Lead Mechanical Engineer - Uganda

Location: Kampala, Uganda (Residential – Single Status)
Contract Type: 12-Month Renewable Contract
Compensation: Day Rate

Role Overview

An experienced Lead Mechanical Engineer is required to provide technical leadership for mechanical maintenance and engineering activities on a large onshore oil & gas development in Uganda. Reporting to the Head of Maintenance, the role is responsible for leading the mechanical discipline across project and operational phases, ensuring that all maintenance strategies, procedures, and resources are in place to support safe, reliable, and efficient production start-up and ongoing operations. This is a senior role within the Maintenance & Inspection team, requiring strong technical authority, leadership capability, and experience working in complex, high-integrity facilities.

Key Responsibilities

Project & Start-Up Phase

• Lead the mechanical discipline input into Maintenance, Inspection, and Engineering (MIE) activities.
• Review EPC and contractor deliverables within the Electronic Data Management System to ensure suitability for operations and maintenance.
• Develop mechanical maintenance strategies, plans, and procedures in line with legislation, company standards, and industry best practice.
• Prepare and review complex maintenance procedures for rotating and static equipment, including firewater systems and major machinery.
• Support spare parts selection, procurement, inspection, and storage activities.
• Participate in FATs and SATs at vendor premises as required.
• Support commissioning, start-up, and handover activities.
• Contribute to the development of digital tools and systems to support maintenance operations.
• Support recruitment and training of future mechanical maintenance engineers and site personnel.

Operational Phase

• Provide specialist mechanical engineering support to site teams covering rotating and static equipment.
• Support planning and scheduling of mechanical maintenance activities, ensuring availability of resources, materials, and procedures.
• Lead investigations into mechanical equipment failures and outages, defining corrective and preventive actions.
• Act as technical authority for mechanical modifications, ensuring compliance with statutory and company requirements.
• Manage assigned maintenance budgets and monitor expenditure.
• Act as technical focal point for specialist maintenance contracts.
• Support competency development and mentoring of local engineers.
• Ensure full compliance with HSE requirements, performance standards, and local regulations.

Candidate Profile

• Degree-qualified in Mechanical Engineering (or equivalent).
• Minimum 12 years’ experience in oil & gas or petrochemical facilities, including time spent on an operational plant.
• Proven experience in a senior or supervisory mechanical role within operations.
• Strong knowledge of international mechanical codes and standards (API, ASME, ASTM, ISO, IEC, NORSOK, ATEX, etc.).
• Experience supporting commissioning, start-up, and early operations is highly desirable.
• Strong leadership, communication, and stakeholder management skills.
• Comfortable working in a multicultural, developing operational environment.

If you are interested, please apply