JOB VACANCIES

Job Title
Senior Petroleum/Production Engineer
Employment Type
Full Time
Experience
5 to 25 years
Salary
Basic
Job Published
31 March 2026
Job Reference No.
3877406980

Job Description

Senior Petroleum/Production Engineer (Nairobi, Kenya)

The Opportunity

This isn't just another office-based advisory role. We are looking for a technically sharp, high-impact Senior Petroleum/Production Engineer to join a global energy technology company on a two-year assignment. Based in Nairobi, you will be the lead technical voice supporting the South Lokichar Basin, one of East Africa’s most significant upstream projects as it moves toward a major milestone: first oil in late 2026.

This is a role for someone who wants to "own" the results. You’ll be the central link between drilling, facilities, and field operations, ensuring that the transition from a developing asset to a commercial producer is seamless, efficient, and technically sound.

What You’ll Be Doing

Driving Performance & Strategy

  • Own the Results: You’ll be responsible for the daily production performance across all wells in the basin. This means monitoring, analyzing, and most importantly, acting on what the data tells you.

  • Lead Artificial Lift: You’ll take the lead on selection, monitoring, and lifecycle planning for ESP, gas lift, and rod pump systems.

  • Solve Problems: From flow assurance issues to production bottlenecks, you’ll be the first line of defence in troubleshooting and resolving well performance deviations.

Bridging the Gap

  • Integrated Operations: You’ll work closely with facilities engineering to ensure that what’s happening underground aligns perfectly with our surface infrastructure.

  • Lifecycle Management: You will coordinate well pulls, workovers, and the critical handovers from completions to production.

  • Modern Monitoring: You'll support the rollout of SCADA and remote surveillance systems to keep a constant eye on the asset’s health.

Mentoring & Compliance

  • Building a Legacy: A core part of this role is mentoring a talented team of junior Kenyan engineers, leading structured capacity-building initiatives to ensure the asset’s long-term success.

  • Regulatory Liaison: You'll work with local bodies to keep the project in compliance and handle all necessary reporting.

Who You Are

We are looking for someone with "field credibility"—the kind of judgment that only comes from 15+ years of hands-on experience at an operating company.

The Essentials:

  • Proven Expertise: You have a Bachelor’s in Petroleum Engineering and a deep track record in production optimization and artificial lift management.

  • Technically Versatile: You’re comfortable navigating flow assurance, SCADA systems, and water injection strategies.

  • A Natural Mentor: You genuinely enjoy coaching multi-disciplinary teams and helping others grow.

  • Adaptable: While you’ll be based in Nairobi, you’re comfortable traveling to remote field environments like Turkana when the job requires it.

Bonus Points if:

  • You’ve worked in East Africa or sub-Saharan Africa before.

  • You’re familiar with the Kenyan regulatory landscape (EPRA, NOCK).

  • You’ve been through a project ramp-up or pre-FID phase.

The Benefits & Logistics

  • Location: Full-time in Nairobi (regular office hours) with periodic field travel to Turkana.

  • Assignment: 2-year contract.

  • The Package: We provide a comprehensive monthly rate that covers your salary, housing, and transport.

  • Travel & Health: Annual return flights to your home country, international medical insurance, and full coverage of work permit/visa costs.

  • Living: You’ll have a housing allowance or company accommodation in expat-standard areas of Nairobi like Westlands or Karen.

If you are a seasoned engineer ready to take ownership of a landmark project and help shape the future of the energy industry in Kenya, we want to hear from you.

Skills

Industries

EMPLOY AFRICA’S TOP 5 CV TIPS

There are some key elements that you need to be aware of when putting together your CV.

Its not as simple as it looks , and small things that you may not even notice, or you think are harmless, could well be jeopardising your chances of finding your ultimate job.

1. How professional is your email address ?

So just how professional is your email address. Remember to leave your private life at the door when applying for a job. Email addresses like partyrocker@gmail.com or honeybooboo@hotmail.com are not going to put you in a good light when your CV lands on the desk of the Hiring manager.

Stick to yourname.surname89@gmail.com to ensure that you are not jeapordising your chances of success.

2.  Stolen Identity?

Putting your ID number on your CV can result in identity theft.  If you think about it, your entire life is on your CV, how easy would it be to steal your identity and use it inappropriately.

This is why we highly recommended that you don’t put your ID number on your CV.  This is information that can be made available to the hiring manager on request later down the recruitment process.

3.  Spell Check Spell Check Spell Check?

What is a little Typo here and there? Who will notice right? WRONG!!

Don’t ever assume that grammar and spelling don’t matter on your CV. Make sure you go through your CV with a fine-tooth comb. Not bothering to check these types of mistakes may look like you don’t pay attention to detail. Someone who is sloppy with their CV may just as well be sloppy in the work environment, and no one likes a slack employee!

4.  Start Back to Front?

Hiring managers often have many CVs that they have to get through. Make sure that you put your most recent work experience first and work backwards from there. Don’t leave any gaps. Even if you were unemployed for a few months, add in that you were looking for work during that stage of your life.

5.  Contact details on every page of your CV?

Ensure that your contact details are on every page of your CV. The best way to ensure this is to put your name, telephone number and email address in the footer of your CV. This way, the front page of your CV ever get separated from the rest or goes missing, a hiring manager will still be able to get in touch with you.

For more hot tips on finding your dream career subscribe to this e zine from Employ Africa.

Services

planet-earth icon

Employer of Record

contract icon

Contract Management

salary icon

African Payroll Services

select icon

HR / IR Management

hire icon

Recruitment

medical-report icon

Expatriate & Local Insurance

passport icon

Immigration

collaboration icon

Mobility & Rotation Management

map icon

Global Payment Solutions