SaveHor! – Microcontroller Intern

About SaveHor!

Singapore needs to use less energy, and most of that change has to happen at home. About 80% of Singaporeans live in HDB flats. Most of them have no idea where their electricity goes, and the aircon is usually the biggest cost.

SaveHor! is a Singapore sustainability startup that helps households build energy-saving habits. We do it by changing behaviour, not by automating things for people. Our system tracks energy use at the appliance level, starting with the aircon. It then turns that data into simple feedback and nudges that residents actually act on.

We are backed by SUTD through the SteamUnity Incubator and won the SteamUnity Run 4 Grand Finale. We have tested our idea with more than 200 respondents and testers. We are now working with community partners on real homes, starting in Bukit Gombak.

This is not a concept deck. We have working hardware on the bench: an ESP32-based aircon module sending live data and taking commands over MQTT, feeding our own database and app. We are early, and honest about that. That is also why an intern here builds things that really ship.

What you’ll do

Build and test firmware on ESP32-class boards (we use the ESP32-S3) for our aircon and energy-monitoring devices
Work with MQTT end to end: publishing device state, handling control commands, and making connections stable and reconnect cleanly
Help add secure connections (TLS on port 8883) so device data can travel safely beyond the home network
Integrate energy sensing, such as CT clamps for aircon power, and check readings against real loads
Bench-test devices on real aircon units. Log results and write clear handoff notes for the software team
Help with compliance basics like IMDA registration and safety requirements, so what we build can legally go into homes
Support field installs and fix device problems in real homes

What we’re looking for

Studying Mechatronics, Electrical/Electronic, Computer Engineering or similar (poly or uni)
Hands-on experience with Arduino, ESP32 or another microcontroller, in C/C++ or MicroPython
Comfortable with basic circuits, sensors and serial protocols (UART, I²C, SPI)
Bonus: MQTT, Wi-Fi networking, Python, Home Assistant or ESPHome, or PCB design
You like taking things apart, testing them on a bench, and owning a problem until it works

Why join

Your work goes into real homes, not a school demo
Small team, so you work straight with the founders
You see the whole chain from device to broker to database to app
You help Singapore cut household energy waste, one flat at a time