About SONGA Mobility
SONGA Mobility is a pioneering electric mobility company revolutionizing rural transportation in Sub-Saharan Africa. Our mission is to develop sustainable, efficient, and cost-effective electric mobility solutions tailored to rural markets. We specialize in electric trikes (eTrikes), charging infrastructure (AgrEHubs), smart battery technology, and IoT-based fleet management systems.
As part of our R&D team in Nairobi, we are seeking an Electrical & Electronics Engineer to contribute to the design, development, and optimization of our e-mobility solutions through sourcing, testing, integration, and maintenance of electric motors, controllers, and IoT solutions. This is a unique opportunity to gain hands-on experience in Kenya’s growing e-mobility industry and work alongside leading engineers in the field.
For more details about SONGA Mobility, visit www.songa.mobi
Key Responsibilities
- Electrical Systems Development & Testing:
- Test, quality control, integrate, and optimize the electric motor powertrains and controllers for SONGA’s eTrikes.
- Test, quality control, integrate, and optimize high-capacity batteries for SONGA’s eTrikes.
- Setup long-term automated tests of battery chargers
- Test and support the development of battery management systems (BMS) and IoT devices for real-time tracking, remote control, and diagnostics.
- Conduct bench testing and on-field performance analysis of electrical sub-systems to improve overall system efficiency and reliability.
- Ideate, design, and implement automated test setups with logging capability, document their use, train personnel on test processes for quality control
- IoT Integration & Digital Systems:
- Work on embedded electronics and IoT applications, integrating CAN bus communication for real-time monitoring of vehicles and batteries.
- Collaborate with software engineers to develop sensor-based monitoring solutions for battery health, energy consumption, and predictive maintenance.
- Prototyping & Product Development:
- Help brainstorm electrical designs for benchtop testing and qualification of electrical components.
- Build first-hand prototypes of electrical systems for use in bench testing and vehicles.
- Participate in converting concepts into prototypes and scaling them into commercial products.
- Assist in designing electrical schematics and PCB layouts for new product iterations.
- Identify failure modes, find root causes, and develop robust resolutions to the problems
- Procure necessary components, or define required specifications for components and work with supply chain specialists in finding suitable components
- Field Testing & Performance Analysis:
- Support on-site troubleshooting of e-mobility systems at SONGA’s AgrEHubs and operational sites.
- Work closely with mechanics and technicians to analyze real-world usage data and optimize product performance.
- Define standard operating procedures for component replacement, retrofits, and/or repairs on electrical systems and individual components
- Keeps equipment operating by following operating instructions, performing preventive maintenance, and troubleshooting breakdowns
- Technical Documentation & Reporting:
- Develop detailed engineering documentation, assembly SOPs, schematics, and test reports.
- Provide insights for continuous product improvement and contribute to R&D decision-making.
- Proactive Team membership
- Work as part of an international team
- Be proactive on meetings, propose new ideas and solutions
- Propose efficiency and productivity-enhancing improvements
- Take initiative where improvement is needed
- Continuously train yourself
Qualifications & SkillsRequired:
- Bachelor’s or Master’s Degree in Electrical Engineering, Electronics Engineering, Mechatronics, or a related field.
- Outstanding electrical engineering fundamentals
- Hands-on prototyping skills, including PTH and SMT soldering, crimping, breadboarding, and working knowledge of electrical tools, common appliances, and devices (multimeter, oscilloscope, LCR meters, signal generators, etc.).
- Strong knowledge of electric motors especially BLDC or PSMS motors.
- Strong fundamentals in power electronics, especially motor controllers.
- Working experience with embedded electronics and sensor integration.
- Familiarity with communication protocols (such as CAN).
- Ability to read and interpret electrical schematics and PCB layouts.
- Proficiency in diagnostics, troubleshooting, and testing of electrical components and printed circuit boards.
- Mastery of MS Office, especially Excel, Word, and PowerPoint
- Extreme attention to detail
- Problem-solving skills: ability to diagnose and resolve previously unseen problems
- Ability to work autonomously:the ability to foresee all required steps, ask for help if needed, then perform all required steps
- Excellent written and oral communication skills
- Dependability: ability to deliver quality results in a reliable fashion
- Ability to quickly learn from written instructions and/or manuals
- Recordkeeping: ability to retain records of performed actions and results
Preferred:
Work experience at a fast-moving hardware startup.
First class honors
Prior experience with embedded system and IoT development
Experience designing PCBs
Firmware development experience in embedded C and firsthand design experience with CAN bus communication protocol
Hands-on experience with renewable energy systems, large lithium-ion battery packs (>1kWh), battery management systems, and charging infrastructure.
Understanding of mechanical systems in electric vehicles.
Experience with product development and product optimization.
Why Join SONGA Mobility?
This role offers an exciting opportunity to grow within the rapidly evolving e-mobility sector, working at the intersection of renewable energy, IoT, and transportation technology in Africa. 🚗⚡
Cutting-Edge Innovation: Work on next-generation electric mobility solutions that directly impact rural communities.
Hands-On Learning: Participate in the full product development cycle, from concept to commercial launch.
Sustainability & Impact: Contribute to an initiative that reduces emissions, promotes sustainable transport, and enhances rural productivity.
Collaborative Team: Work alongside experienced engineers, mechanics, and IoT specialists in a dynamic, fast-paced environment.