Agricultural Engineer

JOB PURPOSE:
Under the supervision of the Livelihood Project Manager, the Livelihood Agricultural Engineer is the project's technical lead for all engineering works. They design, supervise and commission the irrigation, aquaculture, feed mill and greenhouse infrastructure in MMC, Jere and Mafa LGAs, and train the community operators who will run and maintain it.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

1. Technical assessments:

• Carry out condition assessments of all agricultural facilities: irrigation systems, ponds and water supply, the feed mill and its power supply, and the greenhouse.
• Run a hydraulic assessment at the MMC and Jere irrigation farms: water source yield, command area, crop water demand, head and flow, drainage and return flow, and sump location.
• Assess whether any existing feed mill parts can be reused, and whether the building and power supply can carry the replacement line.
• Identify risks to the sites, including flooding, theft and power supply, and propose engineering measures to reduce them.
• Produce an assessment report for each facility, with bills of quantities (BoQs) and cost estimates, for approval by the Project Manager and the LGA Oversight Committee.

2. Design and specification:

• Size and design the recirculation pumping systems: pump, solar array and inverter, sump or collection tank, intake screens, filters, valves, pipework and pump house.
• Prepare drawings and specifications for pond rehabilitation (desilting, liners or embankments, inlets and outlets, overflow) and the related water supply works.
• Write the technical specification for the replacement feed production line: hammer mill, mixer, pelletiser or extruder, dryer, sieving and bagging, and power supply.
• Specify greenhouse repairs and any minor civil works (pump houses, ingredient stores, fencing).
• Get technical sign-off from the Ministry of Water Resources (pumps) and the relevant fisheries and agriculture departments.

3. Procurement support:

• Prepare technical specifications, BoQs and evaluation criteria for tenders. Value warranty, local after-sales service and spare parts availability as well as price.
• Sit on technical evaluation panels and advise on contractor and supplier selection.
• Inspect goods on delivery against specifications before acceptance.

4. Construction and installation supervision:

• Supervise contractors and installers on site daily. Check workmanship, materials, measurements and compliance with drawings.
• Keep site diaries, issue instructions and record any variations, and certify work for payment.
• Enforce health, safety and environmental standards on site, including safe electrical installation and safe working around water and machinery.
• Escalate delays, defects or cost overruns to the Project Manager immediately.

5. Testing, commissioning and handover of works:

• Lead testing and commissioning: trial irrigation cycles, pump performance (flow and head), pond water-holding tests, and feed mill test runs with pellet quality checks.
• Commission jointly with the government technical counterpart, the facility committee and the supplier, and record results in commissioning certificates.
• Collect as-built drawings, operation manuals, warranties and starter spare parts for every installation.

6. Operator training and maintenance systems:

• Train irrigation operators (5–7 per scheme), pond teams and feed mill operators in operation, troubleshooting, preventive maintenance and safety.
• Develop simple SOPs and preventive maintenance schedules for each asset, in English and Hausa with pictures where useful.
• With the Asset Management and Logistics Officer, enter every engineered asset into the asset register: specifications, serial numbers, warranty, expected useful life and condition rating.
• Build a list of local technicians and spare parts suppliers for each asset type.
• Advise the facility committees and the Enterprise Development Officer on maintenance and replacement costs, so the asset renewal reserves are set at the right level.

7. Monitoring, reporting and documentation:

• Submit weekly site progress reports with photos and monthly engineering reports.
• Track the indicators the MEAL Officer needs on infrastructure functionality: pump hours, breakdowns, repair times and asset condition.
• Take part in quarterly joint monitoring visits and the annual asset verification. Prepare the engineering part of handover inventories.

Cross-cutting duties:

• Use designs that are climate-smart and low-cost to run, such as solar pumping and efficient water use, and suitable for community management.
• Apply do-no-harm and conflict sensitivity: consult landowners and communities before any works that affect site boundaries or access.
• Follow PSEA, safeguarding and security procedures. Make sure contractors and their workers sign and respect the Code of Conduct.

Carry out any other reasonable duties related to the project, as assigned by the Project Manager.

Education & Professional Requirements:

Education:

• Essential: a B.Eng. or B.Sc. in Agricultural Engineering, Agricultural and Bio-resources Engineering,
• Desirable: An M. Eng or M.Sc. in irrigation, water resources or agricultural mechanization. Membership of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE) or the Nigerian Institution of Agricultural Engineers. Training in solar pumping systems.

Professional experience Essential:

• At least 4 years of hands-on experience in agricultural engineering.
• Experience designing and supervising small-scale rural infrastructure works preparing BoQs, supervising contractors, certifying work and commissioning.
• Experience training community operators in operation and maintenance.
• Experience with NGOs, UN agencies or government agricultural programmes in North-East Nigeria or a similar setting.

Desirable:

• Experience with aquaculture infrastructure and with agro-processing equipment such as fish feed mills, pelletizers or extruders.
• Experience with solar-powered irrigation and greenhouse systems.
• Experience with handing assets over to communities, and with asset registers or maintenance management systems.

Personal requirements

• Strong technical design skills, including hydraulic calculations and solar pump sizing. Able to use AutoCAD or similar drawing software.
• Able to write clear technical specifications, BoQs and site reports.
• Practical problem-solving on site, with high standards for quality and safety.
• Able to explain technical concepts simply to community members and operators with low literacy.
• Integrity in procurement and contractor management.
• Commitment to safeguarding, PSEA, gender inclusion and humanitarian principles.
• Proficient in MS Office or Google Workspace.

Languages

• Essential: fluent English; good spoken Hausa.