Operator - Entry

Role Overview

This position places you at the front end of a continuous steel pickling line, where you will oversee the entry section that feeds raw coils into the processing line. Your daily focus is keeping material moving steadily and safely while meeting production schedules, protecting product quality, and supporting the wider team's uptime and efficiency goals. The role matters because any interruption at the entry point halts downstream operations, making your vigilance and proactive maintenance habits essential to the plant's output and reliability.

Key Responsibilities

• Run and supervise all entry-section machinery, adjusting speeds and settings to match production plans and ensure uninterrupted coil flow into the pickling bath.
• Confirm that each incoming coil matches the job ticket in terms of grade, dimensions, and heat number before stripping, shearing, and welding it to the preceding strip.
• Perform accurate strip alignment, threading, and joining, using the welding unit correctly so that joints hold through the entire process without tearing or wrinkling.
• Log production data, material identities, weld numbers, inspection outcomes, and traceability details in the shift records for full batch accountability.
• Carry out regular autonomous maintenance checks—lubricating, cleaning, and inspecting rollers, guides, shears, and welders—and flag any developing faults to the maintenance crew.
• Watch line performance indicators, spot recurring slowdowns or waste, and propose or implement small workflow changes that cut downtime and improve throughput.
• Handle routine quality checks on strip surface, edge condition, and weld integrity, stopping the line immediately if a defect could compromise the finished coil.
• Take part in root-cause analyses, corrective action plans, and 6S housekeeping rounds, keeping the entry area organised, hazard-free, and ready for the next shift.

Requirements & Qualifications

• KCSE certificate or an equivalent secondary school qualification, plus a Government Grade Test II in General Fitting, Mechanical Engineering Craft Certificate, or a comparable technical trade credential.
• A formal certificate in Mechanical, Production, or Chemical Engineering, or in Industrial Plant Operations, is an added advantage.
• At least two years of hands-on machine operation experience in a manufacturing plant, with a minimum of one year specifically on pickling lines, steel processing, or closely similar continuous production equipment.
• Demonstrated skill in handling steel coils, operating overhead or floor-mounted coil loaders, and performing strip welding—ideally with knowledge of the pickling process itself.
• Working familiarity with production scheduling, process parameters, and quality documentation used in a metals or heavy industrial environment.
• Practical grounding in TPM, 6S, autonomous maintenance, and continuous improvement tools such as Kaizen or RCA; formal training in these areas is preferred.
• Ability to read and interpret basic engineering drawings, gauges, and digital control screens, and to respond calmly to alarms or process deviations.
• Strong troubleshooting mindset, attentive to small changes in sound, vibration, or line speed that indicate a problem, with clear communication skills for shift handovers and safety reporting.