SANSA is Hiring a Technical Assistant

The South African National Space Agency (SANSA) is looking to recruit a Technical Assistant. The successful candidate will report to the Facilities Services Manager. The technical assistant will ensure that technical and administrative tasks are completed promptly to support the technical personnel in the delivery of facility services projects within SANSA. SANSA’s Hermanus Campus is located on 16 hectares of land within the Westcliff suburb of Hermanus. The land is mainly under Fynbos. There are several large buildings and many instrumentation huts that require regular maintenance. Furthermore, the site hosts accommodation and a 24/7 Space Weather Centre. 

Furthermore, SANSA will apply for National Key Point status for the campus within the near future. This position will be required to provide technical support to the Facility Services team, responsible for the buildings, working environment, SHEQ etc., of this campus.

The ideal candidate must have

• Grade 12 / Matric;
• Minimum of 4 – 6 years of working experience in a technical environment, preferably in the building or construction sector;
• Experience and knowledge with Facilities Management (buildings, site services, contractors etc.);
• Experience in a regulated SHEQ and ISO 9001: 2015 environment would be an advantage;
• Experience in building maintenance administration would be an advantage;
• Strong IT literacy;
• Advanced-level skills in Microsoft Word and Microsoft Outlook;
• Intermediate-advanced level knowledge of Microsoft Excel;
• Organisational skills and the ability to multitask; and
• The ability to be proactive and take the initiative.

Required skill and knowledge

• Fully bilingual (English & Afrikaans at least);
• Efficient;
• Great attention to detail
• Discrete, adaptable and flexible;
• Self-motivated, organised and proactive;
• Energetic;
• An excellent communicator in both English and Afrikaans;
• Calm under pressure and capable of thinking on your feet, especially in a crisis; and
• Able to accommodate special projects and deal with shifting priorities

General duties

• Providing on-site technical admin support to the Facilities team as required;
• Researching facility requirements and needs and making recommendations regarding specifications for projects (such as, for example, water system, building construction, health and safety compliance);
• Improving office systems;
• Managing and reviewing databases and filing systems;
• Improving and maintaining procedures/administrative systems to ensure continued ISO 9001: 2015 compliance;
• Typing, compiling and preparing reports, presentations and correspondence;
• Liaising with staff, suppliers, and clients daily and working closely with SCM on procurement requirements for facilities projects;
• Management of the Facility Services ticketing system allocating jobs to the correct team member and following up on ticket closure; and
• Answering calls and liaising with clients competently on technical requirements for building and facilities maintenance.

Important notice

Applicants should note that the successful incumbent will be based at the SANSA Hermanus campus in Hermanus in the Western Cape due to operational reasons. Therefore, preference will be given to candidates who live within a 20 km radius of the SANSA site. In addition, the position requires that the successful incumbent relocates to the immediate Hermanus area.

Applicants are to note that the appointment will be on a level commensurate with qualifications and experience. Furthermore, background verification, including criminal records, credit checks, security clearances, qualification and citizenship checks, competency assessment and psychometric testing, may form part of the selection process.

In addition, SANSA reserves the right not to make an appointment. SANSA also subscribes to the principles of Employment Equity and welcomes applications from all persons with disabilities. Candidates will receive preference under this.

Applications will close on 21 April 2022; register your detailed CV and Cover letter if you’re interested and meet the requirements. SANSA will only communicate with shortlisted candidates. Consequently, applicants may assume their applications were unsuccessful if they do not get feedback after four weeks.

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