Hiring

Barista Application — Coffee Lab Nairobi

Coffee Lab Nairobi

We're looking for a
Barista who wants
more than service.

This is a role for someone who genuinely loves specialty coffee, curious about origin, process, and flavour, and wants to grow into a voice that educates as much as it serves.

Full-time Nairobi Specialty Coffee Coffee Education

About the Role

Coffee Lab Nairobi is a specialty roastery and café that takes coffee seriously, from the farm to the cup. We source with intention, roast with precision, and serve with care. We want our café to be a place where customers don't just drink great coffee, they understand it.

We're looking for a barista who sees this role as a craft. You'll start at the bar, but the expectation is that you grow beyond it: leading cuppings, guiding customers through our menu by origin and process, supporting workshops and education events, and eventually becoming a genuine coffee educator within our team.

We also deeply value multiskilled team members. We would love for all our baristas to develop roasting as a skill over time. If you're curious about what happens before the coffee reaches the grinder, you'll fit right in.

Previous café experience is helpful, but your passion and intellectual curiosity about coffee matter more than your years behind an espresso machine.

What You'll Do

Prepare and serve specialty coffee to a consistently high standard
Engage customers in genuine conversations about origin, process, and flavour
Participate in regular cuppings, tastings, and staff training
Support coffee education events, workshops, and pop-ups
Guide customers through our coffee menu in a way that feels natural, not scripted
Maintain equipment, cleanliness, and operational standards
Grow into a role that includes leading educational experiences

What We're Looking For

Genuine passion and curiosity for specialty coffee
Some café or hospitality experience (preferred, not required)
Strong communication and the ability to simplify complex ideas
Eagerness to learn, receive feedback, and grow
Someone who takes ownership and notices what needs doing without being told
Alignment with our values around quality, craft, and hospitality

Apply Now

Take your time with these questions. We read every answer carefully. They matter more to us than your CV.

Your Details

First Name *

Last Name *

Email Address *

Phone Number *

Your Coffee Experience

What brewing methods are you currently most confident with? *

The Questions That Matter

1. When dialling in espresso, what's the specific part you find most difficult, and what have you actually done to get better at it? * Be specific. "Consistency" is not an answer. Tell us about a real moment, a real problem, a real thing you tried.

Aim for 100–200 words

2. A customer who only drinks tea asks you: "What's the difference between a washed and a natural coffee?" Explain it to them in 2–3 sentences. No coffee jargon allowed. * Pretend you're actually talking to them across the bar. Words like "fermentation", "processing", or "terroir" are off-limits.

2–3 sentences only

3. What pulls you specifically to working with Coffee Lab Nairobi, and what in your past experience makes you ready for this role? * Be honest and specific. We want to understand why us, not just why coffee.

Aim for 80–150 words

4. Give one real example of a workflow or habit in a café (or any workplace) that you improved or changed. What was wrong, what did you do, and what happened? * We're looking for someone who notices things and acts on them. This doesn't have to be dramatic. Even a small operational change is a great answer.

Aim for 80–150 words

5. What's one thing you do your own way when brewing, something not in the textbook, and what result does it give you? * Could be a temperature tweak, a grind timing habit, a pouring rhythm. Tell us what it is and what you notice when you do it.

Your CV

CV submission

After submitting this form, please email your CV to [email protected] with the subject line: firstname_lastname CV
e.g. amina_odhiambo CV

PDF format only please.

By submitting this form you consent to Coffee Lab Nairobi holding your application details for the purpose of this recruitment process. We'll be in touch within 2 weeks.

☕

Application received.

Thank you for taking the time to answer thoughtfully. We read every response and will be in touch within two weeks.