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Synnefa
Mechanical Engineering Intern - Field Operations at Synnefa
Nairobi, NairobiKenyaFull TimeMid-Senior Level
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Synnefa
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The role
Post-harvest losses cost African farmers a share of everything they grow. That is an engineering problem, and it is the problem this role exists to work on.
We are looking for a recent mechanical engineering graduate to join our hardware team on a six-month internship. You will help standardise our Smart Solar Dryer product line: the drawings, the bills of quantities, the quality control and the field performance data that every deployment depends on.
We are a small, fast paced, innovative team. What we design is fabricated, installed and judged in the field within weeks, not years. You will spend real time on site in places like Kericho, Nyandarua, Makueni and Kisumu, and your work will directly determine whether what we install performs for the farmer.
If you want your engineering to be used rather than filed, this is that role.
What you will do
Prepare and maintain engineering drawings for our standard product range, under proper version control
Document drying chambers, airflow paths, ventilation, and fan and component selection
Instrument installed dryers and collect temperature, humidity and airflow data, then tabulate and present it clearly
Detail drying beds, racks and materials handling arrangements
Support thermal and drying performance testing across different crops and regions
Produce accurate quantity take-offs and bills of quantities from approved designs
Produce fabrication drawings and jig documentation for our workshop and subcontractor partners
Inspect sites against written quality control checklists, and record and close out defects
Verify materials on delivery against specification
Prepare as-built documentation and closeout packages for every deployment
Submit a written weekly report on your sites, on the agreed day, without being asked
How you will be supported
You will not carry unsupervised design responsibility. Fan and airflow sizing, thermal assumptions, structural member sizing, and any change to an approved design are reviewed and signed off before anything goes to fabrication, site or client.
We are explicit about this because it is how you learn properly, and because it is how our customers stay safe.
What we are looking for
A recent graduate — BSc in Mechanical Engineering, completed within the last two years. Agricultural or Biosystems Engineering with a strong thermal and fluids grounding also works. Candidates awaiting conferment may apply with a transcript
Competent in AutoCAD. SolidWorks, Inventor or equivalent is a plus
Comfortable in Excel for take-offs, schedules and data
Willing to travel to rural field sites at short notice
Clear written English — a large part of this job is documentation other people rely on
Someone who shows their working. When you give us a number, you can tell us where it came from
Someone who says 'I don't know yet' and then goes and finds out
Genuinely interested in agriculture and in farmers doing better
What we offer
A monthly stipend of KES 20,000 gross (statutory deductions apply; we will confirm the net figure in your offer)
Six months of real engineering work on products that go into the field, with honest feedback and clear goals
Field travel and related costs on company business covered
A certificate of internship and a reference on successful completion
Please note: this is a fixed six-month internship. It does not automatically extend or convert into a permanent role. If a permanent position opens and is funded, you are welcome to apply for it on its merits.