Job title: Senior Production Technologist

Reporting to: Production Manager

Job Family: Production Engineering (PE)

Location: Nairobi based with regular field visits

Job Ref No. PD/PE/SPT/026

Job Summary

Provide technical leadership in production engineering and well performance to optimize hydrocarbon recovery, improve uptime and support safe, cost‑effective field operations. Lead deliverables on production surveillance, artificial lift, well performance diagnostics and production enhancement studies, and guide multidisciplinary interventions.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead production surveillance and well performance monitoring programs; analyse production data, identify underperforming wells and recommend remedial actions.
• Design and optimise artificial lift systems (ESP, PCP, gas lift, rod lift) and surface/subsurface completions to maximise production and reliability.
• Perform nodal analysis, well deliverability studies, inflow/outflow modelling and production decline forecasting to support operational decisions and planning.
• Diagnose well performance issues (scaling, sand, paraffin, corrosion, water cut increase) and define intervention scopes (workovers, stimulations, well tests).
• Develop and manage production test programs, including PLT/IFT execution, interpretation and integration with reservoir models.
• Support completion design and well intervention planning, providing technical input to well proposals, risk assessments and execution plans.
• Optimise choke and surface facility settings, collaborate with production operations and facilities to resolve constraints and improve throughput.
• Lead failure/root‑cause analyses for downhole and surface equipment, drive corrective actions and reliability improvement initiatives.
• Manage production data quality, dashboards and reporting; provide timely technical reports and recommendations to asset and executive stakeholders.
• Mentor junior production technologists and engineers; develop technical standards, best practices and training materials.
• Evaluate and trial new production technologies (scale inhibitors, downhole sensors, digital monitoring, chemical treatments) and lead value‑engineering initiatives.
• Ensure compliance with HSE, well integrity and regulatory requirements for production operations and interventions.

Qualifications

• Degree in Petroleum Engineering, Mechanical Engineering or related technical discipline.
• 10+ years’ experience in production engineering/technologist roles with progressive responsibility; experience across artificial lift and well intervention preferred.

Technical Skills & Knowledge

• Strong competence in nodal analysis, well performance modelling, decline analysis and production forecasting.
• Practical expertise with artificial lift selection, design and troubleshooting (ESP, PCP, gas lift, rod).
• Experience with production testing methods (PLT, IFT), flow assurance issues (scaling, hydrates, wax) and remediation techniques.
• Proficiency with industry software/tools and SCADA/real‑time monitoring platforms.
• Understanding of completions, well intervention techniques, surface facilities and production chemistry.
• Knowledge of well integrity, corrosion management and reliability engineering principles.

Behavioural & Interpersonal Skills

• Strong analytical, problem‑solving and decision‑making skills with attention to detail.
• Clear communicator able to present technical findings to multidisciplinary and non‑technical stakeholders.
• Leadership and mentoring capability; collaborative approach to working with operations, subsurface and HSE teams.
• Proactive, results‑oriented and able to prioritise in a fast‑moving operational environment.

Experience & Conditions

• Proven track record delivering production improvement projects, artificial lift deployments and well intervention support.
• Willingness to travel to wellsites and support interventions, including rotational field visits and occasional extended hours.

Performance Indicators

• Improvement in well and asset production metrics (recovery, uptime, throughput) against targets.
• Reduction in unplanned downtime and intervention frequency through proactive diagnostics and reliability improvements.
• Accuracy and timeliness of production forecasts, test interpretations and technical recommendations.
• Number and success rate of delivered production enhancement projects and cost‑savings initiatives.
• Development of team competency and adherence to technical standards.

Desirable

• Advanced training or certification in production engineering, multiphase flow or artificial lift technologies.
• Experience with digital production optimization, real‑time analytics and downhole sensing technologies.
• Membership of professional bodies and record of technical contributions or publications.