1. Maintainance Officer

2. Raw Material Supervisor

3. Peeling and Slicing Supervisor

4. Cutting Supervisor

4 Factory Jobs in Thika for Engineering, Food Processing and Production Professionals

Manufacturing operations depend on many different people working together at the right time. Machinery has to remain operational, raw materials must arrive in the right condition, fruit preparation has to meet required standards, and finished products need to be processed consistently before moving to the next stage. This is the kind of environment covered by four current opportunities based in Thika: Maintenance Officer, Raw Material Supervisor, Peeling and Slicing Supervisor, and Cutting Supervisor.

The vacancies cover different parts of the factory operation, meaning candidates with backgrounds in engineering, food processing, agriculture, horticulture, production management and related areas may find an opportunity that matches their experience. While the four positions have different responsibilities, they all require practical involvement on the factory floor, attention to quality and the ability to work closely with other teams.

Maintenance Officer: Keeping the Factory Running

The Maintenance Officer position is suited to an experienced technical professional who understands that reliable equipment is essential to keeping production moving. The role requires a strong presence on the factory floor and involves taking responsibility for equipment reliability, preventive maintenance, breakdown response and technical coordination.

A major part of the work involves planning maintenance before equipment problems become serious. The officer will develop and implement preventive maintenance schedules covering processing lines, dryers, cold rooms, the effluent treatment plant, boiler systems and associated electrical, mechanical, water and steam systems. Daily inspections are also expected so that defects can be identified early and corrective work prioritised.

Production requirements must be considered when maintenance is being planned. The officer will therefore coordinate shutdowns with Production so that servicing can take place while protecting equipment readiness and limiting unnecessary disruption. Equipment registers, service histories and maintenance records must also remain accurate and up to date.

When an unexpected breakdown occurs, the Maintenance Officer is expected to respond quickly, diagnose faults and carry out repairs within their level of competence and authorisation. Where a problem requires specialist technical knowledge, external support must be arranged. Serious or recurring failures will also require investigation into their root causes, followed by corrective action aimed at preventing the same problem from returning.

The position covers a wide range of factory equipment. Processing lines, conveyors, motors, gearboxes, bearings, drives and controls all require attention. Dryer systems need servicing of their heating, airflow, fans and temperature controls, while cold rooms require checks of refrigeration systems, insulation, doors, seals, drainage, alarms and temperature controls.

Utilities are another important part of the position. The officer will supervise the Boiler Operator and monitor areas including boiler operations, water treatment, steam distribution, condensate return and safety devices. The role also covers ETP pumps, blowers and dosing systems, together with water supply, treatment, recycling and other essential factory utilities.

Safety and food hygiene are central to the maintenance work. Equipment isolation, lockout/tagout procedures and permit-to-work requirements must be followed. Machinery guards, interlocks and emergency stops must remain functional, while unsafe equipment must be isolated and escalated immediately. Maintenance work must also follow approved hygiene and food safety procedures, including tool accountability, contamination prevention, food-grade lubricants and post-maintenance cleaning.

The officer will also be involved in spare-parts planning, contractor coordination, technical guidance, operator training and equipment installation or commissioning projects. Maintenance performance will be assessed through measures such as equipment uptime, downtime, preventive maintenance completion, recurring breakdowns, spare-parts availability and maintenance expenditure.

Applicants should have a Diploma or higher qualification in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechatronics, Plant Maintenance or a related engineering discipline. At least three years of relevant industrial maintenance experience is required, preferably in food processing or a structured manufacturing environment.

Raw Material Supervisor: Where Production Begins

The Raw Material Supervisor works at an earlier point in the production process, where the condition and identification of incoming fruit can directly determine what is available for processing. The purpose of the role is to supervise receiving, weighing, sorting and ripening so that Production receives correctly identified fruit in the required quantity and at the appropriate stage of ripeness.

The position begins when trucks arrive with fruit. Their arrival and unloading must be coordinated with Procurement, Production and QA, while the fruit is handled carefully to reduce bruising and contamination. Supplier, delivery and lot information must be checked, and unloading teams organised so that delays and unnecessary fruit exposure are avoided.

Accurate weighing is another important part of the job. Gross, tare and net weights must be recorded using verified scales and agreed procedures. The supervisor is responsible for ensuring that accepted, rejected and held quantities are reconciled against each delivery. Any discrepancies in weight need to be investigated and escalated before intake records are completed.

Sorting is equally important because fruit cannot simply move into production without being assessed against the required criteria. Teams must apply QA-approved standards covering maturity, damage, decay and foreign material. Accepted, rejected and held fruit must be clearly separated and labelled, while questionable deliveries are referred to QA. Decisions concerning quality holds and releases remain with QA.

The role also extends into ripening chambers. Fruit must be loaded according to compatible fruit type, maturity and lot. Approved ripening procedures must be followed, including the specified temperature, humidity, ventilation and treatment settings. Conditions inside the chambers and fruit ripeness must be checked and recorded, with deviations escalated to the appropriate teams.

Team supervision forms another part of the position. Receiving, weighing, sorting and ripening workers need clear responsibilities and targets. The supervisor monitors attendance, hygiene, handling practices and housekeeping while also ensuring safe stacking, clear access routes and proper chamber-entry procedures. Shift handovers should clearly communicate stock status, holds and outstanding matters.

This is a hands-on role that requires someone comfortable working around receiving areas and ripening chambers. Performance can be measured through weighing accuracy, stock reconciliation, traceability, ripening losses, receiving turnaround and the timely supply of fruit at the required ripeness.

The position requires a Certificate or Diploma in Food Science, Food Technology, Agriculture, Horticulture, Production Management or a related discipline. Candidates should have at least two years of experience in fresh produce receiving, packhouse operations, ripening or food processing, together with experience leading a team.

Peeling and Slicing Supervisor: Controlling Recovery Without Losing Quality

Once suitable fruit has entered production, preparation becomes critical. The Peeling and Slicing Supervisor is responsible for leading the section where fruit is peeled and sliced, with the goal of meeting production targets while protecting preparation quality and reducing unnecessary waste.

The work starts with translating the daily production plan into practical hourly targets and manpower requirements. Workstations, tools and fruit supplies need to be ready before production begins, while actual output is monitored throughout the shift. If bottlenecks appear or production is likely to fall behind, the issue must be addressed and escalated promptly.

A key challenge in this position is achieving good recovery. Peeling must remove the skin and defects without unnecessarily removing usable fruit. The supervisor will monitor peeling and trimming methods, investigate excessive losses and coach operators where improvements are needed.

Slicing introduces another quality consideration. Fruit must be cut according to the approved thickness, size and presentation requirements. Consistency needs to be checked throughout the shift rather than only at the beginning. Incorrect methods should be corrected quickly, and prepared fruit should move efficiently to the next stage while its lot identity remains intact.

The supervisor is also expected to track the relationship between what enters the section and what comes out as acceptable prepared fruit. Waste, work in progress and recovery figures need to be recorded consistently. Unusual losses should be investigated, particularly where usable flesh may be unnecessarily ending up as waste.

People management is an important part of keeping the section productive. Peelers, slicers and support workers need to be assigned according to workload and skill. Attendance, breaks and handovers have to be coordinated, while new employees require practical training. Productivity must be considered alongside quality and recovery rather than treated as the only measure of performance.

Food safety remains a constant requirement. Hygiene and sanitation controls must be followed, knives and tools must be handled safely, and equipment must be accounted for. Suspect product must be separated and referred to QA, while workstations and waste areas are maintained according to the required standards.

The role requires continuous factory-floor supervision and hands-on coaching. Applicants should have a Certificate or Diploma in Food Science, Food Technology, Production Management or a related discipline, as well as at least two years of food-processing or fruit-preparation experience with manual production team supervision.

Cutting Supervisor: The Final Preparation Stage

The fourth opportunity moves further along the production process. The Cutting Supervisor oversees the final cutting of dried fruit into specified sizes, with responsibility for output, product consistency, saleable recovery and control of cutting losses.

The supervisor begins by confirming the day's cutting requirements against Production instructions and customer specifications. Labour, equipment, tools and approved dried-fruit batches must be prepared before work begins. During production, hourly output is monitored and any bottlenecks that could affect downstream packing schedules are addressed or escalated.

Size consistency is particularly important at this stage. Operators need to understand the approved dimensions, tolerances and product form. Initial pieces are checked before full production begins, followed by regular sampling during the shift. Product that falls outside the required specifications is segregated, with any necessary disposition agreed by QA.

The supervisor must also maintain a close eye on recovery. Dried-fruit input, acceptable cut output, offcuts, fines, rejects and work in progress are recorded and reconciled by batch. Where fragmentation, sticking or cutting losses become excessive, the underlying cause needs to be investigated. Rework or alternative use of nonconforming material must follow approved instructions.

Equipment readiness is another responsibility. Cutters, blades, guards and workstations must be checked before use. Correct settings must be maintained, while worn or damaged blades are reported and controlled. Equipment faults are escalated to Maintenance, and cleaning, jam clearing and blade changes must follow safe isolation procedures.

The people working in the cutting section also require active supervision. Operators receive clear production and quality targets, while staffing, breaks and handovers are coordinated to maintain steady workflow. Training covers safe cutting, product handling and defect recognition, with performance considered through saleable output, quality and loss levels.

Traceability cannot be overlooked. Batch identity needs to remain intact from dried-fruit receipt through to handover of the cut product. Containers must be labelled correctly, different lots controlled separately and daily figures reported. Accepted product is then handed over to the next stage under the required Production and QA controls.

Candidates should have a Certificate or Diploma in Food Science, Food Technology, Production Management or a related discipline, together with at least two years of food-processing or production experience and team supervision experience. Experience with dried-fruit handling or cutting is an advantage.

Four Different Ways to Contribute to Factory Production

These four Thika vacancies represent different points within a connected manufacturing operation. The Maintenance Officer focuses on the machinery, utilities and technical systems that keep the factory functioning. The Raw Material Supervisor works with incoming fruit and ensures that receiving, weighing, sorting and ripening are properly controlled. The Peeling and Slicing Supervisor manages the preparation stage, where recovery, quality and productivity have to be balanced. The Cutting Supervisor takes responsibility for the final cutting stage, ensuring that dried fruit reaches the required size and quality while controlling losses.

The common thread across the positions is practical supervision and accountability. These are not purely desk-based opportunities. Each role requires close attention to what is happening on the factory floor, accurate records, timely communication and the ability to respond when production, quality, safety or equipment issues arise.

For professionals with the required qualifications and experience, the vacancies provide different routes into the same broader manufacturing environment. The Maintenance Officer position calls for at least three years of relevant industrial maintenance experience, while the three supervisor positions require at least two years in their respective production, food-processing or raw-material environments.

Applicants should therefore match their experience carefully to the specific position rather than applying based only on the job title. The strongest match will be someone whose training and previous practical responsibilities correspond closely with the technical, production or raw-material requirements described for the particular vacancy.

Application

• Maintainance Officer

• Raw Material Supervisor

• Peeling and Slicing Supervisor

• Cutting Supervisor