Vacant Position - Logistics Engineer x2 NRF/SARAO

Contract type: Permanent

Job Level: Unskilled

Work Location: Cape Town, Western Cape

Closing Date: 26 May 2026

The National Research Foundation (NRF) supports and promotes research and human capital development through funding, the provision of National Research Facilities and science outreach platforms and programmes to the broader community in all fields of science and technology, including natural sciences, engineering, social sciences and humanities.

The South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO) implements South Africa's strategic investments in radio astronomy, including the international Square Kilometre Array (SKA) project, which covers a broad range of engineering and scientific activities. SARAO is a National Facility of the National Research Foundation, and incorporates radio astronomy and space geodesy instruments and programmes such as the MeerKAT telescope in the Karoo, the Hartebeesthoek Radio Astronomy Observatory (HartRAO) in Gauteng, the Africa Radio Astronomy Programme across nine African countries, as well as associated human capital development and commercialisation endeavours.

The main purpose of the job is to address supportability during system/product design and analysis as well as define and deliver the associated logistics support elements in order to establish the Operating Support Baselines and ensure system through-life support.

Please note that this is not a business/operations logistics position.

• Ensuring systems are designed for supportability through contributing the logistic aspects of the system architecture, specifications ICDs and physical designs.
• Creating Physical Breakdown Structures (PBSs) and executing Physical Configuration Audits (PCAs) to ensure the integrity of the product data packs.
• Ensuring that prime equipment is supportable through executing Logistics Support Analysis (LSA) in accordance with MIL-STD-1388, including conducting reliability estimations, executing FMECA, identifying preventive & corrective maintenance tasks, and analysing maintenance procedures and resources.
• Providing operational support (Field Engineering) including investigating failures and conducting root cause analysis, collaborating on engineering changes to resolve deficiencies and developing work instructions / amended task descriptions.
• Ensuring logistic work is correctly tailored to the intended operational context by developing support concepts, preparing Logistic Engineering Management Plans (LEMP) and preparing maintenance & support verification plans.

• Qualification: B.Tech (Eng) (NQF 7) with 6+ years relevant experience in a product development engineering environment; OR B.Eng/B.Sc (Eng) with 4+ years relevant experience; OR M.Eng with 3+ years relevant experience in a product development engineering environment.

• Conducting physical configuration audits.
• Using Configuration Management Systems (CMS).
• Using Computerised Maintenance Management Systems (CMMS).
• Executing Logistic Support Analysis (LSA), inclusive of structuring PBSs, conducting reliability estimations, executing FMECA, identifying preventive & corrective maintenance tasks, analysing maintenance procedures and resources, drawing conclusions from LSA data, proposing design/operation/support recommendations and creating RAM & LSA information reports.
• Verification and validation of logistic support packages.

• Recognised domain knowledge of logistic engineering, for high tech products and large scale integrated products.
• Logistic and systems engineering methods, procedures, tools and techniques.
• Configuration management and configuration management systems.
• Logistic Engineering Standards, particularly MIL-STD 1388 1A /2B, MIL-STD 1629A and S1000D /S3000D.

• Analytical problem solving skills.
• Computer literacy with experience in operating relational databases.
• Solid written and verbal communication skills in English.
• Fault diagnosis and root cause analysis.
• Hands on technical skills in order to provide field engineering support.
• Ability to multi task.

The website provides more details on the NRF initiatives and activities.

The NRF offers a challenging career and competitive remuneration package which is commensurate with qualifications and experience.

The NRF is committed to employment equity and redress and the appointment to the position will be made in line with the NRF Employment Equity Plan. The NRF reserves the right not to make an appointment. Correspondence will be sent to short listed candidates only.

Closing Date: 27 May 2026