Vacancy #: 7141 Unit: Biodiversity Assessment and Knowledge Organisation: International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Location: Cambridge Office, Cambridge, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland Reporting to: Red List Systems Manager Work percentage: 100% Grade: P2 Expected start date: 03 March 2025 Type of contract: Fixed-term (24 months with possibility of renewal) Closing date: 24 January 2025 BACKGROUND Established in 1964, the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List of Threatened Species has evolved to become the world’s most comprehensive information source on the global extinction risk status of animal, fungus and plant species.
The IUCN Red List is a critical indicator of the health of the world’s biodiversity. Far more than a list of species and their status, it is a powerful tool to inform and catalyse action for biodiversity conservation and policy change, critical to protecting the natural resources
“The International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List tells us where we urgently need to do something to prevent the despoliation of this world. It is a great agenda for the work of conservationists.” – Sir David Attenborough
In this role you will have the privilege to work in the development of the core software application that is the backbone of the Red List - the Species Information Service (SIS). You will be required at all stages of the project lifecycle from collaborating on initial designs to defining its data model and developing all its features.
This role would ideally suit a candidate that is passionate about addressing the biodiversity global crisis, who has experience writing code to deliver robust and reliable software.
Salary - £38,000-£47,000 per annum JOB DESCRIPTION Characteristic Duties
This role will be crucial to the development of the new Species Information Service, being involved in the design and architecture and writing quality code to build one of the most important software platforms for world conservation. The person will mostly develop a greenfield project and should have a natural passion for biodiversity, conservation and environmental issues.
Main responsibilities
• Ownership mindset for developing a software product and technical process. We will have a small but dedicated team; your contribution will make a difference.
• Scope, architect and implement new features.
• Implementation robust set of services and APIs.
• Implementation of secure systems and data protection
• Integrate unit and feature testing as part of development process, specifically using test driven development (TDD)
• Learning new technologies and take responsibility of pushing best new software best practices.
• Analyse, manipulate and transform large data, including geospatial.
• Work effectively in a cross disciplinary team to support a range of goals and objectives.
• Articulate and explain technical concepts to a range of audiences.
• Advise and collaborate with external developers regarding integration of the platform into existing or proposed third party tools.
• Contribute ideas and new approaches to development goals, you will have a considerable influence as the team is small. REQUIREMENTS • Essential:
A good first degree or higher in Computer Science / Software Engineering or similar field.
• Minimum 2 years commercial experience in a software development team.
• Strong experience in Ruby on Rails development.
• Experience in front-end development with experience in HTML, CSS/SASS and JavaScript.
• Experience with JavaScript frameworks.
• Comfortable using Git.
• Delivering projects in an Agile environment.
• Demonstrable knowledge of using relational database, and good with database design (PostgreSQL).
• Experience using modern web frameworks.
• Experience using cloud-based services.
• Track record of driving change and taking ownership of systems.
Desirable:
• Experience working with Hotwire and modern Ruby and Rails solutions.
• Experience working with Geographic Information Systems.
• Experience with the PostGIS PostgreSQL extension and web maps (e.g. Leaflet.js).
• Experience with Digital Ocean, Linode, AWS, Heroku or similar cloud service providers.
• Experience with other languages, preferably Java, including Equinox and Google Web Toolkit.
• Experience working in the conservation sector
• Knowledge of biological nomenclature and taxonomy, as well as electronic management of taxonomic information.
• Experience with data visualization.
Competencies/Behaviours
• Excellent communication, writing, and presentation skills
• A keen interest and concern for the environment, natural world and biodiversity conservation.
• Ability and motivation to deliver high quality work with minimum supervision
• Flexible approach to managing high workload with multiple tasks in a changing environment
• Excellent interpersonal and oral communication skills
Languages
Essential:
• Fluency in spoken and written English
Desirable:
• Fluency in spoken and written in French or Spanish APPLICATIONS
Applicants are requested to apply online through the HR Management System, by opening the vacancy announcement and pressing the \"Apply\" button.
Applicants will be asked to create an account and submit their profile information. Applications will not be accepted after the closing date. The vacancy closes at midnight, Swiss time (GMT+1 / GMT+2 during Daylight Saving Time, DST). Please note that only selected applicants will be personally contacted for interviews.
Other job opportunities are published in the IUCN website: https://www.iucn.org/involved/jobs/
About IUCN
IUCN is a membership Union uniquely composed of both government and civil society organisations. It provides public, private and non-governmental organisations with the knowledge and tools that enable human progress, economic development and nature conservation to take place together.
Created in 1948, IUCN is now the world’s largest and most diverse environmental network, harnessing the knowledge, resources and reach of more than 1,400 Member organisations and around 16,000 experts. It is a leading provider of conservation data, assessments and analysis. Its broad membership enables IUCN to fill the role of incubator and trusted repository of best practices, tools and international standards.
IUCN provides a neutral space in which diverse stakeholders including governments, NGOs, scientists, businesses, local communities, indigenous peoples organisations and others can work together to forge and implement solutions to environmental challenges and achieve sustainable development.
Working with many partners and supporters, IUCN implements a large and diverse portfolio of conservation projects worldwide. Combining the latest science with the traditional knowledge of local communities, these projects work to reverse habitat loss, restore ecosystems and improve people’s well-being.
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