Our client is a global energy technology company recruiting a Senior Petroleum/Production Engineer for a 2-year assignment based full-time in Nairobi, Kenya. The role supports production operations at the South Lokichar Basin — one of East Africa's most significant upstream assets, targeting first commercial oil in late 2026. Kenyan nationals and East/West African regional candidates are strongly encouraged to apply and will be given first priority.

The role

Based full-time in Nairobi on regular office hours, you'll be the central technical interface between drilling, facilities, and field operations at the South Lokichar Basin — a developing asset with up to 50 wells running ESP and PCP lift systems. You'll own production performance, lead optimisation across the well stock, interface with facilities engineering, and mentor junior Kenyan engineers as the asset ramps up to first commercial oil.

Responsibilities

• Own daily production performance monitoring, analysis, and optimisation across all wells.
• Lead artificial lift strategy, performance monitoring, and lifecycle planning (ESP and PCP).
• Troubleshoot production bottlenecks, flow assurance issues, and well performance deviations.
• Coordinate well pulls, workovers, and completions-to-production handovers.
• Interface with facilities engineering to align surface and subsurface requirements.
• Support SCADA implementation and day-to-day remote surveillance.
• Provide input into reservoir management and water injection strategies.
• Liaise with regulatory bodies and support compliance reporting.
• Mentor junior engineers and lead capacity building initiatives.

Requirements

Essential

• 15+ years' experience as a Production/Petroleum Engineer at an operating company.
• Proven track record in production optimisation and artificial lift management (ESP/PCP).
• Strong working knowledge of flow assurance, SCADA systems, and water injection strategies.
• Demonstrated leadership and mentoring capability in multi-disciplinary teams.
• Bachelor's degree in Petroleum Engineering or a closely related discipline.

Desirable

• Prior experience in East Africa or sub-Saharan African upstream environments.
• Familiarity with Kenya's regulatory landscape — EPRA, National Oil Corporation of Kenya.
• Experience on pre-FID or early-stage production assets.