Pharma Technician (Port Elizabeth) at Aspen Pharma Group

Description
Overview

• Monitor, maintain and repair equipment and machinery adhering to GMP and safety requirements.
• Plan and implement preventative and corrective maintenance.
• Ensure service equipment operates at optimal efficiency to meet planned levels of production.
• Innovate and apply process engineering techniques to ensure optimal functionality of production equipment and processes.

Responsibilities

• Planning and Operational Support
• Act as a technical/ subject matter resource. 
• Facilitate implementation of current processes.
• Identify gaps in current policies and procedures.
• Provide input into changes or improvements to processes, tools, and techniques.
• Train staff on SOPs and maintenance of equipment/ machinery
• Audit and report non-compliance of production processes.
• Prepare data and make recommendations of alternative ways to resolve Process and Engineering problems.
• Institute appropriate changes in methods, designs and/or equipment.
• Conduct product and method improvement investigations; assess the specifications of equipment and new materials and determine tooling requirements for production processes.
• Install, commission, and validate Equipment and Processes.
• Programme new manufacturing methods.
• Participate in forums for risk assessment and continuous improvements.

Production Facility Maintenance

• Plan technical requirements and maintenance tasks according to production requirements to meet Production Plan 
• Perform planned preventative maintenance and inspections according to maintenance plan, job cards, and SOPs.
• Repair breakdowns according to best practice, job cards and SOPs.
• Troubleshoot machine breakdowns to identify cause of breakdowns. 
• Perform root cause analysis to identify cause of machine failures and quality deficiencies to minimise machine downtime.
• Implement corrective actions to minimise machine downtime.
• Isolate, remove and replace defective components.
• Complete and submit work requisitions; Create and close job cards.
• Maintain workshop, tools, and assets to standards.
• Determine and request required parts, materials, and special equipment to maintain machines/ equipment.
• Install, test, and validate machine operating efficiency.

Mechanical Engineering

• Maintain calibration of machines according to SOPs and manuals, ensure machine safeguards are in place.
• Identify and correct equipment deviations to avoid quality deficiencies; Reduce outsourced spending of repairs.
• Rectify operational problems according to SOP.
• Communicate process and equipment deviations to management.
• Provide input into asset life cycle optimisation and replacement. 

Reporting and record-keeping

• Provide standard record keeping and reporting functionality for area of work.

Requirements

Skills required

Background/experience

• Trade Tested Artisan (Fitter/Fitter, Turner/Millwright or electrical) with 4 years’ post Apprenticeship experience as a trade tested artisan.
• N4 in Engineering
• Pharmaceutical manufacturing Assistant will be an advantage
• At least 15 years manufacturing experience
• In depth experience in processing and maintenance of Pharmaceutical manufacturing.

Specific job skills

• Comprehensive knowledge of pharmaceutical manufacturing, standards and compliance requirements
• Understanding of technical drawings / use of equipment manuals
• Ability to interpret and implement policies, processes and objectives
• Physically capable of lifting/ moving heavy equipment

Competencies

• Interrogating Information
• Pragmatic Action
• Maintaining Accuracy