National Site Engineer

Organizational Context

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), with funding from the European Union (EU), is implementing the Food Security Response in Northern Ghana project (2023-2026). This initiative aims to enhance crop and livestock production, support farmers (especially women and youth) with capacity building and post-harvest technologies, and promote climate-adapted agricultural practices. The project focuses on developing sustainable value chains for key crops and livestock, addressing production and post-harvest bottlenecks to improve food security and resilience.

Job Purpose

The National Site Engineer will provide essential technical supervision and quality assurance for the implementation of solar-powered irrigation and water infrastructure systems within the project. This role involves overseeing critical activities such as borehole drilling, aquifer testing, irrigation infrastructure installation, and associated civil works. The incumbent will ensure that all construction and installation activities strictly adhere to approved technical specifications, safety standards, environmental safeguards, and project timelines, contributing directly to the project's infrastructure development goals.

Responsibilities

The National Site Engineer will be responsible for supervising construction sites and work, verifying layout, line, and levels against approved drawings. This includes overseeing borehole drilling, construction, aquifer testing, solar-powered pumping system installation, water storage and distribution infrastructure, civil works, and drip irrigation. The role requires ensuring all construction conforms to specifications, codes of practice, and quality standards, including material testing. The engineer will monitor contractor work programs, identify delays, and ensure schedule compliance, while also preparing regular progress reports. Enforcement of site safety regulations, health conditions, and environmental safeguards is crucial. The incumbent will interpret technical drawings, resolve on-site challenges, liaise with contractors, assist in measuring completed works, and ensure full compliance with national safety standards and project timelines, culminating in quarterly and end-of-assignment reports.

Work Experience

A minimum of five years of relevant field experience is required, specifically in solar irrigation management, water systems installation, borehole drilling, irrigation infrastructure, or related civil/water infrastructure works. At least two of these years must be dedicated to site supervision of comparable infrastructure projects, encompassing contractor supervision, quality control, review of technical specifications and drawings, and monitoring of works against project timelines.

Skills

Proficiency in MS Office (Excel, Word) and project management software (e.g., MS Project) is essential. Key skills include construction supervision and site management, contract management for civil works, interpretation of construction drawings and specifications, knowledge of borehole drilling and groundwater testing, and experience with irrigation systems, particularly drip irrigation. The role demands expertise in material testing, quality control, construction methods, codes, and standards, as well as Health, Safety, and Environmental (HSE) compliance. Strong attention to detail, accuracy in measurements and reporting, and project scheduling abilities are also critical.

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