Background information about the job or company (e.g., role context, company overview)

This role is ideal for a technically skilled professional passionate about clean energy, sustainable cooking, circular agriculture, waste-to-energy systems, and rural impact.

You will play a key role in ensuring the health, efficiency, and long-term performance of anaerobic digestion systems by overseeing feedstock management, digester operations, troubleshooting, and operator training across multiple project sites.

Responsibilities or duties

Monitor and optimize AD system performance, including pH, temperature, alkalinity, volatile fatty acids (VFAs), ammonia levels, and gas production

Assess, source, and advise on suitable feedstocks, including animal manure, crop residues, food waste, and agro-industrial organic waste

Develop effective digester feeding and retention strategies to maximize biogas yield and process stability

Diagnose and resolve operational issues such as acidification, foaming, inhibition, and microbiological imbalance

Conduct routine sampling, on-site diagnostics, and basic laboratory analysis

Train farmers, technicians, and plant operators on best practices for digester maintenance and feeding regimes

Prepare technical assessments, maintenance schedules, and operational reports

Support installation, commissioning, and performance optimization of new systems when required

Qualifications or requirements (e.g., education, skills)

Experience needed

2–3+ years of hands-on experience working with anaerobic digestion or biogas systems

Strong understanding of feedstock characterization, including C:N ratios, total solids (TS), volatile solids (VS), and biodegradability

Proven experience maintaining digester health and troubleshooting process instability

Experience working in rural or peri-urban environments within East or Southern Africa preferred

Familiarity with low-cost monitoring systems and off-grid renewable energy applications

Diploma or degree in Renewable Energy, Environmental Engineering, Agricultural Engineering, Microbiology, or related field

Valid driver’s license and willingness to travel frequently to project locations

• Monitor and optimize AD system performance, including pH, temperature, alkalinity, volatile fatty acids (VFAs), ammonia levels, and gas production
• Assess, source, and advise on suitable feedstocks, including animal manure, crop residues, food waste, and agro-industrial organic waste
• Develop effective digester feeding and retention strategies to maximize biogas yield and process stability
• Diagnose and resolve operational issues such as acidification, foaming, inhibition, and microbiological imbalance
• Conduct routine sampling, on-site diagnostics, and basic laboratory analysis
• Train farmers, technicians, and plant operators on best practices for digester maintenance and feeding regimes
• Prepare technical assessments, maintenance schedules, and operational reports
• Support installation, commissioning, and performance optimization of new systems when required

• Anaerobic digestion system operation and maintenance
• Feedstock characterization (C:N ratios, TS, VS, biodegradability)
• Troubleshooting digester process instability
• On-site diagnostics and basic laboratory analysis
• Operator training
• Familiarity with low-cost monitoring systems
• Familiarity with off-grid renewable energy applications
• Valid driver’s license

• Diploma or degree in Renewable Energy, Environmental Engineering, Agricultural Engineering, Microbiology, or related field
• Valid driver’s license