American Friends of ZanaAfrica (AFZA) is seeking a full-time short-term paid intern starting August 1, 2011 to support the development of sanitary pads from novel materials. The intern will report to the Chief Technical Officer and will focus on supply chain logistics, assist with the product development process, and researching regulatory guidelines. The position will primarily be based in Boston, but some travel (within the US) may be required. The internship is for three months, with the option to extend an additional 3-6 months. Candidates interested in gaining experience in sustainability in global health and social entrepreneurship are encouraged to apply.
Responsibilities include:
- Research into equipment, materials and material specifications
- Product testing options and developing quality control procedures
- Procurement – materials, equipment, packaging
- Assist with pilot runs (may require travel, depending on location)
- Cost analysis
- Determination of regulatory compliance requirements – cost information, required testing and timelines for various compliances (US, Kenya): approvals, assurances, certifications including IRB approvals
Required skills
- Project management – able to manage various aspects of the process and coordinate with other team members; detail oriented; highly organized
- Excellent communication skills – calls to potential partners, vendors, regulators, and testing facilities; follow up calls; internal communication and reporting
- Technical background preferred (engineering, natural sciences) but not required
About AFZA
American Friends of ZanaAfrica (AFZA) is a non-profit public charity founded in 2007 to partner with ZanaAfrica Group (Kenya) to incubate African-led innovations that solve complex social problems through simple enterprise solutions. “Zana” in Kiswahili means “a tool” or “a weapon”– ZanaAfrica crafts ideas and technological innovations into weapons against poverty, to sustainably and replicably address root causes of poverty in the nexus of health, education, and environment, particularly for girls and women. The current innovation focus is affordable, eco-friendly sanitary pads.
To apply, please send your resume with a brief cover letter, addressed to Dr. Lawino Kagumba and emailed to: intern [at] zanaafrica [dot] org.
