Underground Drill Rig Operator at Petra Diamonds, Cullinan
Petra Diamonds SA · Cullinan, Gauteng
Overview
Petra Diamonds is hiring an underground Drill Rig Operator at their Cullinan operation. You will run drill rigs to hit production targets in sub level caves, working with a team of miners and maintenance staff. If you have a matric, a valid driver's licence, six months of underground experience and you are trained on drill rigs, this permanent role in the mining sector could be your next step.
About the role
Petra Diamonds SA is looking for a Drill Rig Operator to join the team at Cullinan. In this role you will operate drill rigs safely and efficiently, drill holes along outlines, and monitor drilling progress to make sure the ore extraction process runs at optimal levels. You will work closely with the Miner and report directly to them.
You will be responsible for pre start checks on equipment, inspecting for defects, checking the oil on the rock drill, and watching gauges and listening for abnormal sounds to catch mechanical problems before they happen. You will also assist maintenance staff with repairs when needed and keep your work area clean and free of debris.
Application note: Include the reference number 088/ 2026 in your application.
Requirements
- Grade 12 or Standard 10
- Valid driver's licence
- Trained and passed out on drill rig
- Passed Vienna Assessment at the level required to operate the vehicle or machine
- 6 months underground experience
- Experience in operating a drill rig
- Knowledge of drilling holes according to standard operating procedures
- Pre start inspection and risk identification skills
- Understanding of safety, health and environment standards
- Ability to plan and organise work tasks
Responsibilities
- Operate drill rigs according to laid down procedures and job standards
- Drill holes along outlines using a rock drill rig
- Monitor drilling progress and change drill bits based on the nature of the strata
- Perform pre start checks on all equipment
- Inspect materials, products and equipment for defects or malfunctions and report to the supervisor
- Check the oil of the rock drill
- Observe pressure gauges and move throttles and levers to control drill speed and pressure
- Identify early signs of mechanical breakdowns through gauges, visual checks and abnormal sounds
- Assist maintenance staff with repairs and servicing of equipment
- Keep the work area clean and free of debris and obstructions
Job details
- Organisation
- Petra Diamonds SA
- Location
- Cullinan, Gauteng
- Job type
- Full time
- Experience level
- Entry
- Education
- Matric
- Category
- Mining & Resources
- Application Method
- Apply online
Success Guide
This is a hands-on underground mining role, so your application should show that you take safety seriously and that you understand how a drill rig works. When you build your CV, put your drill rig training and your six months of underground experience near the top, and mention any specific rigs you have operated.
For the interview, be ready to talk about pre start checks, how you spot mechanical problems early, and how you communicate safety issues to your supervisor. Petra Diamonds is a large mining company, so showing that you can work cleanly and follow procedures will go a long way.
Make sure your matric certificate and driver's licence are easy to attach or bring along.
How we help you prepare
This employer takes applications on their own website, so you'll submit this one yourself — but SPAAN NOW gets everything ready for you first. Here's how it works:
- Our AI tailors your CV to match this job's keywords and requirements, so it stands out to recruiters and screening systems.
- A custom cover letter is written specifically for this role — no generic templates.
- We gather the documents this job needs: CV, Matric certificate and Driver's license. SPAAN NOW pulls these from your profile and packages them together, ready to attach.
- Once your application is prepared, we show you exactly how and where to apply — just follow the link to the employer and submit your ready-made CV, cover letter and documents.
- Mark it as applied under Applications to keep track, and if you're shortlisted, use AI Interview Prep to practise questions commonly asked for roles like this.
We do the hard part — tailoring and gathering everything — so applying yourself only takes a minute.
Spaan Talk
1 job seeker is in this Circle