Kigali, Rwanda | www.ampersand.solar

Prototype engineer

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 mobility 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 more than $6 billion p.a. on gasoline in East Africa alone. Ampersand has developed an electric solution that is more powerful, fun to drive, and cost-effective than the incumbent. Ampersand drivers routinely earn over 45% more income by going electric.

The company started in Kigali, Rwanda, and expanded into Nairobi, Kenya in 2022. Today it has around 5,000 e-motorcycles on the road and 58 battery swap stations across the two countries. Ampersand is leading the market in quality, affordable tech, customer traction, and operational systems. The Ampersand team consists of 500+ 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 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 most 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

We're looking for a prototype engineer to join our engineering team, Energy Systems & Swap Squad (ESS). This role sits at the intersection of design, hands-on fabrication, and rapid prototyping. You'll be the person who takes a design from a digital file or drawing to a physical part, validating it along the way using advanced tools like CAM, laser cutters, pipe benders, and 3D printers. You'll work closely with the design team, interpreting technical drawings, reading documentation, and providing constructive feedback on designs before they move forward to production.

This is a hands-on, high-ownership role. You'll act as a key design validation checkpoint, meaning your feedback on manufacturability, tolerances, and fit is critical.

Key Responsibilities

• Design Feedback & Documentation Review - Read and interpret documentation, technical drawings, and CAD models; provide constructive feedback to design teams on manufacturability, tolerances, and fit before fabrication begins.
• Fabrication - Perform hands-on metalworking and fabrication to produce custom parts, assemblies, and functional prototypes.
• Rapid Prototyping - Use rapid prototyping tools and software, including CAM, 3D printers, laser cutters, and pipe benders, to build and iterate on design concepts quickly.
• Jigs & Fixtures - Design and build jigs, fixtures, and other tooling aids to support repeatable fabrication, assembly, and testing processes.
• Workshop Ethics & Safety—Follow safe work practices at all times (PPE, machine guarding, safe handling of tools and materials); maintain a clean, organized, and hazard-free workshop.
• Production Support & Troubleshooting - Assist operations and production teams during the ramp-up of new parts/assemblies, troubleshooting fit issues and proposing design tweaks.
• Documentation - Maintain clear records of prototype iterations, build parameters, and material specifications.

Required Skills & Qualifications

• Rapid Prototyping Tooling - Deep understanding and hands-on experience using CAM, laser cutters, pipe benders, and 3D printers for prototyping.
• Fabrication & Metalworking - Solid experience in general fabrication, cutting, and shaping of parts.
• Design & CAD Interpretation - Ability to read and interpret technical drawings, 2D/3D CAD files (SolidWorks, Inventor, Fusion 360, etc.), and engineering documentation.
• Design Feedback - Strong communication skills to clearly flag design issues, fabrication risks, or tolerance problems to design and production teams.
• Jigs & Fixtures - Experience designing and building custom tooling, jigs, and fixtures to assist fabrication.
• Safety & Organization - Disciplined workshop ethics with a safety-first mindset.

Must Have

• Experience with sheet metal fabrication and welding (MIG/TIG/arc).
• Familiarity with quality/inspection tools (calipers, micrometers) to verify prototype dimensions.
• Reading technical documentation
• Strong English

Nice to have

• CAM and CAD experience

Timing

ASAP

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

📢 Important Notice:

At Ampersand, we want to emphasize that we do not charge or request any form of payment from applicants at any stage of our recruitment process. Your job application and interviews with us are entirely free of charge. If you encounter any requests for payment or fees claiming association with our hiring process, please report it to recruitment@ampersand,solar immediately. Your trust and confidence in our company are paramount, and we are committed to providing a fair and transparent recruitment experience for all applicants.

Sincerely,