Process Engineering Lead

About Uganda National Oil Company Limited

Uganda National Oil Company Limited (UNOC) is a limited liability company wholly owned by the Government of Uganda, established under Section 42 of the Petroleum (Exploration, Development and Production) Act and Section 7 of the Petroleum (Refining, Conversion, Transmission and Midstream Storage) Act, both of 2013, and incorporated under the Companies Act, 2012 on 12 June 2015. Its shareholders are the Minister of Energy and Mineral Development (51%) and the Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development (49%). UNOC's overall function is to handle the State's commercial interests in the oil and gas industry, investigate and propose new upstream, midstream and downstream ventures, develop in-depth expertise in the oil and gas sector, and participate in joint ventures on behalf of the State to ensure the resource is exploited in a sustainable manner. Vision: To be a profitable company that sustainably operates across the petroleum value chain by 2030. Mission: To sustainably develop and manage the state's commercial interests in the petroleum sector to contribute to Uganda's socio-economic transformation. Purpose: Creating Value for Generations. For this role, the position sits within the Uganda Refinery Holding Company Ltd (URHC), UNOC's subsidiary that holds up to 40% participating interest in the refinery to be constructed in Kabaale, Hoima and manages the Kabaale Industrial Park comprising the refinery, Hoima International Airport, crude oil export hub and petrochemical industries.

Job Details

Department: Uganda Refinery Holding Company (URHC) Reports To: Manager Technology & Engineering Employment Type: Contract – 3 Years Duty Station: Kampala (candidates MUST be willing and ready to work in any UNOC office location) Number of Vacancies: 1 Date Posted: Monday, 24 August 2026 Base Salary: Not Disclosed Work Hours: 8

Job Purpose: Responsible for offering technical guidance on all aspects of process engineering design and execution as the Lead Subject Matter Expert in the process engineering discipline for the refinery and related facilities.

Background: UNOC was established under the Petroleum (Exploration, Development and Production) Act and the Petroleum (Refining, Conversion, Transmission and Midstream Storage) Act, both of 2013 and incorporated under the Companies Act, 2012. It is a limited liability company wholly owned by the Government of Uganda. UNOC now invites applications from persons interested to develop their career with a dynamic and results-oriented Company.

Application Procedure: Interested applicants should submit applications through the UNOC online recruitment system at https://www.unoc.co.ug/career-opportunities/ . Applicants are required to scan and attach copies of required academic documents only e.g. Relevant Degree Transcript, Postgraduate Diploma or Masters. Only applications submitted through the UNOC recruitment system shall be considered. UNOC is an equal opportunity employer and does not charge any monies at any stage of the recruitment process.

Key Duties and Responsibilities

• Participate in the engineering design and execution of the refinery as the Lead Specialist in the process engineering discipline.
• Lead detailed reviews of the process engineering aspects of the projects, including drawings, specifications, installation procedures, etc. and ensure that process works designs, materials and construction specifications meet oil and gas project standards and other relevant national and industry codes.
• Monitor performance of contractors and suggest remedial actions to avoid design deficiencies and commission delays.
• Lead and provide technical advice on the preparation of budgets, procurement, modifications etc. as it relates to process engineering aspects for the refinery project.
• Perform discipline and inter-discipline engineering compliance checks, quality assessment, and quality control on engineering design and operations.
• Develop a priority matrix for setting, scheduling, and executing process maintenance jobs to ensure continuous plant operations.
• Provide input to Engineering studies concerning process design, installation, and operating issues.
• Develop and monitor manufacturing metrics and analyze data to improve the manufacturing processes for the refinery.
• Support the construction and commissioning teams in resolving queries received during installation as related to equipment layout for the refinery and its ancillary facilities.
• Conduct research to develop new and improved processes for crude oil refining and establish safety procedures for individuals working with dangerous chemicals.
• Collaborate with other discipline engineers in inspection test plans, and factory acceptance tests in addition to all preparations for site installation, pre-commissioning, commissioning and handover.
• Liaise with document specialists to ensure process engineering documentation (drawings etc.) for the project is properly archived.
• Provide recommendations on knowledge/skill and training required for development of competencies of staff in the process engineering discipline.
• Provide input into competence development plans for the process engineering discipline.
• Undertake any other duties and responsibilities as may be assigned from time to time by the supervisor(s).

Qualifications, Skills and Requirements

• Bachelor's Degree (Hons) in Chemical Engineering or Process Engineering, Industrial Chemistry, Science Technology Chemistry from a recognised university.
• At least six (6) years of relevant working experience in process engineering within upstream, refining, petrochemical, gas processing, in a reputable and busy company, with three (3) years attained in a supervisory role.
• Registration with the Uganda Institute of Professional Engineers (UIPE) or Engineers Registration Board (U) or equivalent is an added advantage.
• Professional Certification (PMP) or specialised Post Graduate training in Project Management is an added advantage.
• Formal training or demonstrable experience in process safety management (e.g. HAZOP, HAZID, PHA, LOPA, management of change, and permit-to-work systems) is an added advantage.
• Working knowledge/application of the Ugandan oil and gas regulatory framework, including the NEMA Laws/Regulations, the OSHA 2006 and of ISO 9001 is an added advantage.
• Demonstrable experience of technical oversight of a contractor, including review and approval of process engineering contractor deliverables, and design change control is an added advantage.
• Proficiency in Engineering Software such as Process simulation and design software (e.g. Aspen HYSYS, Aspen Plus etc), MS Excel, Word and PowerPoint.
• Working knowledge/application of Project Management Software e.g. MS Project, Primavera, Smart Sheet or Trello.
• Data analysis & report writing skills.
• Excellent Stakeholder Management Skills.
• Interface management skills – with the ability to coordinate across engineering disciplines, contractors, vendors and operations teams, and to resolve inter-discipline technical conflicts.
• Strong negotiation skills.
• Knowledge of Oil & Gas Industry Technical Standards.

Job Summary

• Job Category: Science & Engineering, Energy & Mining, Engineering
• Job Type: Contract (3 Years) - Full-time
• Deadline of this Job: Friday, September 11, 2026 by 11:59pm EAT
• Duty Station: Kampala | Kampala
• Posted: 24-08-2026
• No of Jobs: 1