Overview
South African Airways is recruiting eight permanent Cleaners within its Operations Support division. This essential role is responsible for maintaining the cleanliness and hygiene of both the interior and exterior of SAA’s contracted aircraft, including third-party fleets. The position also extends to cleaning hangars, technical areas, workshop spaces, and surrounding premises.
This role is critical to ensuring safety, operational efficiency, and passenger comfort. The successful applicants will play a key role in preserving SAA’s reputation for excellence by delivering high-quality cleaning, sanitisation, and aircraft appearance services. Working within one of Africa’s most respected aviation environments, candidates will gain exposure to highly specialised cleaning equipment, aviation safety standards, and professional technical operations.
Minimum Requirements
- Grade 12 / Matric or equivalent qualification
- Minimum 6 months’ experience in an aviation appearance/cleaning environment
- Basic knowledge of aviation cleaning procedures
- Ability to operate cleaning equipment and machinery
- Understanding of safety protocols and aviation regulations
Key Competencies and Skills
- Knowledge of SAA Technical policies
- Familiarity with cleaning chemicals and aviation-approved products
- Ability to operate specialised equipment (stackers, skyjacks, floor scrubbers, cherry pickers, etc.)
- Strong attention to detail
- Ability to work in physically demanding environments
- Teamwork and cooperation
- Customer service orientation
- High integrity and professionalism
- Strong initiative and achievement orientation
- Good problem-solving and information-seeking skills
Responsibilities
- Full interior cleaning of SAA and customer aircraft
- Deep cleaning of carpets, chairs, and cockpit
- Cleaning screens, headphones, and crew equipment
- Deep cleaning of aircraft toilets and galley areas
- Cleaning of trash compactors and waste spaces
- Cleaning spillages inside aircraft cabins and cargo compartments
- Cleaning removable items such as seats and components
- Aircraft Exterior Cleaning
- Exterior washing and polishing of aircraft surfaces
- Glazing and detailing
- Operating stackers, scissor lifts, skyjacks, and cherry pickers
- Cleaning landing gear and aircraft components using approved chemicals
- Operating WAP machines for heavy-duty component cleaning
- Hangar and Technical Area Cleaning
- Hangar floor cleaning and sweeping
- Emptying drip trays for fuel, skydrol and oils
- Cleaning mechanical stores and workshops
- Handling hazardous spillages safely
- Emptying domestic and hazardous waste
- Operating floor scrubbers
- Premises Cleaning & Grounds Maintenance
- Picking up litter, debris, nails, pallets, and packaging
- Removing foreign objects (FOD) from the premises
- Sweeping streets, parking lots, and walkways
- Emptying recycling bins and sorting boxes
- Operating trash compactors
Important Notes
This is a safety-sensitive role that requires strict adherence to aviation hygiene and safety protocols. Applicants must be physically fit due to the nature of the role. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. Background checks may be conducted according to SAA’s employment policies.
🧾 ATS-Friendly CV Guide
In today’s digital job market, most companies use Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) to screen CVs before human eyes ever see them. These systems are designed to scan documents for keywords, structure, and formatting that align with the job description. An ATS-friendly CV improves your chance of getting past automated filters and landing an interview. Whether you are applying for the SAA Aircraft Cleaner Job Opening position at South African Airways (SAA) – Operations Support Division or another opportunity, your CV must speak both to machines and people. This guide walks you through proven strategies to optimize your CV from top to bottom, offering practical examples, formatting tips, and best practices to maximize your success.
1. ✅ CV Structure
- Header: Example — Thabo Khumalo | 0612 74 1234 | [email protected] | Randburg, South Africa.
- Professional Summary: Tailored to the role. E.g., “Motivated customer service agent with 3+ years’ experience in retail and a track record of increasing client satisfaction scores by 25%.”
- Key Skills: Include 6–10 bullet points. E.g., Point of Sale (POS) systems, Inventory control, Conflict resolution, Merchandising, SAP, Microsoft Excel.
- Work Experience: Reverse-chronological. Example:
- Retail Assistant | Bradlows | Jan 2022 – Present
- • Assisted 40+ daily customers with purchases and queries.
- • Maintained 98% shelf availability by overseeing stock rotation.
- Education: Highest level first. E.g., “Diploma in Business Management, UNISA, 2021.”
- Certifications: “Occupational Health and Safety, 2023 (SASSETA)”
- References: “Available upon request” unless stated otherwise in job ad.
2. 🖋️ Typography & Formatting
- Font Choice: Use clean fonts like Arial, Calibri, or Helvetica — ATS systems can misread decorative fonts.
- Font Size: Body text should be 10.5pt–12pt; Headings 14pt–16pt for readability and emphasis.
- Spacing & Margins: Use 1.15–1.5 line spacing. Keep margins at 0.75–1 inch. This ensures text isn’t cramped and is easy to scan.
- Avoid: Tables, columns, headers/footers, text boxes — most ATS software can't interpret them properly.
- File Format: Save your CV as a PDF or DOCX — PDF preserves formatting across devices, DOCX is often required by ATS platforms.
3. ✏️ Content Best Practices
- Mirror Job Language: If the ad says “inventory management,” use that term instead of synonyms like “stock control.”
- Quantify Achievements: Numbers give weight. E.g., “Managed R50,000 monthly inventory with < 2% loss.”
- Tailor for Each Job: Don't send the same CV to every employer. Highlight different skills depending on the job ad.
- Be Clear, Not Clever: Avoid vague buzzwords. Say what you did and how it helped your company.
- Proofread! ATS won't reject for spelling — but hiring managers will. Use tools like Grammarly or Hemingway.
4. 📷 Photo?
- Photos are discouraged unless required. ATS software can’t read them and they can add bias.
- If required (e.g., acting, modeling), choose a neutral background, natural lighting, and professional attire.
- Ensure file size is small if embedded. Avoid image-heavy CVs as they increase loading time.
5. 🔍 ATS Keyword Optimization Tips
Copy the exact job description and extract nouns and verbs that repeat. For example, for a Retail Assistant post: “customer service,” “cash handling,” “inventory,” “POS,” “stocktaking,” “sales target,” “merchandising,” and “teamwork.”
6. ✅ Dos and ❌ Don’ts of ATS CVs
- ✅ Use job-relevant keywords
- ✅ Keep formatting simple and consistent
- ✅ Quantify wherever possible
- ❌ Don’t include tables or graphics
- ❌ Don’t submit images or logos
- ❌ Don’t use colored or stylized fonts
7. 💾 File Naming & Saving Tips
- Name format: YourName_SAA Aircraft Cleaner Job Opening_CV.pdf
- Save as PDF unless job ad specifies otherwise
- Avoid spaces in filenames: Use underscores instead
- Check file size — keep it under 2MB
8. 🧠 More about ATS
Your CV is the first impression recruiters and ATS software get of you. To pass the ATS filter, you must optimize your CV with clean formatting, appropriate keyword use, and targeted content. Focus on clearly structuring each section: headline, summary, skills, work experience, education, and certifications. Customize the content for every role by mirroring the terminology and phrasing used in the job advert. Quantify achievements wherever possible. Format with simplicity — avoid graphics and stick to standard fonts. Proofreading is non-negotiable: even small typos can disqualify you. Save and name your file properly to avoid compatibility issues. Remember, your CV must be easily readable by both algorithms and humans. By applying the principles in this guide, you will greatly improve your chances of being shortlisted for interviews and finding the right role for your skills.
Professional Summary Example
A hardworking and detail-oriented cleaning professional with proven experience in aviation, technical, or industrial cleaning environments. Skilled in performing both interior and exterior aircraft cleaning, operating specialised equipment, and adhering to strict hygiene and safety standards. Experienced in deep cleaning, hazardous spill control, component sanitisation, and maintaining both workspace and aircraft cleanliness. Demonstrates strong organisational awareness and an understanding of the critical role appearance teams play in ensuring operational readiness and passenger comfort.
Committed to delivering high-quality results, maintaining aviation safety protocols, and contributing to the smooth running of technical and operational facilities. Brings strong initiative, problem-solving abilities, and a consistent track record of reliability and professionalism. Able to work under pressure, collaborate effectively with team members, and adapt to demanding aviation environments. Seeking to add value to South African Airways by ensuring all aircraft and premises remain clean, safe, and fully compliant with regulatory and operational standards.
How to Apply
Applicants must submit their full application through the official South African Airways Careers Portal under the reference number SAA251113-2. Ensure your CV includes detailed experience, duties, and relevant cleaning or aviation exposure. Late applications will not be accepted.
