Product Associate Hardware at Ampersand Rwanda Ltd

Do you want to do work that matters? Do you want to help improve the lives of some of the most hardworking people in Africa, while also reducing carbon emissions? Do you want to use your skills to advance Africa and the Global South towards a zero-carbon future, not just to make a living? Ampersand is your answer.

About Ampersand

Ampersand is Africa’s emobility pioneer. Ampersand provides electric motorcycles and charging infrastructure (battery swap stations), uniquely tailored to serve half of Africa’s road fleet: Commercial motorcycle taxi and delivery drivers. Moto taxis are a primary means of public transport in African cities, and it is estimated that these drivers spend >$6Bn p.a. on gasoline in East Africa alone. Ampersand has developed an electric solution that is more powerful, fun to drive, and more cost-effective than the incumbent. Ampersand drivers routinely earn over 30% more income by going electric.

The company started in Kigali, Rwanda and expanded into Nairobi, Kenya in 2022. Today it has over 2,000 e-motorcycles on the road and 36 battery swap stations across the two countries. Ampersand is leading the market in quality and affordable tech, customer traction, and operational systems. The Ampersand team consists of 300+ staff drawn from diverse backgrounds and is working hard to see all 5 million taxi motorbikes in East Africa become electric by 2030. Ampersand is rapidly scaling its operations and is looking for innovative professionals who are passionate about clean energy and environmental impact to lead and contribute to our rapid growth.

Ampersand is a company that values innovation, creativity, and continuous improvement. It seeks people who are proactive problem solvers to drive results. Ampersand promotes leadership within the organization and is a place where you can grow your career as you work with some of the brightest and hard-working individuals in East Africa.

Our Values

Customer-centric Everyday: We prioritize our customers daily, tailoring solutions to exceed expectations.

Challenge The Status Quo Through Innovation: Our dedicated teams constantly challenge the status quo, driving innovation to enhance customer experiences and deliver solutions that go beyond expectations

Love Solving Problems Together: Internal collaboration is our approach; we thrive on solving challenges alongside our customers.

Stay Agile: We stay agile to swiftly meet dynamic customer needs and adapt to a changing landscape.

Driven By People And Planet: Beyond business, we're committed to people and the planet, ensuring a positive impact.

About the role

Our engineering teams design, prototype, implement, and maintain hardware and software products of Ampersand. On the hardware side, we have our battery packs & motorbikes, displays and other hardware components. We also have the battery swap systems in swap stations and all components that go with it.

We are seeking a Product Associate-Hardware, who will assist in developing Ampersand’s hardware products such as battery packs & motorbikes, displays and other hardware components within the Engineering Team. 

Your responsibilities will include:

• Supporting the hardware product development of Ampersand E-Mobility.
• Collaborating with cross-functional teams within the organization and ensuring that all aspects of the hardware product development life cycle are adhered to, from product conceptualization to manufacturing.
• Creating technical specifications, testing and validating all hardware components, and ensuring that all hardware products meet design and functional requirements and are of high quality.
• Contributing to shaping Ampersand’s hardware products through data-driven decision-making.
• Understanding and balancing customer and user requirements with business objectives.
• Collaborating with other engineering teams to ensure synergy between hardware and software.
• Promoting a culture of learning, feedback, and continuous improvement in Product Development.

Ampersand is a good fit if:

• You love to see your impact on the product as quick as possible
• You love complicated systems where optimization is key
• You enjoy the challenge of cross-functional collaboration
• You love working in a fast-moving agile environment
• You are motivated by personal growth and seeing your teammates grow and develop
• You are looking for an entrepreneurial company that values innovation and strong execution
• You value diversity and community in the workplace

Minimum requirements

Across all our roles, we look for professionals with strong work ethics, and the ability to manage shifting priorities and unforeseen challenges. For this role specifically, you should have:

• Bachelor's degree or higher in Electronics Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related field
• At least 3 years of relevant work experience in hardware product development
• Experience with computer-aided design and prototyping tools such as SolidWorks, Fusion 360, etc.
• UX design, human-centered design experience is highly valued
• A strong work ethic, and the ability to manage shifting priorities and unforeseen challenges
• Strong communication skills with a supportive and nurturing disposition
• Bonus) experience in a start-up environment
• Fluency in written and spoken English

Timing

Compensation:

A competitive compensation package commensurate with local market rates and experience including health insurance.

Job location

This role will be based in Kigali, Rwanda

Application link: Click here

Deadline: March 8th, 2024