Tupande Production Assistant ( Fixed-Term)

TUPANDE PRODUCTION ASSISTANT (FIXED-TERM) — ONE ACRE FUND KENYA About One Acre Fund Since 2006, One Acre Fund has transformed agricultural productivity across Africa, supporting 5.5 million smallholder farmers across nine countries. We deliver premium farm inputs, tree seedlings, affordable credit, modern farming training, and comprehensive agricultural services that help farmers boost income and assets by over 35 percent while building lasting resilience. Our workforce of 9,000+ professionals brings diverse expertise to this mission. In Kenya, our Tupande program operates from Kakamega headquarters with 500 staff members supporting 1,747 field agents serving over 1 million farmers. Our Nairobi office houses approximately 50 professionals managing global operations including procurement, recruitment, government relations, and communications. About This Role You'll operate and oversee a specific stage within our biochar pyrolysis production process. Depending on your assigned stage, you may manage feedstock feeding and drying, monitor core carbonization, or handle biochar discharge and cooling operations. What You'll Do At the Feeder and Dryer Stage, you'll load feedstock into the feed system at precise rates, monitor and adjust the drying system to maintain target moisture levels, and ensure steady, uninterrupted material flow to the carbonizer. At the Carbonizer Stage, you'll manage pyrolysis temperatures, airflow, and combustion conditions, make real-time system adjustments for optimal performance, and respond immediately to any process irregularities. At the Discharge and Cooling Stage, you'll monitor cooling systems, maintain consistent biochar product flow from discharge to storage or packaging, and safely detect and clear any blockages. Across all stages, you'll record process data and observations in shift logs at specified intervals, report equipment faults or safety concerns to your Production Supervisor without delay, complete equipment pre-checks at shift start, and assist with start-up, shutdown, and cleaning procedures. You'll adhere strictly to all Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point protocols at your workstation and support the Maintenance Officer during equipment maintenance and cleaning activities. Your Background You hold a certificate in technical, mechanical, chemical, or process engineering, with prior experience in pyrolysis, kiln operation, biomass processing, or high-temperature industrial processing strongly preferred—particularly if you're interested in the carbonizer stage. You can read gauges, meters, and basic instrumentation accurately and record data reliably. You're dependable, detail-oriented, and capable of following standard operating procedures independently with minimal supervision. You're physically able to work comfortably in a hot, dusty industrial environment throughout your shift, including regular production line walkthroughs. You're willing and able to work rotating nine-hour shifts including night shifts on a scheduled rotation. Career Development We're committed to growing our people. You'll participate in weekly check-ins with your manager, access mentorship and training programs, receive regular performance feedback, and engage in career reviews every six months to discuss your professional aspirations and goals. Position Details Location: Rukanga, Kenya Contract: Three months (fixed-term) Start Date: As soon as possible Shift Structure: Rotating nine-hour shifts including nights Benefits: Health insurance and paid time off Application Deadline: October 5, 2026 (rolling basis—applications reviewed continuously) Eligibility: This position is open only to Kenyan citizens or permanent residents. Our Commitment to You One Acre Fund is an equal opportunity employer committed to diversity, equity, inclusion, and anti-racism. We celebrate all backgrounds and identities and are dedicated to building a workplace where every team member feels valued, represented, and connected so we can achieve exceptional impact for the farmers we serve. Important Note: One Acre Fund never requests payment or test fees from candidates during any interview stage. All official communications come from @oneacrefund.org addresses. Report suspicious communications to globalhotline@oneacrefund.org without submitting applications there.