Instrumentation & Control Maintenance Engineer

Instrumentation & Control Maintenance Engineer

• Application Deadline: 7 November 2025

Department: Business Operations

Employment Type: Permanent

Location: Kenya

• Reporting To: Maintenance Manager

Description

Globeleq is a leading independent power producer actively developing and operating power projects in Africa. With diverse portfolio, the company utilizes various technologies to generate reliable and sustainable energy.

The Menengai Geothermal Project is a 35 MW greenfield geothermal power plant, forming part of the first phase of the larger Menengai complex. This marks Kenya’s second large scale geothermal development after Olkaria. Once the plant reaches commercial operation at the end of 2025, Globeleq will be responsible for its Operation and Maintenance (O&M).

The Geothermal Development Company (GDC) a Kenyan government owned entity will supply steam to the project under a 25-year Project Implementation and Steam Supply Agreement (PISSA).

Electricity generated will be sold to Kenya Power, the national distribution company under a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) for the same period. The project will deliver clean, affordable and reliable baseload power to Kenya’s national grid, supporting the monetization of Menengai geothermal resources.

As the project shareholder, Globeleq is leading its construction, operation and long-term management.

We have partnered with Smart4Energy for this recruitment, in case of any queries kindly reach out to the team by emailing hello@smart4energytalent.com

Main Purpose Of Role

The Instrumentation & Control Maintenance Engineer will lead the implementation of preventive, predictive, and corrective maintenance activities across all plant control systems at the Menengai Geothermal Power Plant. The role is critical in ensuring high plant availability, minimal parasitic load, optimal equipment performance, and full compliance with safety, quality, and industry best practices. Operating within the framework of Globeleq’s policies and standards, as well as the requirements of the EPC, PISSA, PPA, LTSA, and O&M agreements, the Instrumentation & Control Maintenance Engineer will supervise I & C Technician. The role will collaborate closely with other engineering disciplines and the broader O&M team to ensure sustained plant performance, availability, and reliability. 

Key Result Areas

1)     Mobilisation Period (Pre-COD) -        Support plant commissioning and mobilization activities.-        Participate in simulation and operational readiness exercises-        Review, contribute and assess O&M manuals, OEM recommendations, and standard operating procedures.-        Assist in the populating the CMMS (e.g., SAP) with initial maintenance data and annual plans.-        Maintain plant records and provide mobilisation status reports.-        Participate in cataloguing EPC punch list items and track resolution progress.-        Participate in contractor-led classroom and hands on training and pre-commissioning activities.-        Support implementation and use of the Permit-To-Work (PTW) and Lockout/Tagout (LOTO) systems
2)     Operation Period (Post COD)  a)     Maintenance execution -        Plan and oversee preventive, predictive, and corrective maintenance.-        Maintain, troubleshoot and repair systems including:·        Steam turbine and auxiliaries’ control and instrumentation system·        DCS and SCADA systems.·        HV and LV control systems·        Balance of Plant automation systems -        Implement LOTO, permit-to-work, and other HSESS requirements.-        Utilize CMMS (IFS) for job planning, execution, and documentation.-        Manage contractors and maintenance support teams.-        Manage tools, consumables, spare parts inventory and reorder planning.  b)     PreventiveMaintenance As part of preventative maintenance activities, the I&C Maintenance Engineer:-        writes and verifies systematic maintenance scopes and procedures.-        reads, wires and modifies instrumentation, electrical and electronic diagrams.-        executes scheduled maintenance works.-        adapts the procedures provided by the manufacturer, if necessary, and enters the modifications into IFS.-        writes and checks the work instructions (obtain the diagrams from the documentation and possibly request the issuer of the work request for additional information relating to the location and nature of the defect.-        works alone or with I&C, electrical and mechanical maintenance technicians on the production units and its auxiliaries depending on the type of equipment.-        participates in major overhauls.-        calibrate measuring devices on site.-        writes and implements systematic maintenance procedures

c)     Corrective Maintenance The priority of interventions is defined at the daily joint meeting between maintenance and operation teams. Based on intervention orders issued by Maintenance Manager the I & C engineer will,-        Prepare for planned interventions by reviewing documentation and confirming required resources.-        Request Lock-Out/Tag-Out (LOTO) of equipment from the Operations Department via the CMMS (IFS).-        Retrieve necessary control diagrams and request additional technical information (e.g., location, nature of defect) from the issuer of the intervention notice if required.-        Carry out maintenance interventions only with a valid Work Permit issued by the Operations Department and with approved parts or tools collected from the stores.-        Document completed interventions by writing detailed reports in IFS/CMMS.-        Respond promptly to incidental or emergency malfunctions upon request by the Shift Engineer or his superiors, analysing faults and proposing immediate solutions.-        Provide operational explanations to equipment users when required to ensure proper usage and minimize misuse-related failures.-        Anticipate recurring equipment issues and proactively propose technical solutions to reduce or eliminate repeated breakdowns.-        Analyse technical problems, select the appropriate diagnostic method and tools, and implement effective repair strategies.-        Perform detailed fault diagnostics and execute repairs in compliance with safety procedures and LOTO requirements.-        Respond to urgent equipment failures, carry out root cause analyses, and recommend sustainable corrective actions or design/process improvements.-        Participate in daily maintenance planning meetings, offering technical insights and supporting coordination with Operations.-        Log all maintenance activities, findings, and improvement suggestions in the CMMS for performance tracking and reporting.-        Provide coverage and technical support in the absence of I & C Technicians to maintain maintenance continuity and response readiness.  d)     Leadership and Administration -        supervise and evaluate I & C Technicians through biannual reviews.-        Mentor interns and temporary staff as needed.-        Identify training needs and coach team members to improve output.-        Provide regular progress updates to the Maintenance Manager.-        Escalate unresolved issues and propose continuous improvement initiatives.

e)     Compliance and HSESS -        Enforce Globeleq HSESS and plant-specific procedures.-        Conduct audits and ensure compliance with OEM and company policies.-        Monitor quality and completeness of executed work.-        Lead acceptance inspections and document work evaluations.-        Integrate QA/QC into all maintenance processes. 

Requirements, Skills And Attributes

Education:-        Bachelor’s degree in Instrumentation and control/Electrical engineering or equivalent.-        Professional registration with the Engineers Board of Kenya (EBK)/KETRAB

Experience:-        Minimum 5 years in power plant operations environment, preferably geothermal or steam turbine-based environment.-       At least 3 years in a supervisory or team-lead capacity.

Technical Competencies: -        Expert in maintenance and troubleshooting of Honeywell DCS systems and automation or equivalent.-        Mastery of reading P&IDs, electrical and automation diagrams.-        Mastery of the use of SCADA data collection system or equivalent (interpretation of SCADA data).-        Good knowledge of control systems of steam turbines or equivalent.-        Good skills in establishing and monitoring short-term forecast budgets.-        Solid skills for building a homogeneous team (Conflict management, etc.).-        Ability to consolidate continuous improvement (Quality Assurance, HSE, Benchmark)-        Good knowledge in Maintenance of power plant instrumentation and control systems or equivalent (routine, preventative, curative maintenance, troubleshooting, etc.)-        Good knowledge of maintenance minor and major overhauls of electrical power plant or equivalent.-        Ability to manage engineering projects.-        Good knowledge of an ERP tool.-        Good mastery of computer software Excel, Word, Power Point, etc.-        Good understanding and expression in English. Behavioural Attributes:-        High personal integrity and safety-first mindset.-        Strong leadership, mentoring, and team-building skills.-        Excellent written and verbal communication.-        Self-driven, results-oriented, and adaptable.-        Willingness to work shifts, weekends, and respond to emergencies.-        Commitment to continuous improvement and problem-solving.