Water Filtration
Engineer &
Inventor
Help us design and build commercial-grade water filtration systems from scratch — then make them better than anything on the market.
About the Role
Build the filtration systems that make clean water possible
Clearwater is building the operating system for bulk water delivery in Greater Accra. We're not just a logistics company — we're taking ownership of water quality from source to tap. That means we need our own filtration infrastructure, built smart and built to scale.
This role is for someone who wants to get their hands dirty — literally. You'll work alongside the CEO to research, design, source, assemble, and test commercial water filtration systems. You'll start by understanding what exists, then find ways to build equivalent (or better) systems at a fraction of the cost using locally available components.
But this isn't just assembly work. We want someone who thinks like an inventor. Someone who looks at the entire water treatment signal flow — intake, sediment removal, chemical treatment, UV, membrane filtration, storage — and asks “what if we did this differently?” If you've ever taken something apart just to understand how it works, this is your role.
Who This Is Really For
You're a university student — undergrad, masters, or PhD — studying chemical engineering, environmental engineering, water science, mechanical engineering, chemistry, or something adjacent. You need flexible, part-time work that actually connects to what you're studying. You're not looking for busywork — you want to build real things that solve real problems. You're resourceful, self-motivated, and excited by the idea of inventing something new in the water space.
What You'll Do
Two tracks: Build & Invent
Filtration System Design & Assembly
- Research existing commercial filtration systems (sediment, carbon, UV, RO, chlorine dosing) — understand how they work, what they cost, and where the markup lives
- Source individual components from local and international suppliers, comparing cost, durability, and availability
- Design and assemble complete filtration units tailored to Clearwater's station requirements — from raw borehole or municipal water to WHO/GWCL drinking water standards
- Test assembled systems rigorously — turbidity, TDS, pH, microbial safety — and iterate until output quality is consistent and reliable
- Document every build: bill of materials, assembly steps, cost breakdowns, and test results so systems are repeatable
- Develop maintenance protocols — what needs replacing, how often, and what the early warning signs of failure look like
Innovation & R&D
- Study the full water treatment signal flow and identify bottlenecks, inefficiencies, or unnecessary cost in conventional approaches
- Prototype alternative approaches — can we combine treatment stages? Reduce energy consumption? Use locally abundant materials for filtration media?
- Experiment with low-cost sensor integration for real-time quality monitoring (turbidity, chlorine residual, flow rate)
- Research emerging water treatment technologies and assess feasibility for deployment in Accra's context — cost, power requirements, maintenance complexity
- Collaborate with the CEO on long-term R&D direction — Clearwater's goal is to eventually own proprietary water treatment technology, and you'd be on the ground floor
What You Bring
Skills & qualities
Currently enrolled student
Undergrad, Masters, or PhD in chemical engineering, environmental engineering, chemistry, water science, mechanical engineering, or a related field
Builder mentality
You've made things with your hands — lab projects, personal builds, repairs. You're not afraid of PVC pipe, wrenches, or soldering irons
Chemistry & water science foundation
You understand water treatment principles — coagulation, filtration, disinfection, membrane processes — even if you haven't built commercial systems before
Inventor's curiosity
You ask "why is it done this way?" and then try a different way. You read papers, watch teardown videos, and sketch ideas in notebooks
Rigorous documentation
You log experiments, record measurements, and write things down so that your work is reproducible — not just in your head
Based in Greater Accra
Able to work from a lab/workshop setting and visit Clearwater's partner filling stations as needed
Bonus Points
Nice to have, not required
- Experience with water quality testing equipment (turbidimeters, TDS meters, coliform test kits)
- Familiarity with WHO drinking water guidelines or Ghana Standards Authority water quality standards
- Prior work with pumps, pressure systems, or fluid dynamics
- Interest in IoT, sensors, or embedded systems for monitoring
- Experience sourcing components from local markets (Abossey Okai, Makola, or similar)
Compensation & Terms
Monthly Stipend
USD $400/month
~ GHS 4,000/month
Hours Per Week
~20 hours
Flexible schedule
Location
Accra, Ghana
Workshop + field visits
Reports To
CEO
Direct collaboration
Why This Role
What makes this different
This isn't fetching coffee or filing paperwork. You'll be designing and building real water treatment infrastructure from day one. You'll work directly with the CEO — no layers of middle management, no bureaucracy. Your ideas will be heard, tested, and if they work, deployed.
Clearwater's long-term vision is to own proprietary water treatment technology purpose-built for emerging markets. If you help us get there, this part-time role can grow into something much bigger — a founding R&D role in a company tackling one of the most important infrastructure challenges on the planet.
If you've ever wanted to combine engineering, chemistry, and real-world impact into something that actually matters — this is it.
Ready to Build Something That Matters?
Send us a message about who you are, what you're studying, and what you've built or made that you're proud of. No formal cover letter needed — just tell us your story.
Questions? Reach us at ryan@clearwaterafrica.com