Material Engineer

Tatu City, one of Africa's most ambitious mixed-use urban developments located on the outskirts of Nairobi, is seeking a highly experienced Material Engineer to join its project delivery team. Reporting directly to the Project Manager, the successful candidate will play a pivotal role in ensuring that all materials used across Tatu City's landmark construction projects meet the highest standards of quality, design integrity, and structural compliance.

This is a senior, hands-on role that blends technical rigour with commercial acumen. The Material Engineer will be the primary technical authority on material specification, supplier pre-qualification, and procurement across global markets — including the Middle East, China, India, North Africa, and East Africa — while also championing sustainable, value-engineered solutions that uphold the project's luxury positioning and long-term durability goals.

• Review, analyse, and formally approve high-end material specifications, technical datasheets, and third-party test reports to confirm full compliance with structural and architectural design standards.
• Leverage established market knowledge and supplier networks across the Middle East, China, India, North Africa, and East Africa to source premium construction materials and identify optimal manufacturers.
• Evaluate, audit, and pre-qualify material suppliers; serve as the primary technical liaison throughout procurement, submittal, and factory inspection processes.
• Lead the preparation, curation, and professional presentation of comprehensive material catalogues, mood boards, and physical sample boards for consultant review and executive approval.
• Deliver persuasive technical and commercial presentations to senior management, consultants, and external stakeholders to facilitate timely and informed material selection decisions.
• Oversee material testing protocols and conduct on-site inspections to verify that all delivered materials exactly match approved samples and project specifications.
• Conduct long-term durability and lifecycle assessments for luxury finishes, ensuring materials perform to specification over the full asset lifecycle.
• Monitor production lead times and coordinate with logistics teams to ensure material delivery aligns seamlessly with the master construction programme.
• Proactively identify and recommend value-engineered material alternatives that reduce project costs and improve sustainability without compromising architectural design intent.
• Maintain accurate, audit-ready documentation of all material submittals, approvals, inspection records, and supplier correspondence.

• Must hold a Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering or Architectural Engineering; an MBA is a strong added advantage.
• Must demonstrate at least 10 years of professional experience as a Material Engineer on large-scale construction projects, with a verifiable portfolio of high-end or luxury real estate developments.
• Must be able to navigate and procure from international construction material markets across the Middle East, China, India, North Africa, and East Africa, supported by an established supplier network.
• Must be capable of interpreting complex material specifications and technical datasheets and applying relevant international standards including British Standards and Eurocodes.
• Must be able to independently prepare and present material catalogues, sample boards, and technical presentations to C-suite stakeholders and external consultants.
• Must demonstrate working knowledge of BIM environments and how material data is integrated into digital project models.
• Must be able to manage multiple supplier relationships simultaneously while maintaining quality, schedule, and cost discipline.
• Must demonstrate experience conducting or overseeing factory inspections and third-party material testing in international markets.
• Must be able to apply value engineering principles to recommend cost-effective material substitutions without diluting design quality.

Tatu City offers a competitive remuneration package commensurate with the seniority and international scope of this role. Based on Kenyan market benchmarks for senior-level engineering professionals within large-scale real estate developments, the estimated monthly gross salary range is KES 250,000 – KES 400,000. Specific compensation details will be confirmed during the selection process.

Ideal candidates are seasoned Material Engineers with a decade or more of hands-on experience on premium or luxury construction projects, who possess active supplier networks across global markets and are comfortable operating at the intersection of technical specification and executive-level stakeholder engagement. Candidates who have previously worked on large-scale mixed-use, hospitality, or residential developments in East Africa or the broader African continent will have a distinct advantage.

Please do not apply if you have fewer than 10 years of directly relevant experience, have not worked on high-end construction projects, or do not have demonstrable international material procurement experience. Candidates without the ability to present confidently to executive and consultant audiences will not be shortlisted.

Interested and qualified candidates should submit their applications through the Tatu City careers portal or the job platform where this posting was discovered. Your application should include an updated CV, a cover letter detailing your relevant experience in material specification and global procurement, and where possible, a portfolio or project reference list highlighting luxury or large-scale developments you have contributed to. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for further assessment.