Expeller & SEP -Manager

Role purpose

To own the solvent-extraction plant hexane extraction of residual oil from expeller cake, miscella distillation, desolventising-toasting (DOC) and solvent recovery delivering extraction yield with minimum solvent loss under the strictest hazardous-area safety.

Key responsibilities

SEP operation & yield

• Operate the extractor, distillation, desolventiser-toaster, evaporators, condensers and solvent-recovery system to design.
• Drive extraction efficiency minimise residual oil in DOC and hold DOC quality (protein / toast colour) to specification.

Solvent management & safety

• Control hexane inventory and solvent loss (kg/T) through tight operation and leak control.
• Enforce hazardous-area (IEC Zone 1/2) discipline — LEL / gas monitoring, hot-work and permit-to-work, nitrogen / steam safety systems — without compromise.

Automation, maintenance & compliance

• Direct plant operation through the shift PLC engineers via the PLC / SCADA / DCS; ensure interlock and alarm integrity.
• Coordinate maintenance to protect uptime; maintain statutory (fire / factory / explosives) compliance and records.

Technical & process scope

Counter-current solvent extraction, miscella and distillation, DT / DOC, evaporators and solvent recovery, with expert command of hexane properties (LEL, flash point), solvent-loss economics, and Zone 1/2 process safety.

HSE, quality & compliance

• Work at all times within the TKISA / Manorama HSE management system, plant SOPs and the Burkina Faso statutory framework; lead by personal example on safety.
• Complete the plant HSE induction (SOP HSE/03 — 40-question examination, 27/40 pass mark) before any unsupervised work, and ensure the same for the team.
• Comply with the solvent / acetone unloading and handling SOP (HSE/04 — e.g. 10-metre exclusion zone, cotton-only clothing, no spark sources) wherever flammable solvents are present.
• Honour the permit-to-work system, hazardous-area (IEC Zone 1/2) rules and emergency procedures without exception.
• Ensure product safety and quality to Manorama / CBE-chain specification, with correct documentation and traceability.

Qualifications & certifications

Degree in Chemical Engineering (strongly preferred).

• 12–18 years in solvent-extraction plant operation, progressing to SEP / section manager.
• Expert, hands-on knowledge of hexane-plant operation and safety.

Commissioning of a new SEP.

• Specialty-fats / shea / mango-kernel extraction experience.
• French language ability.

Experience

A solvent-extraction specialist who has run a hexane SEP end-to-end, optimised extraction yield and solvent loss, and led operations safely in a hazardous area — ideally through commissioning.