Tupande Mechanical Maintenance Engineer / Specialist (Fixed-Term)

About One Acre Fund

Founded in 2006, One Acre Fund equips 5.5 million smallholder farmers to make their farms more productive. Across nine countries that together are home to two-thirds of Africa's farmers, we provide high-quality farm supplies, tree seedlings, accessible credit, modern agronomic training, and a wide range of other agricultural services. On average, this model enables any farmer to increase their income and assets on supported land by more than 35 percent, while permanently improving their resilience. This is all made possible by our team of 9,000+ full-time staff, drawn from diverse backgrounds and professions. To learn more, please see our Why Work Here blog post.

Our Kenya program, founded in 2006, operates under the local brand Tupande. Close to 500 staff in our Kakamega headquarters support 1,747 field staff and serve more than 1 million farmers. In Nairobi, around 50 staff support global functions like procurement, recruitment, government relations, and communications.

About the Role

Seeking an exceptional Mechanical Engineer to execute high-level mechanical maintenance, troubleshooting, and repairs across all Tupande Soko factories and reduce operational downtime for our processing operations.

Responsibilities

Hands-on Mechanical Maintenance & Repair

• Execute hands-on mechanical repairs on critical processing machinery to ensure operational continuity across all factory locations.
• Troubleshoot complex mechanical equipment failures directly, providing on-the-spot technical interventions when standard maintenance staff or vendors are unavailable.
• Perform routine and deep-dive mechanical overhauls, component replacements, and structural alignments on heavy plant machinery.

Preventive Maintenance & Execution

• Physically execute mechanical preventative maintenance schedules and job plans assigned via the CMMS.
• Inspect, adjust, and overhaul mechanical assemblies (such as gearboxes, pumps, hydraulic rams, pneumatic lines, conveyors, and bearings).
• Track and provide direct data to the Lead Engineer on mechanical asset conditions, failure modes, and component wear rates.

Machinery Focus & Asset Care

• Act as the core mechanical technical intervention specialist for Soko factory machinery repairs and maintenance. Ensure all soko machinery is in a good performance state.
• Conduct technical repairs on industrial dehydrators, macadamia processing systems, and industrial-level biochar production equipment.
• Verify and list precise mechanical specifications for machines, spare parts, and consumables requested by factory teams.

Workforce Mentorship & TPM Support

• Mentor and model best-practice mechanical repair techniques during direct interaction with factory staff to elevate technical standards
• Assist in delivering TPM (Total Productive Maintenance) maintenance training for machine operators specifically regarding mechanical checks, cleaning, and precision lubrication
• Coach operators on identifying early mechanical warning signs like abnormal vibrations, heat, or noise

Safety, Food Safety, and Regulation

• Ensure all maintenance activities comply with safe systems of work: permit to work, LOTO, confined space, and relevant Kenyan regulatory requirements (KEBS, DOSH, NEMA)
• Maintain HACCP-required equipment records for food-contact assets; lead the maintenance function's contribution to food safety audits
• Champion a zero-harm safety culture on the shop floor; report hazards and quickly close out structural or machine risk issues

Career Growth and Development

We have a strong culture of constant learning and we invest in developing our people. You'll have weekly check-ins with your manager, access to mentorship and training programs, and regular feedback on your performance. We hold career reviews every six months, and set aside time to discuss your aspirations and career goals. You'll have the opportunity to shape a growing organization and build a rewarding long-term career.

Qualifications

Across all roles, these are the general qualifications we look for. For this role specifically, you will have:

Technical skills:

• Degree or Higher Diploma in Mechanical Engineering or appropriate engineering field
• Active registration/membership as an engineer or technical practitioner in Kenya
• Preventive/predictive maintenance programme design and implementation
• Experience with avocado oil machinery repairs and maintenance preferred
• Experience with industrial dehydrators, macadamia processing, and industrial level biochar production preferred
• Ability to utilize CMMS software (SAP PM, Maximo, Limble, etc.) to close work orders and log technical data
• Deep mechanical fault-finding and root cause analysis on industrial plant equipment
• Proficiency in mechanical drawings, pneumatics, hydraulics, and welding/fabrication techniques

Knowledge:

• Food safety management systems and HACCP requirements as applied to plant maintenance
• Kenyan occupational health and safety legislation (OSHA, DOSH requirements)
• TPM (Total Productive Maintenance) or World Class Manufacturing principles
• Kenyan regulatory environment for food manufacturing (KEBS, relevant standards)

Preferred Start Date

As soon as possible

Job Location

Rukanga, Kenya

Benefits

Health insurance, paid time off

Contract Duration

2 years

Eligibility

This role is only open to citizens or permanent residents of Kenya.

Application Deadline

20 November 2026. Please note that we hire on a rolling basis which means that applications are reviewed and processed on a continuous basis until a hire is made.

One Acre Fund never asks candidates to pay any money or pay for tests at any stage of the interview process. Official One Acre Fund emails will always arrive from an @oneacrefund.org address. Please report any suspicious communication here (globalhotline@oneacrefund.org), but do not send applications or application materials to this email address.

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion (DEI), and anti-racism are deeply connected to our organization's mission and purpose. One Acre Fund aspires to build a culture where all staff feel consistently valued, represented, and connected – so that our team can thrive as professionals, and achieve exceptional impact for the farmers we serve.

We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, marital status, disability, gender, gender identity or expression. We are proud to be an equal opportunity workplace.