UniPod fab master

Le PNUD, en tant que réseau mondial de développement, vise entre autres à promouvoir l’égalité des sexes et à favoriser le développement et l’échange des expériences entre les pays.

La Mauritanie a signé et ratifié les conventions consacrées à la défense des droits de l’Enfant (CDE) et la Convention sur l’Elimination de toutes les formes de Discrimination à l’Egard des Femmes (CEDEF). Le pays s’est aussi engagé, à travers les Objectifs de Développement Durable, à réaliser les dix-sept ODD dont l’objectif n°5 vise à promouvoir l’égalité des sexes et autonomisation des femmes.

Cependant, la persistance des relations d’inégalité et manque d’équité, constituent encore un frein au développement durable du pays. Ces déséquilibres, qui concernent aussi bien les domaines politique, économique et juridique, que social et culturel, constituent un obstacle à la jouissance des mêmes droits humains pour tous et toutes. Ils empêchent ainsi les femmes, qui représentent plus de la moitié de la population, de jouer pleinement leur rôle dans le processus de croissance et de développement du pays.

In 2021, UNDP Africa launched timbuktoo, an ambitious initiative aimed at empowering young Africans as innovators and entrepreneurs tackling the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The initiative is based on a hub-and-spoke model, with University Innovation Pods (UniPods) as key nodes hosted within major public universities. These UniPods provide young people with access to advanced labs—including design, rapid prototyping, manufacturing, sustainable technologies, creative arts, AI, and robotics—to help them transform their ideas into market-ready prototypes and solutions.

By 2025, UniPods are present in over 20 countries and aim to cover all 54 African nations. One of the flagship programs of the UniPods is the Prototype Development Program (PDP), which aims to develop 80 MVPs led by youth by the end of 2025, while strengthening technical capacities and peer learning. As part of this effort, a Fab Master position has been launched to support the implementation of the PDP and facilitate knowledge sharing.

· The UniPod Fab Master will be responsible for providing programmatic and technical support to the UniPod. The main objective of this role is to strengthen the operational capacity of the Mauritania UniPod through the Fab Master's expertise, who will play a key role in implementing the Prototype Development Program (PDP). This includes enhancing local technical skills, mentoring young innovators, and optimizing lab management.




1. Equipment Installation

· Supervise and ensure the functional installation, testing, and calibration of all lab equipment (e.g., 3D printers, CNC machines, laser cutters, electronics benches, etc.).

· Coordinate with the university infrastructure team and suppliers to resolve technical installation issues.

· Prepare and document installation guides and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).

· Set up a system for equipment logging, usage tracking, and maintenance scheduling.

2. Technician Training

· Conduct a skills assessment of the UniPod technical staff.

· Train UniPod personnel, interns, and youth on digital fabrication tools and prototyping processes (CAD, 3D printing, CNC machining, electronics, etc.).

· Introduce best practices in design thinking, rapid prototyping, and fabrication.

· Develop a national maker network linking the UniPod to other spaces such as Orange Digital Centers for continuous learning.

3. Establishment of Student Clubs

· Create and support a student innovation club that promotes practical innovation using the UniPod.

· Collaborate with faculty and student leaders to define the club’s structure, leadership roles, and membership model.

· Develop an activity calendar including weekly workshops, ideation challenges, and mini-projects.

· Organize at least three innovation workshops or challenges with the club during the contract period.

4. Implementation of the Prototype Development Program (PDP)

· Design and lead a full PDP cycle for young innovators.

· Support participants from problem definition to MVP development, ensuring prototypes are technically sound, user-centered, and well-documented.

· Facilitate weekly coaching sessions, milestone reviews, and design feedback.

· Monitor project outcomes, mentorship progress, and lessons learned.

· Collaborate with the UniPod Coordinator and the regional PDP team to ensure alignment with reporting frameworks and formats.