Positions in: Kenya, or Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania or elsewhere in Africa
Do you want to help
citizens better understand their environment using civic technologies ranging
from air sensors to satellite/drone imagery?
Code for Africa (CfA) has
an immediate vacancy for
a Hardware Engineer to join our sensors.AFRICA team
to help build digital tools that transform how African cities work.
The successful candidate
will help design the remote sensing and Internet of Things (IoT) devices that
underpin sensors.AFRICA’s existing network of low-cost ‘citizen sensors’ that
monitor air quality in five countries, as well as improving the cutting-edge
experimental water sensors that detect cholera and other contaminants, and
novel hydrophone sensors that detect illegal dynamite fishing and coral
bleaching in East Africa’s oceans. You will also help customise/deploy drones
to map settlements and better understand how to combat climate change.
CfA is a non-profit technology R&D lab. While robust hardware engineering skills are required, no prior air/water/climate monitoring or urban development experience is required.
We will be reviewing
applications on a rolling basis so we encourage candidates to apply as soon as
possible for consideration.
The successful candidate
will report to CfA’s sensors.AFRICA manager, and will also work with CfA’s
wider technology, data, design and content teams in 21 African countries to
build robust systems and infrastructures for our partners in watchdog civil
society organisations, the investigative media and selected progressive government
agencies.
Required: minimum requirements include:
- BSc/BEng
Electrical Engineers, Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Mechatronics
Engineering or equivalent practical experience.
- Demonstrated
experience in electronics packaging mechanical design.
- Demonstrated
experience in electronic Design For Manufacturing (DFM) best practices.
- Demonstrated
experience in IoT, Low Power Electronic Design.
- Experience
reading and interpreting data sheets and electrical schematics.
- Excellent
command of electrical engineering fundamentals.
- Demonstrated
experience in revision control using Git and Git workflows.
- Demonstrated
experience in the Espressif MCU ecosystem and ARM-based microcontrollers.
- Board
documentation and liaison with the firmware development team
- Experience
in design of reusable libraries and SDKs is a plus.
- Self
starter with the ability to work effectively in teams across internal and
external organisations and virtual teams.
- Ability
to design, prototype, validate, test and assemble printed circuit boards
(PCBs) using electronic ECAD tools, preferably Autodesk Eagle and
Fusion360.
- Experience
working on PCB post-manufacturing processes including circuit board reflow
and soldering, and final testing.
Language and Location
Requirements:
- Location:
CfA’s main sensors.AFRICA lab is located in Nairobi (Kenya), but CfA also
has additional labs in Abuja (Nigeria), Cape Town or Johannesburg (South
Africa), Dar es Salaam (Tanzania), and Lagos (Nigeria). The role can be
performed remotely, and CfA will therefore consider exceptional applicants
from across Africa.
- Primary
language: English
- Preferred
but not required: French, Amharic or Arabic
About the Role:
The successful candidate
will join CfA’s sensors.AFRICA team as a Hardware Engineer to help shape its
hardware choices and to lead development of new digital services.
The team currently
consists of a senior strategist and mid-level hardware/software engineers who
have successfully steered sensors.AFRICA through a series of proof-of-concept
pilot projects deploying CfA’s own prototype low-cost sensors, as well as
working with partners such as the Kenyan National Bureau for Statistics (KNBS)
and the South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC) to experiment with new
ways to use air sensors to create actionable insights/data.
The success of these early
projects has prompted CfA to expand the team, ahead of planned rollout of wider
citizen-driven sensor networks in key African countries, as well as new
research partnerships that will explore who to use low-cost sensors to give
communities early warning for cholera outbreaks and other public health
emergencies.
The expanded
sensors.AFRICA team will be part of a multinational and multilingual team
across the continent, and will be comfortable using digital collaboration tools
to create open source software/hardware products for a global audience and
international partners.
Applicants should possess
knowledge of engineering principles and practices, and the fabrication
processes (such as 3D printing) to turn designs into devices. Applicants should
also be comfortable computing complex engineering calculations, quickly and
accurately, while also performing detailed analysis of designs, specifications,
and plans, and establishing and maintaining effective working relationships
with collaborating partners both within CfA and outside of the organisation.
Responsibilities: Your
daily responsibilities will include:
- Work
collaboratively with CfAs team of engineers and data scientists in
designing, constructing, installing, and operating ambient air quality and
meteorological monitoring projects at partner locations throughout Africa
- Writing,
testing, and maintaining firmware in Arduino, C, and C++ languages and
designing printed circuit boards using electronic CAD tools (Eagle) to
come up with the Printed Circuit board layout, component placement and
electrical connections
- Working
with fabrication partners to rapidly prototype PCBs and assembling the
designed printed circuit boards as well as other components e.g housing to
produce a finished product
- Support
office air, water, sound and other environmental measurements
functions including monitoring field operations, validating data, and
reporting.
- Improve
and optimise the ongoing performance, scalability, and reliability of our
hardware systems (and documentation) given the growing size of our sensor
networks.
- Ensure
consistent and proactive calibration and maintenance for all deployed
monitoring equipment, including innovative ways to support volunteer
(non-technical) custodians of the equipment at schools, environmental
organisations, etc
- Developing
documentation and operation manuals for all products you will work on
- Training
partners and other stakeholders on how to operate our line of sensor kits
- Deploying,
maintaining, and tracking sensor kits in the field
- Data
quality assurance for sensor kits that are deployed
- Participate
in stakeholder consultations or internal strategic discussions, to help
non-technical partners understand what is possible and now best to use the
technologies to achieve actionable insights.
What We Offer:
- A
competitive salary, subject to experience, with opportunities for
performance-based growth, both in terms of career path and public stature.
- A
dynamic workplace, with a transnational team, occasional international
travel, and generous vacation benefits.
- Ongoing
opportunities to learn new cutting-edge skills and techniques/technologies
to future-proof yourself in a rapidly evolving industry.
- A
chance to shine on a global stage, writing for international audiences and
interacting with colleagues around the world.
How to apply:
Please fill in this form: here by 20th February 2023
