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Job Title:   Field Technician   

Organisation: Innovation: Africa (iA)

Duty Station: Mbale, Uganda

Reports to: Country Manager, Senior Engineer and Maintenance Supervisor

About Organisation:

Innovation: Africa (iA) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization whose team of dedicated problem solvers work together to bring solar and water technologies to rural communities in Africa. We use solar energy to pump clean water and provide schools, orphanages, and medical clinics with light and refrigeration to store vaccines and medicines. iA has completed over 1200 solar, water, and agricultural projects, providing light, clean water, food and proper medical care to over 5.3 million people in Ethiopia, Tanzania, Malawi, South Africa, Zambia, eSwatini, Uganda, Cameroon, Senegal and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Job Summary:  Innovation: Africa is seeking a highly trained and qualified individual to join our team as a Field Water Technician. The Field Technician works under the supervision of the Program Manager, Senior Engineer and Maintenance Supervisor, and is responsible for the operation and maintenance of iA’s solar water pumping systems and solar electrification systems, as well as providing technical support to all in-process and existing water projects.

The Field Technician will engage in field activities, actively engaging in community mobilization and sensitization, establishing and maintaining regular communication with the communities we serve, implementing project-related activities, providing regular assessment reports and keeping track of ongoing monitoring and maintenance of the projects.

Key Duties and Responsibilities:

• Supervise the on-site work of all iA contractors executing maintenance, including hydrogeological surveys, drilling and pump tests, water quality analysis, and all construction and installation works related to ongoing water projects and maintenance works specifically
• Assess the need for maintenance of existing water projects, identify faults and malfunctions, and provide sustainable solutions
• Procure and source invoices of all approved system components to ensure organizational transparency and identification of reliable vendors
• Ensure that all the completed water projects are fully functional by offering hands on solutions and report any issue which arises among the projects in a timely manner
• Conduct effective community technical training and sensitization to all iA water beneficiaries, including establishing project steering committees and training key committee members to ensure project functioning and sustainability
• Maintain regular contact with iA’s engineers based in the Mbale and Karamoja offices and in HQ in Israel to successfully implement and monitor new solar water technologies and remote monitoring systems
• Establish and manage relationships with communities to assist with their maintenance needs, training community members ensure project sustainability Install and maintain water supply system equipment including pumps, taps, solar panels and controls units of iA solar water pumping systems
• Coordinate scheduled maintenance and work directly with contractors should larger issues arise
• Ensure that all water supplied to beneficiaries meets quality standards
• Monitor and ensure adequate stock of spare parts is always available and provide lists of periodic requirements
• Conduct Monitoring & Evaluation activities to assess needs for maintenance work (post-project completion) in projects where a malfunction exists
• Submit daily updates through the iA phone application and send regular progress reports to management, update the InnoApp and database to reflect maintenance needs
• Office work – filling in forms, submitting reports, taking pictures and uploading them, answering emails, responding to communication such as emails, Whatsapp or Slack within a timely manner
• Represent Innovation: Africa at the community and district level at all relevant forums and meetings
• Executing any other task required by the Program Manager and international team according to the work plan

Qualifications, Skills and Experience:

• Bachelor’s Degree or professional diploma in Electrical or Water Engineering, plumbing or a closely related field
• Technologically oriented with excellent computer skills, including proficiency in Report writing, emails and Microsoft Office software
• At least 3 years of working experience in implementation of rural water systems
• Driver’s license
• Ability to commit to flexible working hours
• Live and speak the local language(s) of the Mbale and/or Karamoja Regions
• High proficiency in English, both writing and speaking
• As an international organization, our team works in New York, Israel, and Africa, and is constantly on the move. To maintain close contact despite our travel schedules, we regularly use technology solutions, such as Slack, Zoom and more. The ideal candidate thrives in this type of fast-paced environment and is comfortable working with colleagues in different time zones and continents.
• The ideal candidate is a dedicated team-player with strong interpersonal skills who has a background in plumbing, water, plumbing and electricity engineering, community development and mobilization, and working with international stakeholders. The candidate must demonstrate a proven passion for working with the community and possess detailed orientation and problem-solving skills.

Compensation: Commensurate with experience.

How to Apply:

Please send your cover letter and CV as a single PDF attachment to ug.technician@innovation-africa.odoo.com

Please make the file name your full name and please specify which job position you are applying for in the subject line of the email.

NB: Female candidates are highly encouraged to apply.

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