Tenders, Costings & Proposals Engineer (Chemical)

SUMMARY:
Job Title:  Tenders, Costings & Proposals Engineer (Chemical)
Location: Muizenberg (Western Cape)
Industry: Water Treatment | Engineering | Wastewater
Type: Full-Time        / Environment: Fast-paced, dynamic, engineering-driven

About the Role
Our client, a leader in sustainable water and wastewater treatment solutions, is seeking a Tenders, Costings & Proposals Engineer – Chemical to join their Business Development team at their Muizenberg head office. This role is ideal for a technically strong chemical or process engineer with experience in water treatment systems who enjoys working at the intersection of engineering design, commercial strategy, and project development. The successful candidate will be responsible for developing technically sound, commercially competitive, and fully compliant proposals for water and wastewater treatment solutions. This includes preparing submissions for public and private tenders, permanent plant sales, and short- or long-term rental systems, while supporting costing models, preliminary process designs, and chemical treatment strategies.
Working closely with Business Development, Process Engineering, and Operations teams, the role requires a combination of analytical capability, technical writing skills, and process engineering expertise to support the organisation’s continued growth across municipal, industrial, and mining sectors. (Valid License & Own Vehicle mandatory)

POSITION INFO:
What you’ll be doing

• Develop complete technical and commercial proposals for water treatment solutions, including permanent plant installations, containerized/mobile systems, and rental units.
• Prepare proposal documentation including treatment philosophy, process descriptions, equipment selection, system sizing, and operational cost estimates.
• Analyze RFQs, RFPs, and tender specifications to determine technical, chemical, commercial, and compliance requirements.
• Develop full tender submissions including methodology statements, process design summaries, BOQs, pricing schedules, and compliance matrices.
• Perform preliminary engineering design work including Process Flow Diagrams (PFDs), mass balances, and chemical dosing calculations.
• Develop costing models covering chemical consumption, consumables, treatment media, membranes, and operational costs.
• Prepare Bills of Quantities (BOQs) and pricing structures for both tender and proposal submissions.
• Conduct lifecycle cost assessments and support cost-performance optimisation modelling.
• Recommend appropriate treatment strategies for coagulation, pH adjustment, oxidation, scaling control, solids removal, and related chemical processes.
• Participate in tender briefings, site inspections, and client clarification meetings where required.
• Support Business Development during client engagements, technical presentations, and negotiations.
• Coordinate with Process, Mechanical, Electrical, Operations, and SHEQ teams to validate proposal designs and costing assumptions.
• Maintain tender registers, documentation control, submission deadlines, and version tracking through Microsoft 365 and SharePoint platforms.
• Ensure proposal documentation meets internal standards, technical accuracy requirements, and compliance obligations.
• Support internal bid/no-bid reviews and assist with project handover to engineering and operations teams upon award.

• Bachelor’s Degree in Chemical Engineering, Water & Environmental Engineering, or a related discipline.
• 3 – 5 years’ relevant experience within water or wastewater treatment engineering environments.
• Experience preparing technical tenders, proposals, or commercial submissions for engineering or process systems.
• Strong understanding of water treatment technologies such as RO, UF, filtration, clarification, and chemical dosing systems.
• Ability to develop Process Flow Diagrams (PFDs), mass balances, and chemical dosing calculations.
• Strong analytical and costing skills with the ability to build commercial models and BOQs.
• Advanced Microsoft 365 proficiency, particularly Excel modelling and SharePoint collaboration tools.
• Ability to interpret engineering drawings, technical specifications, and system performance data.
• Excellent technical writing, documentation, and communication skills.
• Valid driver’s license and willingness to travel occasionally for site visits or tender briefings.
• South African citizen or legally eligible to work in South Africa.

• Competitive and negotiable salary based on experience.
• Opportunity to play a key role in the commercial development of complex water treatment projects.
• Exposure to municipal, industrial, and mining sector water treatment solutions.
• Involvement in technically challenging proposal development and project conceptualisation.
• A collaborative engineering environment focused on sustainable infrastructure and water security.

• This is a technically intensive role that combines engineering design with commercial proposal development.
• The environment is fast-paced and deadline-driven, particularly during tender submission periods.
• Occasional travel to project sites, tender briefings, or client meetings may be required.
• Strong attention to detail, organisation, and the ability to manage multiple proposals simultaneously are essential for success in this role.