The Directorate provides technical expertise and support throughout the lifecycle of mining projects to maximize the value of its portfolio and minimize risks to achieve the vision, mission, and objectives of ZCCM-IH are realised. It also provides oversight to the ZCCM-IH subsidiaries’ technical aspects.

JOB PURPOSE

The Technical Assistant – Analytical Services provides critical operational and supervisory support within the laboratory technical team. Acting as the vital link between the Technical Officer and the hands-on testing team, this role directly oversees the Assayer – Lab Analyst, ensuring accurate execution of wet chemistry and instrumentation preparation. The position also ensures proper sample preparation protocols, chemical inventory maintenance, and strict adherence to turnaround times and safety guidelines.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

1.1 Workflow Supervision: Direct and monitor the daily performance of the Assayer – Lab Analyst, ensuring that sample testing schedules are strictly followed and that quality standard guardrails are met at every stage.

1.2 Routine Analytical Support: Assist Technical Officers in executing chemical and wet-chemistry techniques, such as standard acid digestions, sample filtrations, volumetric solutions preparation, and reagent mixing.

1.3 Technical Quality Reporting (Weekly, Monthly, Quarterly): Compile, format, and present regular laboratory performance and operational metrics for submission to the Technical Officer:

• 1.3.1 Weekly Reports: Document equipment usage logs, daily turnaround times (TAT), sample backlogs, and physical asset status to track short-term throughput efficiency.

• 1.3.2 Monthly Reports: Collate and summarize sectional performance indicators, consumption rates of hazardous chemicals, and waste management metrics.

• 1.3.3 Quarterly Reports: Prepare comprehensive laboratory performance portfolios capturing long-term trends, reagent procurement requirements, and strategic instrumentation asset evaluations.

• 1.3.4 Accreditation Guardrails: Ensure all prepared reports rigidly conform to ISO/IEC 17025 data management criteria, explicitly tracking equipment calibration status, raw environmental data parameters, and non-conformance records to support compliance tracking.

1.4 Proficiency Testing (PT) Execution: Coordinate and directly monitor the reception, scheduling, logging, and blind processing of external proficiency testing samples within the laboratory. Ensure subordinate staff handle and process PT samples under strict conformity with standard operating protocols to meet acceptable quality criteria.

1.5 Operational Customer Support: Promote positive customer relations with internal teams by accommodating high-priority sample requests and ensuring turn-around times match agreed service levels. Escalates unresolved client queries swiftly to the Technical Officer.

1.6 Equipment Housekeeping & Maintenance: Supervise and execute routine cleaning, monitoring, and verification checks on sample preparation equipment (jaw crushers, LM2/LM5 pulverizers, drying ovens) and laboratory balances.

1.7 Inventory Management: Track, receive, and safely store standard chemical reagents, laboratory consumables, and glassware. Report inventory thresholds to the Technical Officer to trigger timely procurement requests and ensure zero stockouts.

1.8 Data Integrity & Quality Records: Maintain meticulous and clear logs for sample chains-of-custody, weights, preparation parameters, and calibration logs of laboratory equipment. Ensure all quality records and instrument data sheets generated during PT operations are accurately kept up to date and readily accessible.

HSE Compliance: Adhere to and enforce laboratory health and safety regulations among subordinate staff, including the mandatory and correct use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) during dust-heavy and acid-handling stages.

JOB DIMENSIONS:

Responsibility for physical assets

• 1.1 Resource Utilisation: Ensure the prudent and responsible utilisation of all company assets, tools, and consumables deployed in the immediate workspace.

• 1.2 Compliance & Maintenance: Monitor the physical condition, compliance, and direct operational maintenance of basic sample preparation machinery (crushers, pulverizers) and standard glassware to prevent mechanical failures.

• 1.3 Physical Inventory Accountability: Directly manage the physical security and verification of the chemical, consumable, and hardware stock stored within the section, avoiding loss or contamination.

QUALIFICATIONS, KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS:

Minimum level of academic qualifications required to perform effectively in the role

• 1.1 GCE or equivalent with credits or better in five subjects including English and Mathematics

• 1.2 Bachelor of Science in Chemistry or any related field.

Minimum level of professional qualification required to perform effectively in the role

• 1.1 Minimum requirements to register in a recognised professional

Skills and competencies

TECHNICAL

• Sample Preparation Systems: Comprehensive hands-on mastery of multi-stage crushing, pulverizing, splitting, and homogenization machinery without cross-contamination.

• Wet Chemistry Basics: Strong basic laboratory technical skills including acid dilution, volumetric preparation, filtration techniques, and pipette handling.

• Technical & Compliance Reporting: Strong ability to track, analyze, and format operational data into clear weekly, monthly, and quarterly technical records that align with ISO/IEC 17025 data integrity principles.

• Inventory Control: Competence in tracking stock levels, handling hazard-classified materials safely, and utilizing tracking spreadsheets.

• Data Logging Precision: High level of exactness in tracking client sample identities, maintaining chains of custody, and recording weights.

Leadership

Developing people

Monitoring and measuring

Planning and organising

Supervisory

BEHAVIOURAL

• Detail Orientation: Highly focused on repetitive processes where minor variations, data omissions, or contamination can destroy an entire assay run.

• Task Accountability & Supervision: Emerging ability to assign daily tasks to the Assayer and follow up firmly on work progress.

• Physical Resilience & Stamina: High level of physical capability and energy required to handle heavy sample crates and operate heavy prep machinery daily

• Collaboration & Alignment: Collaborative team spirit built on executing strict workflows and communicating obstacles immediately to the Technical Officer.

• Direct and monitor the daily performance of the Assayer – Lab Analyst, ensuring that sample testing schedules are strictly followed and that quality standard guardrails are met at every stage.
• Assist Technical Officers in executing chemical and wet-chemistry techniques, such as standard acid digestions, sample filtrations, volumetric solutions preparation, and reagent mixing.
• Compile, format, and present regular laboratory performance and operational metrics for submission to the Technical Officer.
• Coordinate and directly monitor the reception, scheduling, logging, and blind processing of external proficiency testing samples within the laboratory.
• Promote positive customer relations with internal teams by accommodating high-priority sample requests and ensuring turn-around times match agreed service levels.
• Supervise and execute routine cleaning, monitoring, and verification checks on sample preparation equipment (jaw crushers, LM2/LM5 pulverizers, drying ovens) and laboratory balances.
• Track, receive, and safely store standard chemical reagents, laboratory consumables, and glassware.
• Maintain meticulous and clear logs for sample chains-of-custody, weights, preparation parameters, and calibration logs of laboratory equipment.
• Adhere to and enforce laboratory health and safety regulations among subordinate staff, including the mandatory and correct use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) during dust-heavy and acid-handling stages.
• Ensure the prudent and responsible utilisation of all company assets, tools, and consumables deployed in the immediate workspace.
• Monitor the physical condition, compliance, and direct operational maintenance of basic sample preparation machinery (crushers, pulverizers) and standard glassware to prevent mechanical failures.
• Directly manage the physical security and verification of the chemical, consumable, and hardware stock stored within the section, avoiding loss or contamination.

• Comprehensive hands-on mastery of multi-stage crushing, pulverizing, splitting, and homogenization machinery without cross-contamination.
• Strong basic laboratory technical skills including acid dilution, volumetric preparation, filtration techniques, and pipette handling.
• Strong ability to track, analyze, and format operational data into clear weekly, monthly, and quarterly technical records that align with ISO/IEC 17025 data integrity principles.
• Competence in tracking stock levels, handling hazard-classified materials safely, and utilizing tracking spreadsheets.
• High level of exactness in tracking client sample identities, maintaining chains of custody, and recording weights.
• Supervisory skills.
• Detail Orientation.
• Task Accountability & Supervision.
• Physical Resilience & Stamina.
• Collaboration & Alignment.

• GCE or equivalent with credits or better in five subjects including English and Mathematics
• Bachelor of Science in Chemistry or any related field.
• Minimum requirements to register in a recognised professional