Background

HarvestGlow is a Malawian innovation-driven organization advancing climate-smart agriculture, renewable energy, and precision farming solutions for smallholder farmers. We are implementing a solar-powered precision fertigation and irrigation initiative to improve water efficiency, nutrient use, productivity, and resilience across diverse agro-ecosystems in Malawi.

Role Purpose

To lead the design, deployment, optimization, and technical oversight of HarvestGlow’s solar-powered drip irrigation and precision fertigation systems, ensuring system performance, reliability, and scalability for smallholder farming contexts.

Key Duties and Responsibilities

System Design & Engineering

• Design integrated solar PV–powered irrigation and fertigation systems, including pumps, drip lines, fertigation units, storage, and controllers.
• Develop system layouts, hydraulic calculations, fertigation flow rates, and energy demand assessments.
• Customize system designs to suit different crops, soils, farm sizes, and agro-ecological zones.
• Specify technical standards, components, and installation guidelines for field deployment.

Installation & Commissioning

• Supervise installation of solar irrigation and fertigation systems at pilot and scale sites.
• Conduct system testing, calibration, and commissioning to ensure optimal performance.
• Troubleshoot mechanical, hydraulic, and electrical faults and recommend corrective actions.

Operations, Maintenance & Optimization

• Develop preventive maintenance schedules and standard operating procedures (SOPs).
• Monitor system efficiency, energy use, water delivery, and nutrient application accuracy.
• Continuously optimize system performance based on field data and farmer feedback.

Capacity Building & Farmer Support

• Train field technicians, extension staff, and farmers on system operation, maintenance, and safety.
• Develop user manuals and technical training materials in local languages.
• Provide on-site and remote technical support to farmers and partners.

Data & Reporting

• Document system performance, challenges, and lessons learned.
• Contribute technical inputs to project reports, research outputs, and donor documentation.
• Support scaling strategies by providing cost models and design adaptations.

Qualifications & Experience

• BSc or MSc in Agricultural Engineering, Irrigation Engineering, Renewable Energy, or related field.
• Minimum 3–5 years’ experience in irrigation system design or solar-powered water systems.
• Hands-on experience with drip irrigation, fertigation systems, and solar PV integration.
• Strong problem-solving, field coordination, and documentation skills.
• Willingness to travel extensively within Malawi.

• Design integrated solar PV–powered irrigation and fertigation systems, including pumps, drip lines, fertigation units, storage, and controllers.
• Develop system layouts, hydraulic calculations, fertigation flow rates, and energy demand assessments.
• Customize system designs to suit different crops, soils, farm sizes, and agro-ecological zones.
• Specify technical standards, components, and installation guidelines for field deployment.
• Supervise installation of solar irrigation and fertigation systems at pilot and scale sites.
• Conduct system testing, calibration, and commissioning to ensure optimal performance.
• Troubleshoot mechanical, hydraulic, and electrical faults and recommend corrective actions.
• Develop preventive maintenance schedules and standard operating procedures (SOPs).
• Monitor system efficiency, energy use, water delivery, and nutrient application accuracy.
• Continuously optimize system performance based on field data and farmer feedback.
• Train field technicians, extension staff, and farmers on system operation, maintenance, and safety.
• Develop user manuals and technical training materials in local languages.
• Provide on-site and remote technical support to farmers and partners.
• Document system performance, challenges, and lessons learned.
• Contribute technical inputs to project reports, research outputs, and donor documentation.
• Support scaling strategies by providing cost models and design adaptations.

• Strong problem-solving skills
• Field coordination skills
• Documentation skills

• BSc or MSc in Agricultural Engineering, Irrigation Engineering, Renewable Energy, or related field.
• Hands-on experience with drip irrigation, fertigation systems, and solar PV integration.