multi-component research projects/programmes.
- Ability to substantially contribute towards Technology and IP Management and Commercialisation.
- Track record of securing significant research funding.
- Excellent communication, interpersonal and organisational skills, with the ability to interact with stakeholders at all levels (peers, clients, partners and industry stakeholders).
- Track record in developing people, providing thought leadership and mentoring.
COMPETENCY REQUIRED
- Deep technical knowledge of the Discipline.
- Through knowledge of the sector in which the Discipline operates
- Strategy and business plan development and implementation.
- Ability to lead diverse teams to ensure delivery and efficiency.
- Business Development.
- Technology and IP management and commercialization.
- Business and financial management.
- Leadership of people and operations managemen