Mechanical Engineer

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Kelvin Mwangi Kahonge

Mechanical Engineer

Address Maragua, Kenya, 103

Phone +254-*********/+252-*********

E-mail **************@*****.***

Professional Summary

A Seasoned Mechanical Engineer with over 14 years of experience across diverse sectors, seeking to leverage expertise in renewable energy, power plant operations, and project management. Skilled in mechanical system operation, maintenance and troubleshooting, installation & commissioning, quality control, and team leadership. Proven ability to deliver projects on time and within budget, ensuring adherence to safety and quality standards. Eager to contribute extensive knowledge and adaptability to a challenging new opportunity. Skills

Manufacturing and Design

Machining Operations

Project Management

AutoCAD Design

Condition monitoring (Vibration analysis, oil analysis, infrared thermography, water analysis) Reliability Centered Maintenance

Mechanical Maintenance ( steam turbines, diesel generators, pumps, boilers and auxiliaries, conveyors) CMMS (Computerized Maintenance Management System – MAXIMO,SAP) Team Management

Budget Management

Generator Maintenance (Cummins, FG Wilson, Perkins, Caterpillar engine certified master mechanic) Power Plant Operation

Root Cause Analysis

Predictive Maintenance Technologies

Welding (4G CODED WELDING)

Professional Development and Continuous Learning

Work History

Dec 2024 –

To Date

Deputy Manager – 10MW Power plant project Horn Cement Ltd Berbera, Somaliland Key Responsibilities:

Project Management: Planning and implementing 10MW HFO power plant and water plant project equipment erection and commissioning (4 – 2.5MW 8L 27/38 MAN HFO generators and auxiliaries, heavy fuel oil system, electrical equipment including switchgear and CCR.

Quality Assurance & Compliance: Ensure that the requirements of the Project Quality Plan are fulfilled during project execution, maintaining technical integrity at all stages.

Manpower recruitment and staffing: Determining department staff requirement, preparing job descriptions, interviewing and selection of qualified candidates.

Industry standards and regulations compliance: Ensure adherence to construction and engineering standards, specifications and quality ensuring compliance with industry standards

Health safety and environment management: Managing Health, Safety & Environmental (HSE) activities on site with respect to Power generation and water treatment plant ensuring that procedures are duly implemented and followed, for instance: Permit To Work (PTW), Job Safety

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and Environmental Analyses (JSEA), Lock-Out/Tag-out (LOTO) procedures.

Resource management: Allocating and managing project resources, including personnel, equipment, and budget allocated to power plant and water plant.

Contractor management: Reviewing contractor project schedule, resources requirements and conducting weekly project review meetings.

June 2024 –

Nov 2024

Field service Engineer – Electromechanical engineer TATU CITY SEZ Key Responsibilities:

Maintenance management: Oversee routine and preventive maintenance of equipment, infrastructure and all assets under water department – Pumps, generators, Water plant, sewage plant

Projects management: Lead in planning, designing and implementing water and sewerage projects, ensuring strategic alignment and compliance with industry standards and regulations.

Lead field service activities: Supervised and adviced installation, operation, maintaining, and repairing water and sewerage systems.

Team supervision: Developed and implemented operations and maintenance plans and standard operating procedures.

Contractors’ management: Conducted on-site inspections and assessments to identify technical requirements, troubleshoot issues, and develop solutions.

Statutory compliance: Ensured compliance with regulatory requirements and industry standards governing water and sewerage systems.

Safety and compliance: Developed and Promoted the Company’s health and safety practices at the workplace with coordination with EHS team.

Store management: Inventory management ensuring proper stock taking and minimum stock levels for water department.

Budget management: Prepared maintenance budget, monitor expenses ensuring cost effective management of the resources and review and approve RFQ. Jan 2020 –

May 2024

Mechanical Engineer FORTUM, RWANDA (HQ Services Ltd), Rwanda Key Responsibilities:

Plan & Execute Maintenance: Efficiently planned and executed routine maintenance, overhauls, and unscheduled repairs for mechanical equipment in-charge of Boiler and auxiliaries, Water generation, ETP,STP, Crusher house, Steam turbine and auxiliaries’ etc

Ensure Safety & Timeliness: Prioritized safety by inspecting and approving statements of work, risk assessment, isolation schedule and timely completion of all mechanical maintenance work .

Manage Statutory Inspections: Oversee statutory inspections, ensuring complete and up-to-date documentation.

Monitor Equipment Condition: Performed condition monitoring, analyze vibration data, identify root cause of failure, corrective repair actions and generate reports for critical rotating machinery.

Administer CMMS: Took administrative responsibility for the plant's Computerized Maintenance Management System (CMMS).

Optimize Outages: Assisted with planning and scoping scheduled outages to minimize downtime and maximize efficiency.

Lead Mechanical Team: Managed a team of mechanical technicians and oversee workshop activities providing technical supports to repair and overhaul of rotating equipment such as dismantling, diagnosing, assembling, testing and issue related technical reports.

Optimize Inventory: Determined minimum stock levels for spares and consumables.

Manage Budgets: Collaborated with the maintenance manager to create and maintain department budgets and address variances

Spare parts requisition and management: Provided technical input for purchasing specifications including technical proposal evaluation.

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Contractors: Enforced and maintained EHS standards to all mechanical work done in the plant and contractor personnel and work areas across the plant. Key Achievements:

Achieved a 15% reduction in unplanned downtime through improved preventive maintenance practices and proactive repairs.

Developed and implemented an optimized inventory management system, reducing spare parts costs by 8%.

Collaborated with the maintenance manager to implement cost-saving measures, resulting in a 5% reduction in maintenance budget.

Jul 2019 –

Dec 2019

Generator Yard Mechanics Supervisor

PAE Government Services (BAGHDAD DIPLOMATIC SUPPORT CENTER), Iraq Key Responsibilities:

Generator Yard Maintenance Supervisor: Led a team of mechanics in planning and executing preventive and corrective maintenance for all generators in the Gen Yard.

Power Plant Operations: Managed the smooth operation of both 50Hz and 60Hz power plants, ensuring reliable power supply.

Generator Repair Specialist: Possessed expertise in repairing and maintaining various generators, including Perkins, Cat, and Cummins models.

Documentation & Recordkeeping: Maintained comprehensive documentation and records of power plant operations and projects for future reference and audits.

Materials & Inventory Management: Oversaw the procurement and inventory control of materials and tools essential for power plant operations.

Safety & Compliance Adherence: Enforced safety protocols and ensured compliance with all relevant regulations within the Gen Yard and power plants.

Key Achievements:

Successfully reduced generator downtime by implementing an optimized preventive maintenance schedule, resulting in a 20% increase in overall generator reliability.

Streamlined documentation and recordkeeping processes, leading to improved efficiency in project tracking and contributing to a successful audit with zero compliance issues.

Implemented a cost-effective materials and inventory management system, resulting in a 15% reduction in operational costs while maintaining optimal stock levels for power plant operations. May 2017 –

Jun 2019

Reliability-Centered Maintenance Technician

PAE Government Services (US EMBASSY BAGHDAD), Kenya Key Responsibilities:

Reliability Improvement Specialist: Implemented RCM studies, assessed criticality, and determined maintenance strategies for optimal asset reliability and cost reduction.

Predictive Maintenance Advocate: Championed predictive maintenance technologies (vibration analysis, thermography, oil analysis etc.) for targeted interventions and risk mitigation.

Data-Driven Decision Maker: Conducted facilities condition assessments, interpreted data (FCI or similar), and informed project plans and maintenance optimization programs.

Maintenance Program Optimizer: Evaluated and transitioned the preventive maintenance program to a more effective and robust structure.

Cost Management Expert: Performed maintenance and life cycle costing analyses to optimize resource allocation and minimize expenses.

Problem Solver: Conducted root cause analyses for equipment failures, tracked solutions, and prioritized issue resolution.

Best Practices Implementer: Identified and implemented best practices, recommending changes in equipment operations, design, and configurations for improved performance. Key Achievements:

Successfully transitioned from traditional preventive maintenance to a more efficient program, resulting in significant cost savings.

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Developed and implemented reliability targets, leading to increased system reliability and performance.

Restructured the preventive maintenance program, resulting in increased effectiveness and reduced downtime.

Dec 2016 –

May 2017

Lead Generator Mechanic

PAE Government Services (US EMBASSY BAGHDAD), Iraq Key Achievements:

Diesel Engine Specialist: Repaired and maintained various diesel engines like Mitsubishi, Cummins, Caterpillar, Perkins, and FG Wilson used in supporting the US mission in Iraq.

Team Leader: Played a leadership role during engine service, repair, and maintenance activities.

Mechanic Supervisor: Supervised both generator mechanics and local National Laborers, ensuring efficient work and proper adherence to safety protocols.

Reliability Monitoring Lead (Acting): Temporarily led the Reliability condition monitoring department, potentially focusing on tasks like predictive maintenance and fault detection.

US Mission Support: Contributed to the smooth operation of the US mission in Iraq by ensuring reliable and functional power generation with your technical expertise. Key Achievements:

Increased engine uptime: Achieved a significant increase in the operational uptime of mission-critical diesel engines through effective repairs and maintenance practices.

Improved team efficiency: Enhanced the efficiency of your team by providing effective leadership and guidance, contributing to faster turnaround times and improved overall performance. Jun 2014 –

Nov 2016

Power Plant Operator/Administrator

PAE Government Services (US EMBASSY BAGHDAD), Iraq Key Responsibilities:

Thermal Power Plant Operator: Managed the smooth operation and ensured consistent availability of the power plant.

Schneider Switchgear Repair and Maintenance Technician: Performed repairs and maintenance on critical Schneider switchgear equipment.

Reliability Condition Monitoring Program Senior Technician: Implemented and oversaw a program for monitoring equipment health and preventing failures.

Local National Labor Supervisor: Led and directed a team of local laborers, optimizing their performance and efficiency.

Data and Inventory Management Specialist: Maintained accurate records of engine and material data, and streamlined inventory management processes.

Reporting and Work Order Coordinator: Generated comprehensive daily, weekly, and monthly reports, and managed all work orders efficiently.

Key Achievements:

Maintained 99.5% generator availability throughout tenure, ensuring uninterrupted power supply to the US Embassy in Baghdad.

Developed and implemented a preventative maintenance program that reduced equipment downtime by 20%.

Increased the efficiency of local labor by 15% through effective leadership and skills development. Education

Egerton University (2011-2013)

Bachelor of Industrial Technology (Manufacturing option)

Relevant Coursework: Manufacturing and design, Machining operation, Jigs and fixtures, Project management, Human resource management, AutoCAD design, and Project research skills. Sagana Technical Training Institute (Jan 2007 - Nov 2009)

Diploma in Mechanical Engineering (Production option)

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Relevant Coursework: Production technology, Machining operations, Human resources management, Materials and Metallurgy, Trade and Entrepreneurship Project. Additional Professional Experience

Mechanical Technician, ORPOWER 4 INC (OLKARIA III GEOTHERMAL POWER PLANT-132MW) (02/2013 – 05/2014)

Key Highlights:

Overhauled and assembled steam turbines for geothermal power generation.

Tested and logged geothermal resource wells.

Supervised contractors on-site during maintenance and construction.

Repaired and assembled mechanical seals and pumps.

Maintained compressors and boilers, ensuring efficient operation. Mechanical Engineer, ABE-TEC EA LIMITED, KENYA (Project: 87MW Thika Power Plant) Key Highlights:

Installed and commissioned 5 MAN HFO engines according to client requirements.

Performed quality control and assurance for all materials and equipment.

Inspected and ensured all piping systems met standards for water, diesel, HFO, etc.

Supervised and coordinated teams of technicians and engineers.

Interpreted and modified isometric drawings for piping systems. Mechanical Engineer, MAGNUM ENGINEERS LTD (04/2012 – 08/2012) Key Highlights:

Repaired and maintained 18V32 Wartsila Diesel engines at the Iber-Africa power plant.

Fabricated and installed stainless steel components.

Performed machining operations (lathe, threading) for various projects. Mechanical Fitter, MAGNUM ENGINEERS LTD (June 2011 – August 2011) Key Highlights:

Fabricated general structural components.

Operated milling, lathe, shaper, surface grinder, and hydraulic rolling machines.

Performed arc and MIG welding for various projects. Machinist/Fitter, MAGNUM ENGINEERING AND GENERAL CONTRACTORS (December 2010 – May 2011)

Fabricated and fitted general structural components.

Installed machinery at various client sites.

Mechanical Technician, NOTASH-AFRA COMPANY UNDER FARAB INTERNATIONAL (December 2009 – August 2010)

Assembled, installed, and commissioned a 4-7MW Francis Hydro Turbine. Referees

1. Romandas kalvaitis

Maintenance manager Fortum +370********

2. Phillip Willis Facilities engineer

US embassy Baghdad +1-770-***-****

3. Paul Njuguna

Project engineer South Sudan +254*********

4. Samuel Macharia

Maintenance manager TPL ltd +254*********

5. Reigo Marko

Plant manager Fortum +372********

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