Early Warning Expert

Key Roles and Responsibilities

Under the overall guidance of the DRM Program Head, the Early Warning Expert will undertake the following tasks:

• Ensure that the exposure and vulnerability data, the vulnerability methodology and the workflows developed by ICPAC and its partners are integrated into ICPAC early warning systems, and that value-added services are developed on those systems to enhance decision-making across various actors and stakeholders.
• Ensure that ICPAC systems are continuously updated and improved in terms of data, products and features; automate workflows; maintain and update reproducible code; optimise systems; and develop new functionalities that customise the systems to meet user needs on the basis of feedback and new requirements.
• Support the collection, aggregation and analysis of socio-economic data for various vulnerability indicators, including physical, economic, social, ecological, institutional and cultural indicators, from global data sources for the IGAD region and for specific member states, and integrate these data into the ICPAC and IGAD geoportal as a base layer.
• Provide technical guidance on system improvement in order to leverage the best available technologies,and support scientists and data managers with workflow automation.
• Design, implement and support capacity building activities for users of early warning information and systems, with emphasis on socio-economic vulnerability.
• Optimise dissemination mechanisms so that impact-based early warning information reaches the right people at the right time.
• Downscale ICPAC regional early warning platforms into national instances, including the East Africa Drought Watch for Kenya, and the East Africa Hazards Watch for Djibouti and South Sudan.
• Serve as project lead on assigned projects, coordinating with project partners, planning and tracking activities and deliverables, managing stakeholder engagement and reporting on project progress.
• Performs such other duties as may be assigned from time to time.

Academic Qualification

• University degree in Computer Science, Geo-Informatics, Computer Engineering, Information Technology or a related field.
• Specialised training in geospatial application development is an added advantage

Professional work experience

• At least four (4) years of relevant experience in geo-application design and development.
• Demonstrated qualifications and proficiency in web application development and geo-application development. Candidates should provide links to at least two samples of previous work or to GitHub code.
• Solid and demonstrated experience working with scripting languages such as Python to automate geo-processing data workflows.
• Experience in backend development using languages and frameworks including Django, Go and NodeJS.
• Demonstrated experience with application containerisation using Docker and with deployment on cloud infrastructure.
• Experience working on a variety of software development projects and developing responsive front-end web solutions.
• Proven experience, evidenced by deployed projects or GitHub code, in designing and developing production-ready scalable geospatial web applications using open-source industry standard technologies such as Node.js, React, Mapbox GL, Leaflet, Carto, Python, GeoServer, MapServer and GDAL.
• Sound knowledge of SQL and of the PostGIS spatial database.
• Experience developing REST APIs and a good understanding of microservices architecture.
• Advanced knowledge of OGC geospatial standards including WMS, WFS, WCS, WPS and Simple Features for SQL.
• Experience working with the Go language and with NoSQL databases is an added advantage.
• Proficiency in statistical software such as R or Stata is an added advantage.
• Experience manipulating and analysing socio-economic and Earth observation data in different data formats is desirable.

Essential Skills and Competencies Required

• Self-driven, results oriented and able to solve problems independently.
• Ability to keep deadlines.
• Continuous improvement and knowledge sharing.
• Experience working in the IGAD region is highly desirable