Operator - Wet Section

Role Overview

You will be the hands-on operator responsible for the wet section of a continuous pickling line, where hot-rolled steel strip is cleaned and prepared for further processing. Your daily work directly determines line throughput, surface quality, and the safe handling of highly corrosive acids. By keeping the process stable, recording accurate data, and jumping into improvement activities, you help the plant meet strict production schedules and customer quality expectations without compromising safety or environmental standards.

Key Responsibilities

• Start up, run, and stop wet section equipment such as pickling tanks, acid circulation pumps, rinse sections, and drying units to meet daily production targets.
• Monitor key process variables including temperature, acid concentration, flow rates, and line speed, then make control adjustments to keep pickling performance consistent.
• Manage acid makeup, solution strength, and rinsing water quality to maximise cleaning effectiveness while minimising chemical waste and carryover.
• Log production output, process readings, quality checks, and any deviations in shift reports so downstream teams have reliable traceability.
• Carry out routine equipment inspections and autonomous maintenance tasks, and support fitters and electricians during planned shutdowns and fault repairs.
• Inspect strip surfaces as it exits the wet section and flag defects such as over-pickling, under-pickling, stains, or mechanical damage for immediate corrective action.
• Apply 6S practices to keep work areas, acid storage zones, and equipment well organised, clearly labelled, and free of leak hazards.
• Follow all permit-to-work, lockout/tagout, and standard operating procedures when isolating equipment or handling line chemicals.

Requirements & Qualifications

• KCSE certificate or equivalent secondary school qualification, plus a Government Trade Test Grade II in General Fitting, a Mechanical Engineering Craft Certificate, or a comparable technical certification.
• At least two years of hands-on machine operation experience in a manufacturing plant, with no less than one year specifically in pickling line operations, chemical process operations, or steel processing.
• Working knowledge of acid handling protocols, chemical dosing, pH control, and the proper use of personal protective equipment around hazardous substances.
• Ability to read process gauges and control panels, interpret quality specifications, and spot abnormal trends before they turn into costly rejects.
• Familiarity with TPM, 6S, Kaizen, or similar continuous improvement frameworks, and a willingness to participate in root cause analysis and corrective action teams.
• Strong troubleshooting instinct, mechanical aptitude, and the discipline to follow standard work precisely.
• Good communication skills to hand over shift conditions accurately and to alert supervisors, maintenance crews, and quality staff when issues arise.
• Added advantage for candidates holding a certificate in Mechanical, Production, or Chemical Engineering, or Industrial Plant Operations, as well as those with formal training in pickling line technology or autonomous maintenance.