Data Management Officer & Geospatial Systems

Specific Responsibilities

Under the overall guidance of the DRM Program Head, the Geospatial Systems Developer & Data Management Officer will undertake the following tasks:

• Ensure migration/displacement data, model outputs, and workflows developed by ICPAC and partners are integrated into ICPAC early warning systems and value-added services to enhance decision-making across various actors and stakeholders.
• Monitor ICPAC systems are continuously updated and improved in terms of data, products, and features; workflows are automated; code is maintained and updated; systems are optimized; new functionalities are developed; and systems are continuously innovated and customized to meet user needs, based on feedback and new requirements.
• Support the collection, aggregation and analysis of disaster displacement data in the IGAD region and integration in the ICPAC/IGAD geoportal as a base layer.
• Provide technical guidance on system improvement to leverage best technologies, support scientists and data managers with workflow automation
• Design, implement and support capacity building activities for various users of the early warning information and systems, mainly on risk of displacement
• Develop and maintain interactive dashboards and visualization tools to ensure geospatial data is presented in a user-friendly format for decision-makers.
• Integrate Machine Learning (ML) and AI technologies to improve forecasting and automation of displacement risk models.
• Implement best practices for data security in geospatial systems, including access control, encryption, and disaster recovery planning.
• Collaborate with national and regional partners to ensure integration aligns with member state and other partner agencies needs.
• Conduct regular training and capacity-building sessions for policymakers, partner organizations, and data users to enhance their understanding of geospatial tools, displacement risk models, and early warning systems.
• Develop APIs and automate data pipelines to ensure seamless integration of climate, displacement, and hazard datasets into ICPAC systems.
• Optimize dissemination mechanisms to ensure early warning information reaches the right people at the right time
• Performs such other duties as may be assigned from time to time.

Key Educational Qualifications and Professional Experience

Academic Qualification

• University degree in Computer Science, Geo-Informatics, Computer Engineering, IT or another relevant field,
• Candidates should demonstrate their qualifications and proficiency in web application development and geo-application development (provide links to at least 2 samples of previous work and/or Github code)

Professional work experience

• Minimum of four (4) years of relevant experience in geo-applications design and development.
• Solid and demonstrated experience working with scripting languages (e.g. Python) to automate geo-processing data workflows
• Experience in backend development using various languages and frameworks including Django, Go and NodeJS
• Demonstrated experience with application containerization (Docker) and deployment on cloud infrastructure
• Experience working on software development projects and developing responsive front-end web solutions
• Proven experience (deployed projects, Github code) with designing and developing production-ready scalable geospatial web applications using open-source technologies (Node.js, React, Mapbox GL, Leaflet, Carto, Python, Geoserver, Mapserver, GDAL)
• Sound knowledge of SQL and PostGIS spatial databases.
• Experience developing REST API and a good understanding of microservices architecture
• Advanced knowledge of OGC geospatial standards like WMS, WFS, WCS, WPS, Simple Features for SQL
• Experience in Big Data Processing & Cloud Computing (AWS, Google Cloud, Azure) for handling large geospatial datasets.
• Experience with Remote Sensing & Earth Observation Data (Google Earth Engine, Sentinel Hub, MODIS).
• Experience working with Go Language and NoSQL databases is an added advantage
• Experience manipulating and analyzing Earth Observation data in different data formats is desirable
• Knowledge of human mobility trends and disaster displacement risks in the IGAD region.
• Proficiency in DevOps & CI/CD, including container orchestration (Kubernetes, Docker Swarm).

Essential Skills and Competencies Required

• Self-driven, result-oriented, problem solver
• Teamwork
• Communication
• Continuous improvement and knowledge sharing