This study reported a simplified method to prepare sulfated zirconia loaded on alumina catalyst for transesterification of Jatropha Curcas L. oil with methanol to biodiesel or fatty acid methyl esters. The catalyst was found to have high catalytic activity. X-ray diffraction and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy analysis showed that the catalyst has the basic characteristic of an acidic catalyst. The catalyst preparation conditions were optimized using design of experiment, specifically response surface methodology and an optimum fatty acid methyl ester yield (91.0 wt%) was obtained using a catalyst prepared with calcination temperature and duration at 329 degrees C and 4.7 h, respectively.