Tupande Control Room Operator (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

Provides centralized PLC oversight of pyrolysis lines and flexible operational support across all departments during each shift. The role combines two functions: the Control Room function (centralized process monitoring) and the Floater function (responsive cover for breaks and surges across the shift).

Responsibilities

Control Room

• Monitor all PLC/HMI displays and process dashboards for both production lines throughout the shift
• Identify performance deviations, alarm conditions, or anomalies and immediately alert the relevant Shift Supervisor or operator
• Log process data, alarms, and system events in the shift control log at regular intervals
• Support Shift Supervisors with centralized performance tracking and production reporting
• Assist with system start-up and shutdown sequences and escalate recurring control system faults to Production Coordinator (Electrical)

Floater

• Cover breaks for any operator across both lines on a rotating basis, maintaining full line coverage at all times
• Provide hands-on support to operations, maintenance, feedstock, or QA/QC teams as directed by the Shift Supervisor
• Respond to unexpected incidents, equipment stoppages, or surge workloads anywhere on the floor
• Maintain awareness of the full shift situation to anticipate where support will be needed next

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:

• Certificate or diploma in Electrical Engineering, Instrumentation, IT, or Process Control preferred; experience with PLC/HMI systems or SCADA strongly preferred
• Prior experience across multiple production roles in a manufacturing environment; broad practical skills across operations, basic maintenance, and material handling
• Strong attention to detail, adaptability, and ability to communicate early and clearly with the Shift Supervisor at all times
• Shift availability: Willingness and ability to work rotating 9-hour shifts, including night shifts, on a rotation cycle
• Physically capable of working in a hot, dusty industrial environment throughout the shift, including conducting walkthroughs of the production line at regular intervals

Preferred Start Date

As soon as possible

Job Location

Sagana, Kenya

Benefits

Health insurance, paid time off

Contract Duration

6 months

Eligibility

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

Application Deadline

13 September 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.