Mechanical Engineering Intern - Field Operations

About the role

Synnefa is looking for a recent mechanical engineering graduate to join its hardware team on a six‑month internship focused on field operations for Smart Solar Dryers. You will work directly on site in regions such as Kericho, Nyandarua, Makueni and Kisumu, helping to standardise product drawings, bills of quantities and quality control for each deployment.

Key responsibilities

• Prepare and maintain engineering drawings for the standard product range under version control.
• Document drying chambers, airflow paths, ventilation systems and fan/component selection.
• Instrument installed dryers, collect temperature, humidity and airflow data, and present the results.
• Detail drying beds, racks and material‑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.
• Create fabrication drawings and jig documentation for workshop and subcontractor partners.
• Inspect sites against quality‑control checklists, record and close out defects.
• Verify delivered materials against specifications and prepare as‑built documentation.
• Submit a written weekly report on site activities.

Required profile

• Recent graduate in Mechanical Engineering.
• Willingness to spend extended periods onsite in rural locations.
• Strong attention to detail and ability to follow supervised design processes.
• Interest in agricultural technology and post‑harvest solutions.

Required skills

• Proficiency in creating and managing engineering drawings (CAD).
• Experience with version‑control of technical documents.
• Data acquisition and basic analysis of temperature, humidity and airflow.
• Knowledge of thermal testing and performance evaluation.
• Ability to produce quantity take‑offs and bills of quantities.
• Familiarity with fabrication drawing and jig documentation.
• Quality‑control inspection and defect tracking.

What we offer

• Hands‑on experience with real‑world agricultural hardware.
• Mentored environment with direct oversight of design decisions.
• Exposure to field deployments across multiple Kenyan regions.
• Opportunity to contribute to technology that reduces post‑harvest losses.