Engineers Without Borders (EWB) Ireland is assisting the Busoga Trust in identifying a suitable candidate for a three-month professional placement in Jinja, Uganda. The Busoga Trust has been constructing hand-dug wells and pit latrines for more than 20 years. In that time, new techniques and design modifications have emerged. The role of the intern will be to research what alternatives are now available, what is best practice and how the current design and construction methods being employed could potentially be improved taking into account local conditions and environment. Should the intern have the time, a similar assessment of pit latrines would be welcomed. The intern will work together with the organisation’s three community development officers, technical supervisor and technicians. He/she will be the only volunteer; the others are Ugandan professionals. The project area manager will supervise the intern’s work. EWB Ireland will work together with the intern to raise the necessary funds to cover their transport, vaccines, insurance and basic living expenses. Required:

  • A degree in civil or mechanical engineering – applications will also be accepted from candidates in the final two years of their degree;
  • Strong communication skills;
  • Ability to research, initiate and implement change;
  • Ability to solve problems analytically in small teams;
  • Interest in international development;
  • Positive, motivated, determined, flexible;
  • Ability to stay calm and focused when things are not going to plan;
  • Willingness and ability to adapt to local environment and team members;
  • Ability to both take instruction and work well using own initiative.
Desirable:
  • Experience of working in the voluntary sector;
  • Experience of working or living with different cultures;
  • Experience with researching alone;
  • Experience of testing and analysing materials and designs;
  • Knowledge of basic and natural materials.
The successful candidate will join this year’s EWB UK volunteers for pre-departure training from June 15-21, just outside London. From London, they will fly to Entebbe, Uganda. The duration of the internship is approximately three months but may be extended up to six, depending on availability. The deadline for applications is midnight on Tuesday, 26 March. Screening interviews will take place on Saturday, 6 April. For almost 30 years, the Busoga Trust has been working to provide clean water and improved sanitation and to promote a thorough understanding of hygiene within rural communities in Uganda. Over that time, the Trust has constructed over 2,000 clean water sources, providing in excess of one million people with safe water to drink. For more information, see: www.busogatrust.co.uk/ or email info@ewb-ireland.org.