Research Officer II - Data Science Specialist

Research Officer II - Data Science Specialist - Internal/External

•  Dec 07, 2024
•  Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
•  Full-time
•  The Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT

The Alliance of Bioversity International and the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) seeks to recruit a Research Officer II – Data (Geospatial) Science Specialist who will support the Multifunctional Landscapes Lever of the Alliance in Ethiopia and beyond, contributing to the development of decision support tools, dashboards, data analytics, and related components across various projects. The selected candidate will also support various Alliance projects in Ethiopia and national initiatives related to data, analytics, decision support systems (DSSs), and dissemination channels. This position is based at the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) campus in Addis Ababa.

The Alliance of Bioversity International and the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) hereafter Alliance delivers research-based solutions that address the global crises of malnutrition, climate change, biodiversity loss, and environmental degradation. The Alliance focuses on the nexus of agriculture, nutrition and environment. We work with local, national, and multinational partners across Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean, and with the public and private sectors and civil society. With novel partnerships, the Alliance generates evidence and mainstreams innovations to transform food systems and landscapes so that they sustain the planet, drive prosperity, and nourish people. The Alliance is organized into six key levers: 1) Food environment and consumer behavior - reshaping the food environment and consumer behavior toward healthy and sustainable diets; 2) Multifunctional landscapes - fostering innovation for environmental health and productive landscapes to improve livelihoods; 3) Climate action - mainstreaming climate action in the food system to reduce risks; 4) Biodiversity for food and agriculture - making agricultural and tree diversity available and safeguarding it for the diverse needs of food system actors; 5) Digital inclusion - promoting inclusion in the digital agriculture revolution for equitable benefits; and 6) Crops for nutrition and health - putting nutrition and health at the heart of crop improvement to address the triple burden of malnutrition. The Data Science Specialist will provide technical support to the Multifunctional Landscapes research area in Ethiopia, particularly in advancing data-driven solutions to enhance soil health, agricultural productivity, and resource management optimization. The position will focus on the development and deployment of predictive models, geospatial tools, and web-based systems that leverage large datasets to support strategic decision-making.

Key duties and responsibilities:

The primary goal of this position is to lead and support the identification of valuable data sources, automate data collection processes, and develop predictive models and machine-learning algorithms to scale innovative solutions. This role involves close collaboration with software developers, scientists, and international partners. The Data Science Specialist will be responsible for the following tasks:

Data Sourcing & Model Development:

• Identify valuable data sources and automate data collection processes.
• Develop scripts to access and automate data collection from different data hubs.
• Support the development of automated tools for ETL (Extract, Transform, Load) processes.
• Perform data mining using state-of-the-art methods to discover trends and patterns in large datasets.
• Build predictive models and machine-learning algorithms using advanced programming and statistical techniques

Model Integration, Advisory & Visualization:

• Integrate machine learning models with web applications and geospatial tools
  • Collaborate with software development teams to create geospatial tools and user-interface modules for large-scale deployment
• Generate kebele, woreda, and point-based advisory services for stakeholders
• Present data findings and recommendations using advanced data visualization techniques

Infrastructure & System Deployment:

• Coordinate the use of server infrastructure for system deployment across the Alliance.
• Lead the use of NextGen web APIs to integrate systems across different stakeholders
• Administer the Alliance’s GitHub repository to ensure code reusability and sustainability
• Administer and write content for the CoW website

Capacity Building & Collaboration:

• Build the capacity of national partners in database management, big data analytics, and machine learning
• Support MSc and PhD students in big data analytics and machine learning projects
• Collaborate with international partners to scale machine learning applications
• Contribute to scientific papers, technical reports, and other documentation related to research and findings
• Communicate findings and recommendations effectively to scientists and other relevant stakeholders

Minimum Requirements:

Education:

• MSc degree in Data Science, Machine Learning, Computer Science, or a related field
• Proficiency in programming languages such as Python, R, and JavaScript

Experience:

• Minimum of five years of Extensive experience in data mining and advanced data analysis
• Experience with geospatial tools and web mapping (GeoServer/MapServer)
• Experience in providing training and capacity building

Skills:

• Proven record of software development
• Strong geospatial analysis and modeling skills
• Proficient in Python and R programming with a focus on spatial tool development
• Demonstrated experience with open-source geospatial technology stacks, such as PostGIS, GeoServer, and MapServer
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Experience with web mapping interface design and development using tools like GitHub, HTML, CSS, JavaScript, AngularJS, JQuery, Leaflet, and OpenLayers
• Experience working with API/back-end code in more than one language (e.g., Java, Python)
• High standards for code quality, maintainability, and performance
• Proven experience in developing geospatial tools.

Duty Station: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Position level:   HG 14

Minimum Base salary:                  

• Birr 54,708 per month

Terms of appointment: Initial appointment is for two years renewable appointment based on performance and funding availability. The Alliance offers a multicultural, collegial research environment with competitive salary and excellent benefits in line with ILRI salary applicable for its National Staff. The Alliance is an international and equal opportunity organization and believes that diversity of its staff contributes to excellence.  The ILRI campus is set in a secure, attractive campus with dining and sports facilities.

Applications: Applicants should provide a cover letter and curriculum vitae; names and addresses (including telephone and email) of three referees who are knowledgeable about the candidate’s professional qualifications and work experience to be included in the curriculum vitae. The position and reference number: RDS/ABC/34/24 should be clearly indicated in the subject line of the cover letter. All applications to be submitted online on our recruitment portal: http://ilri.simplicant.com/ on or before 6 December 2024.

ABC/ILRI does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process (application, interview meeting, processing or training).