Industry:
Nonprofit/International Development/Agriculture/Microfinance
Nonprofit/International Development/Agriculture/Microfinance
Function:
Design, Engineering
Design, Engineering
Title:
Mechanical Engineer and Manufacturing Coordinator
Mechanical Engineer and Manufacturing Coordinator
Employer:
One Acre Fund
One Acre Fund
Job
Location: East African Capital with significant travel to rural locations
Location: East African Capital with significant travel to rural locations
Commitment:
Full Time
Full Time
Organization
Description
Description
Most
of the world’s poor are farmers, representing the largest and most uniform
group of poor people in the world. One Acre Fund is a growing NGO in Kenya,
Rwanda, Burundi, and Tanzania that is innovating a new way of helping farm
families to achieve their full potential. Instead of giving handouts, One Acre
Fund invests in farmers to generate a permanent gain in farm income. We provide
farmers with a “market bundle” that includes education, finance, seed
and fertilizer, and market access. Our program is proven impactful – every
year, we weigh thousands of harvests and measure 50-100% average gain in farm
income per acre. We have laser-like focus on generating better lives for the
people that we serve.
of the world’s poor are farmers, representing the largest and most uniform
group of poor people in the world. One Acre Fund is a growing NGO in Kenya,
Rwanda, Burundi, and Tanzania that is innovating a new way of helping farm
families to achieve their full potential. Instead of giving handouts, One Acre
Fund invests in farmers to generate a permanent gain in farm income. We provide
farmers with a “market bundle” that includes education, finance, seed
and fertilizer, and market access. Our program is proven impactful – every
year, we weigh thousands of harvests and measure 50-100% average gain in farm
income per acre. We have laser-like focus on generating better lives for the
people that we serve.
Job
Description
Description
We
want an exceptional individual to design and coordinate manufacturing of
life-changing tools and materials for subsistence farmers across East Africa.
Although most of the world’s poor are farmers, very little has been done to
rethink and redesign the tools farm families use every day. We believe this
space is ripe for innovation and change, with the possibility to positively
impact millions of farm families. There are three broad buckets of products
which we would like to innovate:
want an exceptional individual to design and coordinate manufacturing of
life-changing tools and materials for subsistence farmers across East Africa.
Although most of the world’s poor are farmers, very little has been done to
rethink and redesign the tools farm families use every day. We believe this
space is ripe for innovation and change, with the possibility to positively
impact millions of farm families. There are three broad buckets of products
which we would like to innovate:
·
Impactful and Affordable Planting Instruments – we want to create
extremely affordable, plastic, handheld planting tools to allow farmers to
comply with best planting practices. An example of such a tool is a teff
planter (teff is a critical food crop for millions of rural farm families in
Ethiopia). Despite the importance of teff to many families, most farmers
continue to use traditional planting methods – broadcasting seed and fertilizer
across their land with limited to attention given to even distribution of
inputs or control of plant populations. The results are predictably poor, resulting
in increased levels of hunger and greater insecurity for farm families. An
effective teff planter would make it easier for farmers to comply with improved
planting techniques, resulting in larger harvests and more food.
Impactful and Affordable Planting Instruments – we want to create
extremely affordable, plastic, handheld planting tools to allow farmers to
comply with best planting practices. An example of such a tool is a teff
planter (teff is a critical food crop for millions of rural farm families in
Ethiopia). Despite the importance of teff to many families, most farmers
continue to use traditional planting methods – broadcasting seed and fertilizer
across their land with limited to attention given to even distribution of
inputs or control of plant populations. The results are predictably poor, resulting
in increased levels of hunger and greater insecurity for farm families. An
effective teff planter would make it easier for farmers to comply with improved
planting techniques, resulting in larger harvests and more food.
·
More Sophisticated Tools – to help farmers grow their way out of
poverty, we also want to design and produce tools to allow farmers to
effectively cultivate more of their land. An example of such a tool is an
improved ox-drawn planting device. Such a tool could transform farmers’ livelihoods
by enabling them to plant on more land during the short planting window each
season.
More Sophisticated Tools – to help farmers grow their way out of
poverty, we also want to design and produce tools to allow farmers to
effectively cultivate more of their land. An example of such a tool is an
improved ox-drawn planting device. Such a tool could transform farmers’ livelihoods
by enabling them to plant on more land during the short planting window each
season.
·
Innovations to More Complicated Machinery– lastly, we also want to
explore improvements to machinery which affect smallholder farmers. Examples
include improvements to machines which bag seed and fertilizer.
Innovations to More Complicated Machinery– lastly, we also want to
explore improvements to machinery which affect smallholder farmers. Examples
include improvements to machines which bag seed and fertilizer.
To
enable the person chosen to fill this role to innovate and experiment at a fast
pace, we are willing to build a small prototyping lab in East Africa to support
their work. We will also ensure that the person chosen for this role is allowed
to have significant exposure to users and field staff in order to develop the
most impactful products possible.
enable the person chosen to fill this role to innovate and experiment at a fast
pace, we are willing to build a small prototyping lab in East Africa to support
their work. We will also ensure that the person chosen for this role is allowed
to have significant exposure to users and field staff in order to develop the
most impactful products possible.
Job
Responsibilities
Responsibilities
§
Work directly with farmers and other stakeholders to gain a detailed
understanding of farmers’ needs.
Work directly with farmers and other stakeholders to gain a detailed
understanding of farmers’ needs.
§
Develop detailed design schedules from problem definition through mass
production.
Develop detailed design schedules from problem definition through mass
production.
§
Develop multiple device concepts and designs.
Develop multiple device concepts and designs.
§
Rapidly prototype promising concepts and designs.
Rapidly prototype promising concepts and designs.
§
Test prototypes in workshop and on farm with target users (rapid test and
iteration).
Test prototypes in workshop and on farm with target users (rapid test and
iteration).
§
Identify and work with potential manufacturers to optimize designs for low-cost
volume manufacturing.
Identify and work with potential manufacturers to optimize designs for low-cost
volume manufacturing.
Qualifications
We
are seeking exceptional professionals and recent graduates from relevant
academic programs with product design experience, an incredible imagination,
and a passion for service.
are seeking exceptional professionals and recent graduates from relevant
academic programs with product design experience, an incredible imagination,
and a passion for service.
Candidates
who fit the following criteria are strongly encouraged to apply:
who fit the following criteria are strongly encouraged to apply:
·
Strong product design experiences, including proven ability to take designs
from concept to production. Examples might include design of low-cost
agricultural tools, consumer products, or medical devices.
Strong product design experiences, including proven ability to take designs
from concept to production. Examples might include design of low-cost
agricultural tools, consumer products, or medical devices.
·
Experience with human-centered design and rapid prototyping required.
Experience with human-centered design and rapid prototyping required.
·
Experience with simple hands-on fabrication and prototyping including the use
of hand tools.
Experience with simple hands-on fabrication and prototyping including the use
of hand tools.
·
Experience with various manufacturing methods and technologies (metal
fabrication, injection molding, etc) is a plus.
Experience with various manufacturing methods and technologies (metal
fabrication, injection molding, etc) is a plus.
·
Top-performing undergraduate background (please include GPA on your resume) in
Design, Engineering or related degree.
Top-performing undergraduate background (please include GPA on your resume) in
Design, Engineering or related degree.
·
Very strong self-manager. Well-organized and able to manage their work
independently.
Very strong self-manager. Well-organized and able to manage their work
independently.
·
Humility and personal stability. We are looking for passionate professionals
that combine strong technical skills with good humor, patience, and a humble
approach to service.
Humility and personal stability. We are looking for passionate professionals
that combine strong technical skills with good humor, patience, and a humble
approach to service.
·
Experience living in a developing country is a plus.
Experience living in a developing country is a plus.
·
Ability to cook/laugh – desirable.
Ability to cook/laugh – desirable.
·
Language: English required
Language: English required
Preferred
Start Date
Start Date
Immediately
Compensation
Starts
modest. However, this is a career-track role with fast raises for performance,
paying a meaningful salary for long-term placement in developing nations.
modest. However, this is a career-track role with fast raises for performance,
paying a meaningful salary for long-term placement in developing nations.
Benefits
Health
insurance, immunizations, flight, room and board.
insurance, immunizations, flight, room and board.
Complete
this form (http://myjotform.com/form/40471746260553). You
will be prompted to submit your CV and cover letter. You may also be asked to
submit work samples for some positions. Returned Peace Corps Volunteers
(RPCVs), please submit a copy of your Description of Service (DOS) in the
appropriate section.
this form (http://myjotform.com/form/40471746260553). You
will be prompted to submit your CV and cover letter. You may also be asked to
submit work samples for some positions. Returned Peace Corps Volunteers
(RPCVs), please submit a copy of your Description of Service (DOS) in the
appropriate section.