Software Engineer specialized in in-situ/on-farm Genetic Resources

Overview

Develop and consolidate the software and database for in-situ/on-farm genetic resources.

You have:

• University degree in Software Engineering or a related Information Technology field from an institution recognized by the International Association of Universities (IAU)/UNESCO
• A minimum of 3 (three) years of proven experience in software development using Java, PostgreSQL database, and NetBeans IDE
• Working knowledge (level C) of Spanish and/or English and Portuguese
• Brazilian nationality

Organizational Setting

Adopted by the FAO Conference in 2001, the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (ITPGRFA) aims to facilitate the conservation and sustainable use of plant genetic resources for food and agriculture and the fair and equitable sharing of benefits derived from their use.

The Benefit-sharing Fund (BSF) is a funding mechanism of the ITPGRFA and supports projects in developing countries for small-scale farmers to improve livelihoods, food security and adaptation to climate change. This is achieved by enhancing the on-farm management and improvement of plant genetic diversity, strengthening local value chains and supporting communities of practice to conserve and sustainably use plant genetic materials and related knowledge. Established by the Governing Body and operational since 2009, the Benefit-sharing Fund has supported actions in 78 developing countries through five project cycles, with each cycle building on lessons learned and good practices under the previous ones.

The BSF project PR-154-S-Brazil “Support network for local conservation (in situ/on farm) of plant genetic resources in Brazil and integration with Embrapa genebanks” is one of the 28 projects funded under the 5th BSF cycle of the ITPGRFA. In addition to its vital importance for the continuity of evolutionary and adaptive processes in the face of environmental changes, the in-situ and on-farm conservation of genetic resources (GR) plays a significant role in food security and the livelihoods of communities that depend directly on these resources for their subsistence. The development of tools for managing environmental data and information (such as species, varieties, and products), as well as mapping actions (projects, management systems) and stakeholders (communities, organizations, and researchers), directly aligns with global and national commitments to strengthen agrobiodiversity conservation. To overcome the challenges of collecting, registering, and managing data on in-situ / on-farm GR, the Conservain-II Project has structured activities for system development, maintenance, and a dedicated database, aiming to achieve: • Data Integration: Centralizing scattered information into a unified management system, fostering greater connectivity among conservation initiatives distributed across the country; • Territorial Intelligence: Generating a knowledge base through the assessment, mapping, and diagnosis of agrobiodiversity within Indigenous, Quilombola (traditional Afro-descendant), family farming, and traditional communities; • Germplasm Flow and Repatriation: Organizing the exchange of data and materials between ex-situ genebanks/collections and local communities, including tracking for variety repatriation and establishing workflows for safety duplicates at the Embrapa Genetic Bank; • Participatory Governance: Actively monitoring the timeline of activities and deliverables through a Project Steering Committee; • Network Articulation: Consolidating a relationship network among the various stakeholders and organizations (public, private, collective, or individual) working within the in situ / on-farm GR framework.

Reporting Lines

The incumbent reports to the Assistant Representative in FAO Brazil – Programme.

Technical Focus

The incumbent will be responsible for the development and consolidation of the software and database dedicated to in-situ / on-farm GR. The scope of work focuses on the testing, validation, and deployment of the Aleloinsitu system in a live web production environment.

Tasks and Responsibilities

• Support the design, development, testing, and maintenance of Geographic Information Systems (GIS), ensuring responsiveness, accessibility, and memory optimization across multiple devices (desktops, tablets, and smartphones); • Implement advanced spatial interaction features within the user interface, including dynamic marker clustering, heat maps, overlapping geospatial filters, and measurement tools (area, distance, and quantification); • Develop customized visual components and interactive dashboards (line, bar, scatter, and radar charts) featuring drill-down capabilities and interconnected dynamic filters • Design and implement map interfaces and information panels using HTML5, CSS3 (Flexbox/Grid) with a front-end framework; • Conduct performance tests for loading geographic map layers to ensure optimal memory usage and local caching on mobile devices (tablets, smartphones) in accordance with web accessibility guidelines; • Program and integrate dynamic features into the map interface using geospatial libraries (such as Leaflet or OpenLayers) connected to Java APIs, utilizing marker clustering algorithms, heat map rendering, and spatial filters for real-time overlay; • Create and implement custom visual components and management dashboards using graphics libraries (such as Chart.js, ApexCharts, or D3.js); configure interconnected charts (line, bar, scatter, and radar) to apply dynamic filters and drill down into data and information based on management, administrative, or public web query profiles; • Perform testing routines (unit and integration tests), code debugging, and validation of asynchronous data (via AJAX/Fetch API and WebSockets) for the Aleloinsitu system; • Configure system resources and routines to ensure stable communication between the PostgreSQL database, the Java logic (NetBeans), and the front-end visual components before and after deployment to a production environment; • Develop an API for sharing and importing interoperable database assets between the systems of the project’s partner institutions; • Monitor team training sessions on the use of the Aleloinsitu system and support the assisted migration of data and information from research activities conducted throughout the project’s duration.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING:

Minimum Requirements

• University degree in Software Engineering or a related Information Technology field from an institution recognized by the International Association of Universities (IAU)/UNESCO; • A minimum of 3 (three) years of proven experience in software development using Java, PostgreSQL database, and NetBeans IDE; • Working knowledge (level C) of Spanish and/or English and Portuguese. • Brazilian nationality

FAO Core Competencies

• Results Focus • Teamwork • Communication • Building Effective Relationships • Knowledge Sharing and Continuous Improvement

Technical/Functional Skills

• Applied Thematic Knowledge: Practical knowledge of IT solutions applied to the management of genetic resources (ex-situ and in-situ/on-farm), covering the plant, animal, and microorganism sectors;

• Data Engineering and Migration: Experience in planning, implementing, and monitoring APIs, integration frameworks, and assisted data migration and management workflows.

Selection criteria:

• Thematic Experience: Background in systems development projects for research in Genetic Resources (in situ/on farm and ex situ), with a specific focus on plant and microorganism sectors; • Front-end Development: Proficiency in JavaScript, HTML5, CSS3, modern styling architectures (Flexbox, CSS Grid), and styling frameworks/libraries (e.g., Bootstrap or Material UI); • Geospatial Integration: Proficiency in geospatial data integration solutions, interactive map design, and GIS applications using libraries such as Leaflet or OpenLayers integrated with geographic APIs via Java; • Asynchronous Communication: Experience in asynchronous data updates (AJAX/Fetch API) and real-time communication (WebSockets); • Data Visualization: Proficiency in developing interactive dashboards and management panels using data visualization libraries (e.g., Chart.js, ApexCharts, D3.js, or Highcharts).

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

• FAO does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process (application, interview meeting, processing)
• Applications received after the closing date will not be accepted
• Please note that FAO only considers higher educational qualifications obtained from an institution accredited/recognized in the World Higher Education Database (WHED), a list updated by the International Association of Universities (IAU) / United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The list can be accessed at http://www.whed.net/
• For additional employment opportunities visit the FAO employment website: http://www.fao.org/employment/home/en/
• Appointment will be subject to certification that the candidate is medically fit for appointment, accreditation, any residency or visa requirements, and security clearances.

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Potential interview questions

Added 23 hours ago - Updated 3 hours ago - Source: fao.org