About Fika

Fika (formerly “Bridges to Prosperity”) advances innovative, cost-effective rural infrastructural solutions through advocacy, evidence, and technical assistance to promote safe access for geographically isolated communities through partnership with governments and donors. Our evidence-based approach demonstrates that safe, reliable access unlocks opportunity and drives economic and social development in rural areas.

Opportunity Overview

Fika is seeking an experienced and technically strong Senior Infrastructure Engineer to lead the physical infrastructure component of an anticipated Improving Access Activity — a key component of a large-scale, donor-funded transport infrastructure program in Zambia that addresses physical and non-physical barriers to mobility and market access for rural communities along a major economic corridor.

As the physical infrastructure component lead, the Senior Infrastructure Engineer is accountable for turning a prioritized, community-validated pipeline of infrastructure-ready sites into designed, procured, constructed, and delivered Rural Networked Transport Infrastructure (RNTI) assets, while building the design-and-build capacity of government and private-sector partners. The role reports to the Improving Access Activity Team Leader. This position is contingent on program funding and client approvals.

Responsibilities

Design & Technical Leadership

• Lead preliminary and detailed engineering design across RNTI typologies (trail and cable bridges, stone arch, short-span and low-volume crossings, feeder roads and paths, drainage, culverts, and access approaches) to NCC and RDA standards.
• Support the technical prioritization and costing of the works pipeline, contributing engineering judgment to typology and sequencing decisions.
• Assess the technical feasibility of candidate sites and provide engineering recommendations, including processing survey data, evaluating aerial imagery, and proposing preliminary design alternatives.
• Calculate material quantities, prepare material specifications, and work with procurement on local materials selection.
• Apply Fika standard design methodologies, templates, and specifications consistently, and sign off on design modifications during construction within the established approval authority.

Capacity Building (Design & Build)

• Build the design and construction capacity of government engineers and Zambian contractors through Fika’s accredited curriculum and Training-of-Trainers model.

Construction Delivery, Quality & Compliance

• Lead construction teams (including direct construction staff or sub-award recipient firms) to construct high-quality RNTI assets in identified community sites.
• Procure and oversee construction through Fika’s private-sector delivery model, maintaining the multi-year construction plan and government co-financing arrangements.
• Ensure quality assurance, ZEMA-aligned site screening and HSE, and asset handover to district councils and RDA’s asset management system.
• Support construction teams on temporary works, including tower lifting, cable hoisting, and scaffold design.
• Carry out technical inspections of under construction and completed structures, including design verification and as-built review.

Team Leadership & Coordination

• Supervise engineering and field staff, and coordinate with the Team Leader, Partnerships and Mobilization Lead, Operations Lead, and Fika’s global engineering team.
• Represent the activity on technical matters in district, council, and other stakeholder meetings as required.

Qualifications and Experience

• Advanced degree in civil or structural engineering or a closely related field; Registered Professional Engineer with the Engineering Institution of Zambia (EIZ) and the Engineering Registration Board (ERB) is required.
• Minimum of 7–10 years in the design and construction of rural transport, roads, bridges, or access infrastructure, including donor-funded and/or public-sector delivery.
• Demonstrated design experience across bridge and crossing typologies and/or feeder roads, with construction supervision, QA/QC, and FIDIC-based contract administration.
• Experience building the capacity of government engineers and private-sector contractors.
• Familiarity with Zambian standards (NCC, RDA) and ZEMA environmental and social screening; experience with digital design tools or GIS is an asset.
• Proficiency in AutoCAD drafting and in Microsoft Excel and Word.
• Full professional proficiency in English is required; Zambian languages are an asset.
• Commitment to Fika’s mission, values, and ethical standards, including child safeguarding, integrity, and inclusion.

• Lead preliminary and detailed engineering design across RNTI typologies (trail and cable bridges, stone arch, short-span and low-volume crossings, feeder roads and paths, drainage, culverts, and access approaches) to NCC and RDA standards.
• Support the technical prioritization and costing of the works pipeline, contributing engineering judgment to typology and sequencing decisions.
• Assess the technical feasibility of candidate sites and provide engineering recommendations, including processing survey data, evaluating aerial imagery, and proposing preliminary design alternatives.
• Calculate material quantities, prepare material specifications, and work with procurement on local materials selection.
• Apply Fika standard design methodologies, templates, and specifications consistently, and sign off on design modifications during construction within the established approval authority.
• Build the design and construction capacity of government engineers and Zambian contractors through Fika’s accredited curriculum and Training-of-Trainers model.
• Lead construction teams (including direct construction staff or sub-award recipient firms) to construct high-quality RNTI assets in identified community sites.
• Procure and oversee construction through Fika’s private-sector delivery model, maintaining the multi-year construction plan and government co-financing arrangements.
• Ensure quality assurance, ZEMA-aligned site screening and HSE, and asset handover to district councils and RDA’s asset management system.
• Support construction teams on temporary works, including tower lifting, cable hoisting, and scaffold design.
• Carry out technical inspections of under construction and completed structures, including design verification and as-built review.
• Supervise engineering and field staff, and coordinate with the Team Leader, Partnerships and Mobilization Lead, Operations Lead, and Fika’s global engineering team.
• Represent the activity on technical matters in district, council, and other stakeholder meetings as required.

• Proficiency in AutoCAD drafting
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel and Word
• Full professional proficiency in English

• Advanced degree in civil or structural engineering or a closely related field
• Registered Professional Engineer with the Engineering Institution of Zambia (EIZ) and the Engineering Registration Board (ERB)
• Demonstrated design experience across bridge and crossing typologies and/or feeder roads
• Construction supervision experience
• QA/QC experience
• FIDIC-based contract administration experience
• Experience building the capacity of government engineers and private-sector contractors
• Familiarity with Zambian standards (NCC, RDA)
• Familiarity with ZEMA environmental and social screening
• Experience with digital design tools or GIS is an asset
• Commitment to Fika’s mission, values, and ethical standards, including child safeguarding, integrity, and inclusion.