LOCATION: OUAGADOUGOU
CONTRACT DURATION: TWO YEARS WITH POSSIBILITY OF RENEWAL
DEADLINE: 31ST OCTOBER 2023.
Context
WASCAL (West African Science Service Centre on Climate Change and Adapted Land Use) is a research and education-focused institution designed to provide knowledge and climate services that should help tackle the climate change challenge and thereby enhance the resilience of human and environmental systems. It does so by strengthening the research capacity and infrastructure related to climate change in West Africa by pooling the expertise of ten West African countries and Germany. The West African countries include Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Côte d’Ivoire, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea-Conakry, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, and Togo.
With the support of its technical partner GERICS, WASCAL is implementing the CICLES project (“Customized and Integrated Climate Services for Improved Resilience and Sustainable Socio-Economic Development in West Africa,” BMBF/PT-DLR Grant Contract N# 01LG2292B, 2023-2026.). The overall objective of CICLES at WASCAL is to design, demonstrate, and disseminate CES to support resilience and sustainable development in West African states. The services will combine human skills and expertise, financial investments, information resources, tools, and training to strengthen risk-prone nations’ adaptive capacity and resilience to global warming and climate change.
The Software Engineer for the CICLES project is defined for all the office management activities related to the project implementation based at WASCAL Competence Centre in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.
Key duties and responsibilities
Under the responsibility and supervision of the Project Manager of CICLES, and in collaboration with the Data Management Department, the Software Engineer will undertake the following tasks:
- Process, transform, and document CICLES data & metadata to meet data quality and data integration requirements;
- Integrate/Load/Store data into WADIREP
- Provision Data servces to researchers, students, customers, and other stakeholders of CICLES (3D-CICLES)
- Support IT-related services for CICLES (3D-CICLES) and other WASCAL projects
- Support the coordination of the HPC user-community network
- Develop and maintain digital services such as databases, web pages, web applications, and mobile services (Apps & USSD services) and other CICLES products;
- Manage and report on all online meetings and other events for CICLES
- Use AI-driven Data Extraction, Quality processing, and Analytics for Decision support
- Design and implement data quality and data cleansing requirements and methodologies.
- Support and monitor fieldworks and data collection activities in pilot sites.
- Undertake any other duty that the project manager may assign.
Minimum Qualifications
Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, or a related field. A Master’s degree would be a plus. Relevant Professional Certifications such as those related to database management, software development, or cloud computing would be beneficial.
Technical Skills
- Programming Proficiency: In languages like Python, Java, JavaScript, and others relevant to web and mobile application development.
- Database Management: Expertise in relational databases (e.g., MySQL, PostgreSQL) and possibly experience with NoSQL databases.
- Experience with Data Processing and Analytics: Particularly related to large datasets; familiarity with AI-driven data processing tools would be beneficial.
- Web Development: Ability to create and maintain web pages and applications; experience with frameworks like Django, Flask, or Node.js would be a plus.
- Mobile Application Development: Experience in developing mobile services, including both Apps & USSD services.
- Knowledge of Data Integration Tools: Experience in integrating data into platforms like and portals (e.g., WADIREP).
- High-Performance Computing (HPC): Familiarity with HPC environments and supporting related user communities.
- Cloud Computing and Online Meeting Platforms: Experience with platforms like Zoom, Microsoft Teams, or Google Meet, and familiarity with cloud services like AWS, Google Cloud, or Azure.
Soft Skills
- Communication Skills: Ability to communicate effectively with technical and non-technical stakeholders.
- Problem-Solving: Ability to identify challenges and come up with innovative solutions.
- Teamwork and Collaboration: Ability to work well in a multi-disciplinary team and collaborate with other departments.
- Time Management: Ability to manage multiple tasks and projects simultaneously and meet deadlines.
- Adaptability: Willingness to learn and adapt to new technologies or methodologies as the project evolves.
Desirable Experience:
- Relevant Work Experience: At least 3-5 years of professional experience in software engineering, particularly in research or environmental/climate change-related projects.
- Experience in Climate Science Data: Familiarity with climate or environmental data would be an advantage, considering the context of WASCAL.
- Proficiency in English: Both written and spoken. Knowledge of French or local languages can be an advantage given the location.
Application procedure
Application including a cover letter (not more than two pages) with a statement of motivation highlighting the candidate’s experience against the listed criteria and a detailed Curriculum Vitae should be emailed to candidature@wascal.org. Please indicate the job title in the subject line.
Applicants must come from ECOWAS member countries.
For further information, please visit: www.wascal.org
DEADLINE: 31ST OCTOBER 2023.