Ignitia is a venture-backed, Series A growth company in the climate tech and AI sectors that provides industry-beating weather and climate intelligence to climate vulnerable populations in low and middle income countries. Today, ignitia has grown to reach more than 3 million users, primarily through distribution and commercial partnerships - be they leading telecommunication companies including Orange, crop input companies including OCP and UPL, as well as farmer cooperatives supplying large multinational companies including Guiness and Nestle. The company has an ambitious vision to improve the lives of 200 million individuals around the world by building their resilience to climate change.
We started in 2010 as a new research team in physics and meteorology, gathered from different renowned universities and institutions including NASA and the UN. We set out to tackle the difficult problem of accurately predicting weather conditions in the tropics and have built simple, yet powerful tools for our customers. We are democratizing weather and climate intelligence to build resilience to shocks and improve livelihoods - at scale.
Why ignitia?
Climate change is fueling more extreme weather events around the globe leading to lost lives and economic destruction. Half of the world's countries lack adequate early warning systems for extreme weather events. In parallel, the current food system, dominated by small-scale and rain-dependent growers, contributes to roughly a quarter of greenhouse gas emissions and is ill-equipped to meet rising global food demand in a socially and environmentally sustainable way.
We take complex, AI-driven models and package it into actionable intelligence for 1) farmers to apply climate smart practices and mitigate weather risks, 2) urban populations to become better prepared for disasters through early warning systems and 3) financial institutions and industry stakeholders to identify climate risk factors affecting their lending, insurance, and business activities.
We are a deep tech, social enterprise that leverages advanced technologies to provide a unique and valuable means for our customers to stabilize operations, mitigate risks, build resilience, and maximize profits. Ignitia is a low-ego, high-energy environment. We don't have multiple management layers and we are not into red tape or office politics. We have some of the best minds in meteorology, math, AI, and technology working alongside a powerful commercial sales team to change how our customers anticipate the effects of climate change and mitigate its risks.
Job Summary
As a high caliber Technical Lead, you will be the cornerstone of our development team, responsible for overseeing the creation of high-quality software products. Reporting directly to the CTO, you will guide our technical vision and ensure that all projects are executed efficiently and effectively. You will be the definitive source for all technical matters, embodying a deep understanding of our tech stack and the best practices in software development.
Key Responsibilities
- Act as the primary technical authority, ensuring that our software products meet the highest standards of reliability, performance, and traceability
- Design software solutions with an eye towards long-term maintenance and minimal technical debt
- Engage in hands-on coding and code reviews as needed, particularly for critical system components and complex issues, applying your expertise to guide the development team towards optimal solutions
- Exercise discretion in identifying situations that require your direct technical involvement, especially where strategic decisions or significant risks are involved
- Work closely with the product and sales teams to align technical strategies with business goals
- Communicate effectively with stakeholders to gather requirements, deliver updates, and facilitate technical discussions
- Develop and maintain technical documentation, including requirements and design documents, to ensure clarity and continuity
- Champion agile methodologies and best practices to promote rapid and reliable project delivery
- Drive the adoption of new technologies and continuous improvement initiatives to keep development infrastructure and practices ahead of the curve
- Mentor and support junior developers, fostering an environment of learning and growth.
Requirements
Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or related field. Advanced degree preferredMinimum of 7 years experience in software/systems development with at least 3 years experience in a leadership roleDemonstrated ability to manage complex projects and lead development teamsStrong analytical skills and ability to make quick, effective decisionsExpertise in software architecture with a strong command of domain-driven design and proficiency in microservices architectureExceptional communication and interpersonal skillsStrong proficiency in written and oral EnglishIn-depth understanding of the entire development process, from design through to maintenance, with hands-on experience in agile development practicesFamiliarity with subscriptions, payments, and billing systems is a big plusFamiliarity with Whatsapp, SMS, and native app distribution channels is a big plusTechnical SkillsExpertise in Python is essential. Proficiency in JavaScript and experience with frameworks such as Django and Flask. Knowledge of functional programming and shell scripting is beneficialSolid understanding of relational database management systems, particularly PostgreSQL, including experience with database architecture, design, and performance optimization. Familiarity with non-relational databases like Clickhouse and tools such as Citus and PgBouncer is importantDeep knowledge of REST APIs and network performance optimization, especially in Python environments. Familiarity with FastAPI, Celery, RabbitMQ, and RedisKnowledge of OAuth2, JWT, and secure software practicesProficiency in Docker and Kubernetes is necessary. Experience managing virtual environments and familiarity with CI/CD practices using GitHub CI/CD or similarExperience with monitoring and logging tools such as Prometheus, Grafana, Zabbix, and the ELK Stack. Familiarity with Dagster is a plusExperience integrating with payment aggregators and subscription management platforms like Chargebee, Stripe, Onafrique, FastSpring, etcPreferred skills
- Experience with mobile app development
- Knowledge of GIS-related libraries/frameworks/tools like PostGIS or QGIS
- Familiarity with tools like JMeter or Locust for stress testing web applications and APIs to ensure scalability
- Understanding of tools and practices for data analysis and reporting. Knowledge of statistics and mathematics is beneficial but not required
- Core Practices
- Operate independently and effectively, while providing leadership and making significant contributions to the team's efforts.
- Prioritize tasks to meet deadlines and achieve goals
- Maintain focus and deliver high-quality results under rapidly changing conditions and tight deadlines
- Actively seek to learn and master new technologies and concepts
- Foster a collaborative and motivating team environment through an upbeat and constructive presence