AI Application Developer Intern (Mobile App & Automation Tools)
About The Business: Hansford Sensors is a UK manufacturer of vibration monitoring solutions used across critical industrial sectors. It produces high‑performance sensors, monitoring equipment, and systems used globally in manufacturing, engineering, plant, and predictive maintenance. We serve OEMs, distributors, and end‑users in manufacturing, energy, engineering, and heavy industry, with a reputation for reliability, strong technical support, and responsiveness. We differentiate through high‑quality engineering, robust manufacturing, fast lead times, and deep expertise in vibration analysis, supported by a skilled workforce. We invest in our people and facilities to maintain efficiency and high standards, while enhancing digital capability.
Overview: Support Hansford Sensors in a digitally led company developing AI‑enabled mobile apps and automation tools to improve internal processes. You will design user‑friendly tools for creating SOPs (including photo capture, step‑by‑step inputs and PDF export), build an inspection app to generate material reports from images and structured inputs, and develop an AI‑assisted email response tool linked to a knowledge base. The role involves mobile app design, workflow automation, and applying AI to streamline operations, enhance efficiency, and improve technical support outcomes.
Desirable Skills: Experience with AI tools, app builders, or automation platforms, basic coding knowledge (any language acceptable), ability to learn new digital tools quickly, strong problem‑solving skills, good communication and ability to explain technical decisions
Job Description:
What you’ll be doing: You will support Hansford Sensors with a digitally‑led project developing AI‑enabled mobile applications and automation tools to improve internal processes.
Tasks include:
1. AI‑Assisted Mobile App for SOP Creation
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- Designing a mobile app (no‑code, low‑code or custom code) enabling staff to create Standard Operating Procedures directly from a phone.
- Integrating functionality such as capturing photos, adding step‑by‑step instructions, and exporting finalised SOPs as a PDF.
- Ensuring the app is usable by operators with minimal technical training.
- Adjusting compatibility for mobile platforms and app store requirements (noted as an issue in the meeting).
2. AI‑Assisted Material Inspection App
- Developing a simple inspection tool that allows staff to take photos of new supplier parts, answer structured yes/no compliance questions and generate a finished Material Inspection Report.
- Ensuring a clean workflow from data capture → report generation.
- Potential to merge functionality with the SOP tool if feasible (as discussed).
3. AI‑Supported Technical Sales Email Assistant
- Linking incoming email enquiries to an existing FAQ knowledge base.
- Developing a tool that drafts email responses automatically for team review before sending.
- Improving the speed of responding to repeated technical queries.
4. Technology Exposure
- AI tooling for app development
- Mobile app design
- Workflow automation
- Linking structured data and content repositories
- Optional coding if the student prefers custom development
These three priorities were highlighted as the main 300‑hour workload.
What you’ll gain:
- Hands‑on experience designing a real mobile app and AI‑driven tools used in a manufacturing environment.
- Exposure to real‑world process improvement challenges.
- Experience working directly with a product engineering team.
- Opportunity to build portfolio‑worthy digital products end‑to‑end.
- Increased skills in AI tool creation, app compatibility, user‑experience design, and process automation.
- Insight into manufacturing workflows, quality processes, and technical support structures.
- A chance to create meaningful, high‑impact digital tools that will be used daily by staff.