Hatchery Officer at Uzima Chicken

Job summary

• We are seeking an experienced and reliable Hatchery Officer who will be responsible for the poultry production for the Uzima chicken ltd. breeding farms. This includes planning, poultry management, vaccination, implementing bio-security of farms and disease management.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Oversee the receiving, inspection, grading, sorting and storage of hatching eggs to ensure they meet required quality standards.
• Ensure proper egg storage conditions, including temperature and humidity control.
• Oversee egg setting, pre-warming, transfer, candling and hatching processes in line with established standards.
• Monitor incubation parameters including temperature, humidity, CO₂ /ventilation and egg turning.
• Monitor hatchery machine performance and ensure achievement of set production targets.
• Ensure proper selection, grading and quality control of Day-Old Chicks (DOCs).
• Conduct breakout analysis, identify causes of poor hatchability and recommend corrective actions.
• Ensure effective implementation and continuous improvement of biosecurity and quality control programmes.
• Monitor vaccine storage, handling, thawing and vaccination procedures, including accuracy of vaccinators.
• Ensure high standards of hatchery hygiene, cleanliness and environmental management.
• Coordinate preventive maintenance of hatchery equipment and liaise with the maintenance team on repairs and equipment requirements.
• Ensure proper handling and disposal of hatchery waste in accordance with established procedures.
• Maintain accurate records of eggs received, eggs set, hatch results, DOC production and DOC wastage.
• Prepare and submit weekly, operational and regulatory reports as required.
• Monitor compliance with relevant government, veterinary, biosecurity and hatchery standards.
• Identify staff development needs and provide coaching, training and performance support to hatchery staff.
• Work collaboratively with breeding farms and other departments to address hatchery performance issues and improve overall productivity.
• Perform any other duties as may be assigned by the Production Manager.

Qualifications

• B.Sc. in Veterinary Medicine or equivalent.
• Must be licensed by the Kenya Veterinary Board and in good standing.
• Experience in poultry production, hatchery operations or a related veterinary role will be an added advantage.
• Good understanding of poultry health, hatchery management, incubation and biosecurity practices.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office and other computer applications.
• Strong analytical, reporting and problem-solving skills.
• Good communication, leadership and team-management skills.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced production environment and meet operational targets.