Chemical Engineer in Training

About this role

Sappi Southern Africa is looking for a Chemical Engineer in Training for a two-year training programme at its Mpumalanga mill. The programme gives you the knowledge and hands-on experience to become a proficient chemical process engineer.

What you’ll do

• Rotate through the mill and support engineers in each section, learning how the plant runs.
• Research and test chemical processes used to make pulp, paper and other chemical products, including small-scale pilot plant work.
• Help set safety controls and operating procedures for normal running, start-up, shutdown and emergencies.
• Monitor process variables such as temperature, pressure and density, and look into process failures or poor performance.
• Take part in risk assessments, plant shutdowns and machine start-ups.
• Help engineers with project work, from scoping and business cases to trial runs, and review proposals from external consultants.

What you need

• A Bachelor of Science or Bachelor of Engineering in Chemical Engineering.
• Basic computer literacy.
• No prior work experience is required.

Is this job for you?

This role suits a recent chemical engineering graduate who wants structured, practical training in a paper and pulp mill. You should enjoy learning across different plant sections and want to grow into a process engineer.

Tips before you apply

• Have your degree certificate or academic transcript ready, and any proof of computer skills you can show.
• On your CV, list your engineering projects, lab work and any practical placements, and explain what you did in each.
• Show interest in the pulp and paper industry, for example by reading about how mills run, so your application stands out.