Research Assistant – Mechanical / Product Design Engineer (6 Months)

About the Project

The Nkabom Precision Planting Project is a 6-month applied research and product development initiative led by the Autonomous Dynamical Systems Lab at Ashesi University. The project sets out to understand the baseline conditions of smallholder maize, groundnut and bean growers in the Akuapem South District, and to design, prototype and field-test a precision planting technology that helps these farmers reduce input costs, expand their cultivated acreage, and optimize yield — while fitting their context in terms of maintenance and operating requirements, cost, and the specific performance needs of their farms.

Role Summary

The Mechanical / Product Design Research Assistant (Technical Researcher) will lead the engineering design and development of the project's precision planting device — taking it from farmer-informed requirements through concept design, detailed CAD/CAE, fabrication and field testing. This is a hands-on, end-to-end mechanical design and hardware development role suited to someone equally comfortable at a CAD workstation and on the workshop floor or in the field.

Key Responsibilities

•    Convert requirements and specification documents into detailed product concepts.

•    Develop concept designs for the planting device and support selection of the preferred concept.

•    Create system-level and detailed CAD models, drawings and machine element designs for the final product.

•    Conduct structural design and analysis, and kinematic and seed-metering simulations (CAE) to validate and iterate the design.

•    Perform Design for Manufacturability (DFM) analysis.

•    Build a detailed digital twin of the product and produce complete manufacturing files (drawings, tolerances, bill of materials).

•    Support procurement of raw materials and mechanical components for prototyping.

•    Supervise and take part in fabrication and assembly of prototypes (machining, welding, CNC laser cutting, and outsourced 3D printing where required).

•    Supervise bench-checking of assembled subsystems.

•    Supervise field testing of the prototype with farmers; capture and document performance data.

•    Document design iterations, test results and recommendations for subsequent product versions.

Required Qualifications & Experience

•    Degree or diploma in Mechanical Engineering or a closely related field.

•    Strong grounding in mechanics, with hands-on CAD/CAM/CAE and fabrication experience.

•    Good understanding of engineering drawing and drafting conventions (GD&T).

•    Demonstrated ability to carry out end-to-end mechanical hardware and mechanism design.

•    Structural design and analysis, and machine elements design experience.

•    Hands-on part nesting for CNC laser cutting is a plus.

•    Experience conducting Design for Manufacturability (DFM) analysis.

•    Experience building detailed digital twins of products and preparing manufacturing files.

•    Comfortable supervising fabrication, assembly and field testing teams.

•    Willingness to travel to Ashesi University and farming communities in the Akuapem South District for field testing.

Note

This is a 6-month full-time in-person role based on the Ashesi University campus - with a very competitive compensation. It requires occasional visits to farms within the Akuapim South district for farmer engagements and equipment testing. You can access the full job description from the link below:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1cltscC15fNGwKXF3aT9kqB2yACvkS1V9/view

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