Industrial Engineer – Biomass Cookstove Development

About the role

The Onja Carbon Industrial Engineer will lead the design, development, and scale‑up of improved biomass cookstoves for our clean‑cooking carbon‑offset project. You will take prototypes from early design through testing, iteration and production, ensuring durability, cost‑effectiveness and compliance with carbon‑credit requirements.

Key responsibilities

• Lead design and development of improved wood and charcoal cookstove prototypes based on existing models and international examples.
• Build, test and refine prototypes, analysing results and user feedback to improve performance.
• Consider project requirements such as fuel efficiency, emissions, durability, safety, usability, cost and manufacturability.
• Lead carbon‑project planning, working with the team to meet carbon‑credit requirements.
• Develop designs suitable for scale manufacturing, including material selection, component specs, tooling, assembly methods and quality control.
• Identify and evaluate local materials and suppliers to secure a steady, high‑quality, cost‑efficient supply for 50,000 stoves.
• Establish a quality control system with inspection criteria and testing to meet project standards.
• Work with independent laboratories and the Onja Carbon team to prepare samples for testing and ensure compliance with international technical and carbon‑project standards.
• Support field distribution by addressing technical failures or user issues promptly and incorporating lessons into future designs.

Required profile

• Twelve‑month commitment with potential to renew/extend.
• Comfortable working in a workshop, building prototypes from scratch and conducting tests.
• Strong attention to detail, able to work with measurements, specifications and test results.
• Persistent problem‑solver motivated to iterate through multiple design and testing cycles.
• Motivated to work in an early‑stage project and handle technical setbacks.
• Organized and capable of managing multiple workflows simultaneously.
• Technical background in engineering or manufacturing; professional experience, studies or internship is an asset.
• Willingness to undergo reference checks as part of the evaluation process.

What we offer

• Make a tangible difference through impactful work that supports under‑privileged youth and Madagascar’s development.
• Grow your skills quickly in a fast‑growing startup where you’ll be challenged and supported.
• Join a community of talented, socially‑inclined individuals from Madagascar and around the world.
• Contribute to an innovative, scalable social enterprise model with potential for career growth.