Evidence Action Product Design Senior Associate Job in Nairobi Kenya

Job Title: Senior Associate - Product DesignDeadline: October 1 (Applications are reviewed on a Rolling Basis)Reporting To: Manager: Engineering And ResearchAbout Evidence Action: Evidence Action is assuming management and growth responsibility for two programs tested and incubated at Innovations for Poverty Action that are currently making a difference in the lives of millions of people in Africa and Asia: the Deworm the World Initiative (DTW) and Dispensers for Safe Water Initiative (DSW). 
Evidence Action scales proven development interventions and crafts resilient business models for long run success.
About Dispensers for Safe Water: Each year, over 1.8 million children under the age of five die from diarrhea, a leading cause of which is unsafe drinking water. DSW is an entrepreneurial team tasked with scaling the Chlorine Dispenser System (CDS) – a proven innovation for dramatically expanding access to water treatment at extremely low cost.DSW’s work is growing rapidly – we currently serve over 1 million people in Kenya, our primary country of operations, and plan to reach 25 million in the next 5 years. Our program has ambitious plans to expand in 2-3 countries in the coming 2 years.Our work is based on strong proof of Chlorine Dispenser impact – a randomized controlled trial in Western Kenya demonstrated a six-fold increase in the number of households treating their water with chlorine. Such a dramatic expansion in safe water usage will prevent over 1.4 million cases of diarrhea and 1,300 child deaths each year once we reach our Kenya target of 5 million people served.About the Hardware: The chlorine dispenser hardware is designed to deliver a metered dose of dilute chlorine at communal water sources, where the reminder to treat is most salient and where the visibility of dosing promotes social norm formation. The hardware itself consists of a blow-molded HDPE tank filled with 1.25% sodium hypochlorite, a ball valve that delivers the appropriate dose of chlorine for a standard water collection container, and an injection-molded casing that is mounted on a concrete base near the water point using a standard PVC pipe.The current design is a simple, affordable, user-friendly product that shifts water treatment activity from the point of use to the point of collection while also protecting household drinking water against recontamination during storage. The dispenser itself is just one component of the complete Chlorine Dispenser System: ensuring a quality product also involves a commitment to community education and participation, and the development of a strong chlorine supply chain in rural areas.About the Position: The Senior Associate: Product Design will be one of two key team members on the Design and Innovations team. The Design and Innovation team is dedicated to collaborating with our programs to discover opportunities for innovation. In order to meet our programs’ ambitious targets as well as grow as an organization, we recognize that we must continuously search for opportunities for radical program improvements. The vision of this team is to apply Human Centered Design methodologies to identify and design solutions for drastic improvements programmatic outcomes.The Senior Associate: Product Design is responsible for the design and prototyping of hardware focused innovations. Initially, the majority of this person’s work would focus on the Dispensers for Safe Water program, but would also do some design work for the Deworm the World Program (and others) as needed. The SA Product Design will focus on key hardware design aspects such as the solid chlorine dispenser, valve redesign, the tablet pole, and any other hardware issues that have been identified as priority for the programs. 1. Finalize the design of the current generation dispenser hardware
Assess the current dispenser for design improvementsRedesign the dispenser valve with a focus on durability in harsh conditions and other dispensing mechanism options.Redesign any other components that are identified as weak or in need for improvementEnsure the CAD design of our product line is up to date and completeGenerate documentation of all dispenser components including drawings, material specifications, costings, and packing.
2. Design next-generation dispenser:
Using solid chlorine could save up to 90% of our supply chain costs. Building on the initial prototypes, design a dispenser that accurately and consistently doses very small volumes of powdered chlorineLead the field test of the solid chlorine dispenser
3. Bring components to manufacturing:
Develop a manufacturing plan for redesigned components with input from the Senior Associate: Supply and Logistics to examine global optionsDevelop tooling designs for new components

Practical, hands-on and keen understanding of mechanismsA start-up personality; entrepreneurial, ambitious, independent, systematic attention to detail, structured thinker, goal-oriented, and flexibleCreative thinker, able to brainstorm and address current dispenser issues 

5 years’ experience detailed design workBachelors’ degree in Mechanical Engineering, Product Design, Industrial Engineering, or similar Competent in Autocad Inventor Proactive, willing to take on new challenges Experience with powders, dispensing mechanisms (desired)
To apply, please submit a CV/Resume, Cover Letter, and Design Portfolio to: kenyajobs@evidenceaction.orgIndicate the REF CODE and TITLE on the subject line. (ENG-01 Senior Associate Product Design)