Senior Project Officer I – Backend Developer (Re-Advert)

Position: Senior Project Officer I – Backend Developer (Re-Advert)

Term of Employment: One year with a possibility of extension

Duty Station: Addis Ababa

Required Number: One

Application Deadline: September 28, 2023

BACKGROUND:

The Ethiopian Agricultural Transformation Institute (ATI) is a strategy and delivery-oriented government Institute created to help accelerate the growth and transformation of the country’s agriculture sector. The ATI envisions to be the leading center of innovative solutions for the transformation of Ethiopian Agriculture by 2030.

The Institute focuses on two primary national approaches to catalyze agricultural transformation. First, we support the Ministry of Agriculture (MoA), its affiliate institutions, and other partners to identify and address systemic bottlenecks within an Agricultural Transformation Agenda. Second, we support Regional Governments to accelerate the development of high-priority commodity value chains in clearly defined geographic clusters, through the Agricultural Commercialization Clusters (ACC) Initiative.

Our major activities include conducting strategic and analytical studies, providing technical implementation support, coordinating platforms to better integrate partners and projects, and designing and directly leading a number of implementation projects. Our headquarters are in Addis Ababa, and we have regional offices in Amhara, Oromia, SNNP, Sidama, South-West, and Tigray regional offices, allowing us to work closely with a wide range of public, private and development sector partners across the country.

Our Culture

We have an exceptional team of highly competent employees with a proven track record of success in managing complex activities and achieving transformational results. Our culture is one where talented, dedicated, and adaptable individuals are committed to doing their best and exhibit great teamwork to achieve excellent results.

At ATI, we provide an exceptional platform for people who want to achieve their highest potential and make a meaningful contribution in changing the country’s agricultural sector. We offer rewarding work in a young, fast-paced growing organization with passionate, committed, motivated colleagues and excellent career development and training. We recognize our most valuable assets are our staff and are committed to providing our employees with the tools, training, and mentorships necessary to achieve their career goals.

POSITION SUMMARY:

The Digital Agriculture Specialist (Backend Developer) will be responsible for providing technical support, as well as maintaining, updating, and upgrading current systems. He or she will also be responsible for designing, developing, and administering databases, as well as designing and developing, and deploying and new products.

The existing digital solutions include 8028 Farmer Hotline, National Market Information System, Electronic Voucher system and others. The solutions have features such as web and mobile applications, interactive voice response and short message services, mostly using MySQL as their backend databases. The digital agriculture specialist must also comprehend and be able to use cutting-edge and emerging tools and technology that are accessible to modernize the agricultural industry.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES:

1. Technical Support, Maintenance, Updating and Upgrading the existing system

• Carries out the operation and support of digital solutions, IT, and/or telecom products and/or services, coordinating with internal teams and external IT and telecom service providers as necessary.
• Provide technical support for the existing systems such as 8028 Farmer hotline, National Market Information System, E-Voucher system that is developed with the web, mobile apps, IVR, and/or SMS, database, Jaspersoft reporting templates.
• Identify technical problems on the telecom equipment (including E1 lines, modems, etc) and services, on the systems at different tiers (front, middle and backend), on the data collection applications (such as ODK and web applications), delivery channels such as IVR, SMS, website, and email subscriptions
• Experienced in monitoring and ensuring the proper functioning of existing systems such as the Incoming IVR Server, outgoing IVR push service, SMS application, Web application, Report service, and database service
• Performs technical support and maintenance on existing mobile and web applications, as well as other digital solutions, with minimum documentation.
• Understand the existing system architecture and open-source technologies, as well as manage to update and upgrading to meet emerging requirements

1. Database Design, Development, and Administration

• Design the architecture for a web database, develop and update the software tools using an open source relational database management system (RDMS) including MySQL and others
• Create and manage MySQL databases, build database structures, back up data, inspect status, and work with data records.
• Submit and retrieve data using existing databases, keep track of user interactions with the database using views, stored procedures, triggers and others
• Responsible for developing and maintaining various system integrations which include application-to-application integrations, services, and internal and external APIs.
• Troubleshooting existing networks, improving system efficiency, organizing data, recovering client information and resolving bugs or incorrect code.
• Perform routine security maintenance and monitor firewalls to identify vulnerabilities and keep data confidential.
• Compiles technical reports and documents.
• Performs other duties as required

• Master’s degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Computer or Electrical Engineering and other related fields
• At least for 6 years of relevant experience in developing software, administering databases and managing projects and implementing projects.
• Expert in various Web development technologies including C#, Python, Ruby, Node.js, Angular, Java Script, and the latest Java Framework Technologies.
• Advanced skills and experience in different open source technologies used for developing IVR and SMS-based technologies such as FreeSWITCH, Adheresion, and other related technologies.
• Advanced skills and experience with the following software tools, including rolling out to users with training and troubleshooting support: MS Power BI, Database Management (MySQL, Oracle, Microsoft SQL Server, or others)
• Expert in designing and developing data collection tools or applications specifically using ODK and other related technologies
• Strong understanding of IVR and/or SMS technologies and other advanced technologies and tools such as remote sensing, satellite, drones, internet of things, Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), etc
• Well-structured, critical thinker with exceptional ability to communicate clearly and effectively on complex data, IT systems and analytical topics
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Fluency in English and Amharic is essential