Fitter and Turner Full Time Job

Fitter and Turner job vacancy in Port Elizabeth.

We are looking for a highly skilled Manual Machinist / Fitter and Turner to join our custom engineering team.

This is a specialised job-shop role, focused on manufacturing precision consumables and component tooling for the automotive and welding industries.

Unlike a Production-Line Operator, this role requires a true craftsman who can work entirely from engineering drawings or existing master parts to fabricate low-volume, high-tolerance components from scratch.

Position Type: Full-Time (with overtime/weekend flexibility as required).

Industry: Automotive Tooling and Consumables Manufacturing.

Salary: R100 – R150 per hour, commensurate with experience.

Requirements:

• Minimum of 4 years of hands-on experience working as a machinist, specifically within an engineering job-shop or toolroom environment
• Note: Applicants with strictly high-volume production or mass assembly line experience will not be considered
• A recognized Red Seal Trade Certificate (Fitter and Turner, Machinist, or Toolmaker)
• Mechanical engineering diplomas (N2–N6) is highly advantageous

Required Skills and Competencies:

• Proven ability to work comfortably to high-tolerance engineering specifications.
• Capability to adapt immediately to unique, non-repetitive custom jobs daily.
• Fully independent in calculating their own feeds, speeds, and machine offsets without relying on automated pre-sets
• Exceptional focus on component inspection, utilizing precision micrometres and verniers to avoid scrap production

Key Responsibilities and Duties:

• Multi-Machine Operation: Set up and safely operate a variety of engineering workshop machinery, including:
  • Manual Lathes and Milling Machines
  • Surface Grinders
  • Blocking Mills
  • Drill Arms and Auto-Tapping Machines
• Execute accurate thread cutting and taper turning on manual lathes and milling machines
• Interpret complex mechanical blueprints and manufacturing drawings to determine exact job specifications
• Create accurate freehand sketches and practical drawings directly from a sample master part
• Machine complex parts to strict, fine-limit hole and thread tolerances
• Utilise deep knowledge of diverse engineering materials to calculate and set the exact cutting speeds, feeds, and appropriate tooling setups for each distinct metal
• Accommodate fluctuating manufacturing volumes by working overtime and weekends when urgent automotive supply chain deadlines arise