VACANCY: Production Operator – Extrusion & Finishing

Arthur de Leeuw

3 hours ago

4 min read

Location: Sigona, Kiambu County (near Nairobi), Kenya

Employment: Full-time | Rotating shifts, including nights and weekends

About We Do Bamboo

At We Do Bamboo, we turn bamboo into durable building materials.

From our factory in Sigona, Kenya, we manufacture bamboo composite decking, cladding and wall panels. By combining bamboo with modern manufacturing technology, we're developing alternatives to conventional timber products while supporting local manufacturing.

As our production activities grow, we're looking for experienced Production Operators to strengthen our factory team.

We're looking for people who understand industrial machinery, take pride in producing quality products and enjoy working in a hands-on manufacturing environment.

About the Role

As a Production Operator, you'll play an important role in turning raw materials into finished bamboo composite products.

You'll work across different production stations, from granulation and extrusion to finishing and quality control. Our operators rotate between positions on a weekly basis, giving you responsibility for different stages of the manufacturing process.

Depending on your assigned shift, you may be operating one of our extrusion lines, overseeing finishing activities or running our continuous extrusion line at night.

During night shifts, you'll be the most senior person on site. We therefore need someone who can work independently, make sound decisions and take responsibility for both production and the colleagues working alongside them.

Your job is not simply to keep the machines running. It's to make sure they run safely, efficiently and produce boards that meet our quality standards.

You'll also help identify production problems, reduce waste and downtime, and continuously improve how we work.

Key Responsibilities

Production & Machine Operation

Operate our extrusion and granulation equipment safely and efficiently.
Monitor machine parameters, including temperature, pressure, screw speed, torque and vacuum.
Identify process deviations and take corrective action before they affect production quality.
Manage machine start-ups, mould changes and colour changes while minimising downtime and material waste.
Maintain production output in line with agreed targets.
Rotate between different production stations and cover for colleagues when required.

Finishing & Quality Control

Oversee finishing processes, including sanding, embossing and wire brushing.
Inspect finished boards against our quality standards and product specifications.
Classify products as approved stock, B-grade stock or material for recycling.
Identify quality issues early and correct them before products move to the next production stage.
Help reduce rejected products, rework and unnecessary material losses.

Quality is an important part of this role. We expect our operators to take ownership of the products leaving their production station, rather than passing problems on to the next shift or department.

Teamwork, Safety & Reporting

Guide and support colleagues working on your production line or station.
Ensure clear handovers between shifts, including production results and outstanding issues.
Record production output, downtime, rejects and waste accurately using our digital tools.
Identify and report equipment problems and support preventive maintenance.
Maintain a clean, safe and organised working environment.
Follow factory safety procedures and quality standards.
Suggest practical improvements to production processes and daily operations.

What We're Looking For

We're looking for experienced, reliable operators who understand industrial machinery and take responsibility for their work.

Essential requirements:

At least 2 years of verifiable, hands-on experience operating industrial extrusion machinery in a manufacturing environment.
Ability to monitor machine performance, identify operational problems and make process adjustments independently.
A good understanding of production quality, machine efficiency and waste reduction.
Strong troubleshooting and problem-solving skills.
Ability to guide colleagues and take responsibility for a production station.
Good spoken and written English.
Comfortable using a smartphone or digital tools for production reporting.
Reliable, organised and committed to workplace safety.
Willingness to work rotating morning, evening and night shifts, including weekends, as we move towards 24/7 production.

Experience that would be an advantage:

Working with plastic extrusion, HDPE, PVC, WPC or other composite materials.
Experience with mould changes, machine set-up and process optimisation.
Experience with finishing equipment or quality control in a manufacturing environment.
A technical certificate or diploma from a recognised TVET institution or polytechnic.

We value people who take initiative, notice problems before they become serious and enjoy finding better ways to work.

Please note: This is not an entry-level position. Previous hands-on experience operating industrial extrusion machinery is required.

What We Offer

The opportunity to work with bamboo composite extrusion technology in a growing Kenyan manufacturing company.
Practical training across our production processes, including extrusion, granulation, finishing and quality control.
A permanent, full-time position following a successful probation period.
A competitive salary based on experience.
Night shift allowances and overtime compensation in accordance with Kenyan law.
Opportunities to develop your technical skills and grow within our production team.
A hands-on working environment where quality, teamwork and initiative are valued.