Maersk Contract Logistics Industrial Engineer Graduate Programme – 12 Months
Location: Johannesburg
Closing Date: Rolling
About the Maersk Graduate Programme
Maersk is committed to building a strong internal talent pipeline to power the future of Maersk Warehousing and Distribution operations. This graduate programme forms part of the company’s strategic talent and transformation objectives, aimed at driving process standardisation and developing future leaders with operational and digital capabilities.
Aligned with Maersk Centres of Excellence in Johannesburg, Cape Town, and Durban, the programme is designed to equip graduates with the skills, experience, and industry insight needed to make an early and meaningful impact. Maersk offers a unique blend of formal learning and structured workplace rotations across diverse logistics environments.
Experience Across:
- Cross-dock operations
- Ambient warehousing
- Cold chain facilities
Key Learning Focus Areas:
- Support end-to-end analysis and improvement of inbound, storage, picking, packing, dispatch, cross-dock and inventory processes.
- Collect, validate and analyse operational data to identify constraints, waste, variation and improvement opportunities.
- Conduct time studies, work measurement, process mapping, capacity analysis, root-cause analysis and productivity assessments.
- Support inventory accuracy through cycle-count analysis, reconciliation, stock-integrity reviews and inventory variance investigations.
- Work with TCO on KPI definitions, data quality, WMS reporting, dashboards, process standardisation and digital improvement opportunities.
- Support Solution Design activities, including requirements analysis, conceptual layouts, material flow, capacity calculations, labour and equipment sizing, option evaluation and design documentation.
- Support Implementation workstreams through project planning, RAID management, SOP development, training material, operational-readiness checks, hypercare and benefits tracking.
- Participate in Lean, 5S, Kaizen and continuous-improvement activities and ensure agreed improvements are documented and sustained.
- Prepare clear technical reports, presentations and recommendations for operational and functional stakeholders.
- Complete an integrated capstone project with a validated benefit or an evidenced feasibility case, together with a control and handover plan.
What You Will Gain
- Hands-on exposure to multiple Contract Logistics operating environments.
- Practical application of Industrial Engineering methods in warehousing and distribution.
- Exposure to inventory, TCO and digital enablement, Solution Design and Implementation.
- Mentoring, structured feedback and professional-development support.
- Experience delivering analysis, improvement projects and management-ready recommendations.
Programme eligibility
- Education: Industrial Engineering degree (or final year of study)
- A strong academic record
- Strong analytical, problem-solving, and process-thinking abilities
- Passion for logistics, supply chain, and operational excellence
- Adaptability to work in diverse and fast-paced environments
- Good communication and interpersonal skills
- South African citizenship
- Intermediate proficiency in MS Outlook, MS Word, PowerPoint and Excel
- Good personal time management
- A positive attitude
Maersk is committed to a diverse and inclusive workplace, and the company embraces different styles of thinking. Maersk is an equal opportunities employer and welcomes applicants without regard to race, colour, gender, sex, age, religion, creed, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, marital status, sexual orientation, physical or mental disability, medical condition, pregnancy or parental leave, veteran status, gender identity, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. Maersk will consider qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with all legal requirements.
About Maersk South Africa
Maersk South Africa is the local arm of A.P. Moller–Maersk, a global integrated logistics and container shipping company. Maersk South Africa (Pty) Ltd was established in 1992 and connects South African importers and exporters to major markets worldwide through ocean freight, inland transport, customs services, warehousing and supply-chain solutions.
The company is headquartered in Cape Town, with offices in Durban, Port Elizabeth, East London and Johannesburg. Its network links South African ports and inland locations with Maersk’s global ocean fleet, supported by road and rail connections. Maersk helps businesses move containers efficiently between ports, warehouses, factories and customers, providing end-to-end visibility and coordinated transport across sea, rail and road.
Maersk’s services in South Africa include import and export shipping, customs clearance, inland haulage, cold-chain logistics, refrigerated containers, warehousing and distribution. In 2023, the company opened its first warehouse and distribution facility in Cape Town, a 10,000-square-metre bonded facility with 7,000 pallet locations and access to rail, road, port and airport infrastructure. This investment supports businesses that need reliable storage, inventory management and distribution across South Africa.
Maersk also plays a role in South Africa’s logistics and maritime skills development. The company supports the Lawhill Maritime Centre, a programme that prepares high-school learners for careers in shipping, logistics, clearing and forwarding, shipbroking and related industries. For job seekers, Maersk South Africa offers opportunities in shipping operations, freight forwarding, customs, warehousing, transport, customer service, sales, finance and supply-chain management.
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