Rwanda Irrigation Specialist

About One Acre Fund

Founded in 2006, One Acre Fund supplies 1 million smallholder farmers with the agricultural services they need to make their farms vastly more productive. Our 8,000+ team is drawn from diverse backgrounds and professions. With operations across six core countries in Africa, we make farmers more prosperous by providing quality farm supplies on credit, delivered within walking distance of farmers’ homes, and agricultural training to improve harvests. On average, the farmers we serve harvest 50 percent more food after working with One Acre Fund. 

Our Rwanda program, founded in 2007, operates under the local brand TUBURA. We have more than 3,200 staff located in all four Rwanda provinces and Kigali. Together, we directly serve more than 790,000 farmers. To learn more about our work, look at our Rwanda program blog for more information.

About the Role

An Irrigation Engineer will work with the One Acre Fund Rwanda Potato Seeds Production Department (SED)/Team based at Seed Center at RICA located in Bugesera . You will report directly to the Potato Seed Venture Senior Lead. Potato seeds production aims to increase the quality and quantity of potato seeds produced in Rwanda and hence improve the farmers' yield. Availability of soil water is a major factor that determines yield and quality of the potato crop, as part of production team, you will oversee the installation and management of irrigation systems at our production sites. As an important member of our team, you will receive valuable on-the-job training and ample opportunities to become an agricultural expert with seasonal projects and tasks.

Responsibilities

• Oversee the installation of pivot center irrigation systems, ensuring compliance with design specifications and industry standards.
• Troubleshoot and resolve any system malfunctions or operational issues and manage routine maintenance activities for the entire pivot center system.
• Manage irrigation system expansion or upgrade projects, including planning, budgeting, and execution
• Coordinate with various stakeholders, such as contractors, suppliers, and farm managers, throughout the project lifecycle to ensure projects are completed on time, within budget, and meet specified requirements..

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:

• Bachelor degree in irrigation, agriculture sciences, agriculture engineering, or related field.
• Minimum 2 years of experience in running and maintaining pivot irrigation systems - ideally Zimmatic systems (Valley is also OK)
• Experience operating and maintaining HDPE lined reservoirs AND associated pumps and electrical systems
• Skills in repair and maintenance of irrigation systems - ability to weld experience is important.
• Dedicated, hands-on mechanic - must be ready to be in the field day and night to protect and safely run our $1M+ USD system.
• Experience in different crop management - potato (vital), maize, beans, soybean.... Veg and wheat or other alternative crops would be a positive.

Preferred Start Date

As soon as possible

Job Location

Bugesera, Rwanda

Benefits

Health insurance, paid time off

Eligibility

This role is only open to citizens or permanent residents of Rwanda

Application Deadline

15 June 2024

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.