Data Engineer I/II

DATA ENGINEER I/II

Location: Nairobi, Kenya; Delhi, India

IDinsight is hiring a full-time Junior Data Engineer (1-4 years of relevant experience) to expand our data engineering and broader software engineering capabilities. In this role, the junior data engineer will work with project teams and clients to build data systems to drive social impact. You may build software to help manage on-the-ground efforts to locate out-of-school children, to improve accountability and effectiveness in social safety net programs, or to deliver decision relevant operational data to decision-makers in the social sector.

We are a social-impact-oriented organization, so we can guarantee incredibly meaningful work tackling some of the world’s most complex international development challenges. Some examples of our work can be found at dsem.idinsight.io.

About IDinsight

IDinsight helps leaders combat poverty worldwide by designing, deploying and promoting evidence-generating tools. We tailor the best methodologies to partner needs and constraints to fuse evidence with action. We serve governments, NGOs, foundations and social businesses across Africa and Asia in all major program areas, including health, education, agriculture, livelihoods, finance, energy and governance.
Our approach rests on four pillars:

• Rigorous: We develop and use a wide range of cutting-edge data and evidence tools, including experimental evaluations, genAI-powered apps, automated data platforms, machine learning and more.
• Cost-effective: Every dollar spent is justified by expected impact. If funds could be better used in another way, we say so.
• Timely: Actionable information is delivered in time for client decision-making deadlines.
• Demand-driven: We deploy solutions tailored to partner contexts and needs with no competing agendas.

Our diverse, growing team of roughly 200 outstanding colleagues operates in nearly two dozen countries worldwide. Learn more about our mission and values at www.IDinsight.org.

About the Role

This role sits within IDinsight’s Data Science and Engineering team and is best suited for a hands-on data engineer who enjoys operating with a high degree of autonomy. You will work closely with data scientists, domain experts, and partners to translate our partners’ real-world challenges into impactful software.

Successful candidates are comfortable interfacing with clients, working through ambiguity, making pragmatic technical decisions, and owning the full lifecycle of features- from early problem framing and design to deployment and ongoing improvement in live environments. The role requires a strong emphasis on building tools that are intuitive, reliable, and loved by users.

As a data engineer, the day-to-day work may include:

• Working with clients to understand their current processes and pain points, and identifying which of these can be addressed through automating and streamlining data flows.
• Designing, building, and maintaining optimal data pipeline architecture.
• Designing, building, and maintaining data warehouses and data lakes.
• Synthesising, visualizing, and communicating results: dashboards, plots, interactive viz, presentations, and reports to provide actionable data insights to decision-makers.
• Making thoughtful decisions about application architecture, data flows, integrations, and user-facing behavior to support scalable, production-grade solutions.
• Working closely with clients, other engineers, product owners, and domain experts to review code, plan releases, and deliver features end-to-end.
• Writing blog posts or presenting on lessons learned.
• Supporting teammates through formal and informal coaching and collaboration that enables continuous learning and improvement for the team.

Required Technical Qualifications

• Experience of at least 1+ year in data engineering, with proficiency in Python and SQL for building production systems.
• Proficiency building ELT pipelines in a production setting.
• Proficiency with data modelling techniques.
• Proficiency working with OLTP and OLAP data stores.
• Proficiency in Flask/FastAPI or similar backend frameworks.
• Experience working with a cloud hosting platform like AWS or GCP.
• Sound foundations in statistics and probability.
• Ability to independently scope, design, and deliver end-to-end features
• Clear written and verbal communication skills for collaborating with technical and non-technical stakeholders
• A willingness to pick up new skills and technologies (e.g., front end) based on project and team needs.

Other required qualifications:

• Proven ability to work independently on ambiguous problems that involve both people and technology
• Experience contributing to shared codebases, libraries, or platform components
• Strong oral and written communication skills in English. Fluency in languages spoken in countries where IDinsight works is a plus.
• Strong values aligned with IDinsight’s stated values.
• Deeply passionate about evidence-informed policy, global development and improving lives in disadvantaged populations.
• Ability and interest in sharing knowledge, mentoring others, presenting work and reviewing the work of others.
• Open-minded self-starter who will thrive while tackling new, unusual and unpredictable challenges.

Preferred Qualifications

The most competitive applicants will also have experience in one or more of the following:

• Experience living and working in developing country settings.
• Experience working with modern frontend web development frameworks like React and Next.js.
• Experience working with DevOps tools like Docker and Terraform.
• Experience applying data science methods, such as optimization, unsupervised learning, LLMs, or working with specialized data types (e.g., GIS software like QGIS, satellite imagery).

Locations

This position is located in one of IDinsight’s existing offices, a strong preference to be located in Delhi (India) or Nairobi (Kenya). Preference will be given to those with pre-existing work authorization in these countries; however, IDinsight will seek work permits where possible for exceptional candidates.

Compensation

Compensation is commensurate with relevant experience and background and is competitive within the social sector. Please note that, as a non-profit, we are unable to provide compensation similar to leading technology firms.

Start Dates

The start date of this position is flexible, although there is the potential to start almost immediately. We expect a minimum one-year commitment, with regular professional development conversations and potential for a long-term career at IDinsight.

References

Applications should include three references, including email, phone, and title. Briefly state in what capacity you worked with each reference.

How to apply

Please click the "Apply for this job online" button at the top right. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. The application asks various questions for us to get to know you and requires a CV and cover letter.

Please ensure that your CV includes relevant professional and personal experience and details on academic qualifications. CVs can range from one to two pages. Please note that headshot photographs, parental information, birth dates, marital status, and other personal information not relevant to the application do not need to be included in your CV. Additionally, we strongly encourage you to use your cover letter to highlight why you want to work for IDinsight specifically and what has prepared you to succeed in the role you’re applying for. A customized cover letter is an important part of IDinsight’s recruiting process as it allows us to understand your motivations for the position, relevant skills, and clarity of writing.

More information, including details on IDinsight’s hiring process and frequently asked questions, can be found online at IDinsight Careers. Any queries should be directed to redteamcareers@idinsight.org.

N.B. To prevent important email correspondence from going directly into your SPAM folder, thereby missing important application updates, please ensure that you whitelist redteamcareers@idinsight.org

IDinsight’s commitment to reducing power asymmetries

IDinsight is committed to reducing power asymmetries in the social sector. Our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion reflects our understanding of the need for the sector to abandon unhealthy practices of the past. We wish to be part of a new generation of international NGOs who are honest about this history and transparent about our role in the present. Our commitment is also aligned with the impact of our work.

We seek a workforce that is inclusive of a variety of perspectives that will help us refine and improve our methods and relationships and strengthen the services we provide our clients and their communities or constituencies. The following commitments represent our vision for the IDinsight team:

1. IDinsight will have greater representation from the populations we work with and the clients we serve.
2. IDinsight will have greater representation from the countries in which we work.
3. Across all countries in which we recruit, we will seek greater representation from historically excluded communities.
4. IDinsight will foster an inclusive work culture that empowers a diverse team to do their best work.

IDinsight is an equal-opportunity employer and strives to create a diverse and supportive workplace.