MATERIAL SCIENCE PROJECT MANAGER
Company: EarthEnable
Location: Nyamata, Rwanda or Jinja, Uganda – with significant time in rural
villages
Who We Are
At EarthEnable, we believe that our clients deserve our very best, that morning high-fives are the best way to start the day, and that the best ideas could come from any part of the company. We celebrate each other’s wins, learn from our setbacks, and are deeply proud of the impact we make every day. We believe that a clean, dust-free floor means more than living in a healthy home. It means pride and dignity in the place our customers most treasure: their homes. Being a part of our team means more than building floors: it means building an organization and building a better future for rural families

What We Do
EarthEnable is transforming the way people live, by making homes healthier for  families across rural Rwanda and Uganda. 80% of Rwandans and Ugandans live in homes with dirt floors which are dusty, unsanitary, and fertile breeding grounds for parasites and germs. While replacing a dirt floor with concrete has significant health benefits (e.g. reducing diarrhea by 50% and parasitic infections by 80%), concrete is unaffordable for many who need it.
EarthEnable addresses this pressing and ubiquitous problem by selling high-quality, earthen floors that are 80% cheaper than concrete with 90% less embedded energy. Earthen floors are prevalent in modern homes in the United
States and are composed of natural materials (gravel, clay, sand, and laterite). EarthEnable trains and hires local masons to install the floors which are sealed using a proprietary drying oil that makes them waterproof, strong, and polished.

About the Role
The Material Science Project Manager will be responsible for overseeing research efforts to improve our existing flooring product as well as innovate and develop new healthy housing products that continue to improve the health and livelihoods of rural communities. He or she will work closely with the Global Director of Sales & Marketing to identify key customer pain points and develop and drive a clear research agenda to maintain EarthEnable’s leading edge in the rural flooring industry.

Qualifications
2+ years work experience, preferably having led R&D projects preferably within a company
Master’s degree in chemistry, polymer chemistry, materials science, or another applied science
Ability to be creative, strategic, analytical, and think outside the box to solve problems
Excellent attention to detail, commitment to excellence, and outstanding work ethic
Experience with partnership management or working with short-term consultants
Flexible and adaptable to changing environments; thrives in a bootstrapped culture
Optimistic attitude, entrepreneurial spirit, curiosity to learn new things
Ability to work on a variety of tasks at the same time, and keep track of a
variety of workstreams.