Data Engineer

We are recruiting a data engineer who will use their technical skills to work on some of the world’s major environmental and sustainability challenges.Location: Stockholm, SwedenEmployment type: Fixed term until December 2020, with possibility of extensionDeadline: 31 May, 23:59 CESTJoin our international non-profit research organization and help create a sustainable future for all. SEI Headquarters is a dynamic, expanding workplace that employs around 90 people from around 25 different nationalities in an activity-based office in central Stockholm (Garnisonen).The roleSEI HQ is recruiting a highly motivated data engineer with a strong background in environmental and/or social data processing and analysis to join our Transparency for Sustainable Economies – Trase – initiative in our office in Stockholm.You will contribute to an exciting and innovative development in global supply chain sustainability – the Transparency for Sustainable Economies (Trase) platform. Trase is a pioneering sustainability platform that reveals the connections between consumers and producers, as well as the environmental and social impacts linked to global supply chains. Trase relies on vast sets of production, trade, customs and geospatial data to lay bare the flows of globally-traded commodities – such as palm oil, soya, beef and timber – at scale.You will be part of a team of international researchers working on the technical development of the Trase platform, including the acquisition, processing and integration of diverse datasets as well as research on land-use change and sustainability inspired by Trase.Main responsibilitiesDeveloping and maintaining a large code base including ETL pipeline, database and interface, modeling and analytical tools;Reviewing and improving existing code base by e.g. increasing test coverage, expanding documentation, identifying and mitigating performance bottlenecksSupporting the ongoing development and implementation of an evolving code base and toolkit (Python) that is the basis of the innovative supply chain mapping approach used by Trase in new countries and commodities, which involves helping to acquire, archive, format, process and analyse large datasets on production, trade and different measures of environmental and social impact and sustainability performanceDeveloping creative data-driven visualizations for internal use and external communication on the platform.Coordinating with other colleagues in SEI, as well as in collaborating institutions in Trase, including our partner institute Global Canopy in the UK, working on these tasks.The position will require occasional travel, including a requirement to spend the minimum of one month per year in California working with the Trase Technical Director, Clément Suavet.Who you areYou should have a strong interest in using data science, modelling and quantitative analyses to help understand some of the major environmental and sustainability challenges the world is facing in the 21st Century. You should also have a strong interest for a career in sustainability research and capacity building in the non-profit sector. You will work independently and as part of a team in a highly flexible and exciting research environment, while also being comfortable investing time as needed in basic data preparation and processing routines.Key qualificationsAdvanced programming skills in PythonExperience with relational databases (preferably PostgreSQL)A college degree with minimum of three years’ work experience, or a PhD and at least one year of experience working in in environmental or sustainability science, computer science, physics, mathematics, engineering, or related field. If not formally trained in these fields, you should demonstrate adequate experience in data analysis and data handling.Proven experience building organized systems and protocols for processing large, complex assemblages of dataAbility and interest to independently acquire new technical skills quickly, as well as the ability to prepare clear written documentation on technical workFluency in EnglishDesirable qualificationsExperience with Amazon Web Services (RDS, EC2, S3)Experience with collaborative software development (GitHub)Previous experience in applied sustainability research, ideally with focus on quantitative analysis of trade flows, consumption accounting, or the environmental and social impacts of land-use changeAdvanced skills in handing of spatial data.How to applyWe are reviewing applications on an ongoing basis so please submit your application soon, and no later than 31 May 2019, 23:59 Stockholm local time. Applications should be written in English and consist of a short CV and cover letter (maximum 1 page).As we only accept applications through our recruitment system, please apply online using the button below and include:Cover letter highlighting relevant qualifications and experienceCurriculum vitae.Following a pre selection of applications, candidates will be asked to complete a short practical test, sent by email, to demonstrate their suitability for the position.