The Organization

The Alliance of Bioversity International delivers research-based solutions that harness agricultural biodiversity and sustainably transform food systems to improve people’s lives. Alliance solutions address the global crises of malnutrition, climate change, biodiversity loss, and environmental degradation. The Alliance works with local, national and multinational partners across Latin America and the Caribbean, Asia and Africa, and with the public and private sectors. The Alliance is part of CGIAR, a global research partnership for a food-secure future, dedicated to reducing poverty, enhancing food and nutrition security, and improving natural resources and ecosystem services.

The Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT have initiated a project, titled Artemis. Artemis is developing AI technology to enable on-farm breeding. Crop breeding is one of the foundations of agriculture, under the current breeding systems a common assumption is that it takes 10 years to develop a new variety. Given the pace of climate change this timeframe is no longer viable. New approaches are needed to speed up the breeding cycle and enable a greater synchrony between plant breeding and on-farm conditions, shifting breeding from a majority on-station to majority on-farm process. Artemis is addressing this issue by leveraging the power of technology to enable breeding programs with a new generation of AI-powered and smartphone-deployable tools. The principal technology is computer vision phenotyping, with explorations into multimodal data that integrates speech and text to actively integrate farmers into the plant improvement process. Artemis is currently in the second investment phase, having been featured recently in Reuters.

About the Consultancy

We are seeking a talented Full Stack Developer Consultant to work with our dynamic team, focusing on advancing computer vision phenotyping solutions. The ideal candidate will possess expertise in both front-end and back-end development, with a strong understanding of machine learning frameworks and computer vision algorithms. Termf of reference include designing, developing, and maintaining scalable mobile and web applications, implementing robust APIs, and collaborating closely with data scientists to integrate cutting-edge phenotyping models.

Terms of Reference

• Develop the frontend user interface (UI) components for the smartphone-based imagery phenotyping MVP, ensuring an intuitive and visually appealing user experience.
• Build scalable and efficient backend systems to handle data collection, storage, and processing for the phenotypic data.
• Create interfaces and APIs to seamlessly connect and integrate with different hardware and software components in the agricultural domain.
• Design and implement a user-friendly data collection tool with farmers’ plot registration module being a fundamental component of the software solution.
• Implement data validation mechanisms to ensure collected data’s accuracy, integrity, and consistency, considering business rules and data quality standards.
• Optimize the performance and efficiency of the software systems, taking into account the resource-constrained environments commonly encountered in agricultural settings.
• Conduct regular testing and quality assurance activities to ensure the reliability and robustness of the software solution.
• Conduct rigorous testing, including unit testing and integration testing, to ensure the software solution’s reliability, scalability, and robustness (MVP).
• Collaborate closely with cross-functional teams to gather and understand software requirements and workflows and incorporate necessary functionalities into software solutions, adhering to best practices for front-end and back-end development.
• Provide technical guidance and training to internal teams on software development practices and tools

Deliverables 

1.      Quality Assurance and Data Validation: 
Deliverable: Implemented data validation mechanisms and comprehensive testing and QA reports. 
Description: Ensure the accuracy, integrity, and consistency of collected data through robust validation mechanisms. Conduct regular testing, including unit and integration testing, to ensure the software solution’s reliability, scalability, and robustness. 
Timeline: 4 months from the start date, 30% of the consultancy amount 

2.      System Development and Optimization: 
Deliverable: Scalable and optimized software systems with a user-friendly interface. 
Description: Design and develop the front-end user interface and backend systems, ensuring performance optimization for resource-constrained environments. This includes building scalable backend systems to handle data collection, storage, and processing, and creating robust APIs for seamless integration. 
Timeline: 8 months from start date, 30% of the consultancy amount 

3.      Final Report: 
Deliverable: Comprehensive final report. 
Description: Summarize the work completed, including achievements, challenges, and recommendations for future improvements. 
Timeline: End of consultancy term, 40% of the consultancy amount 

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or a related field. 
• Extensive experience and proficiency in modern programming languages (such as Python, JavaScript, and SQL) and expertise in front-end development technologies (HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and frameworks like React or Angular). 
• Experience with cloud services (Google, AWS, Azure) are essential as well as experience in developing web, desktop and mobile applications 
• At least three years of proven experience as a Full Stack Developer or in a similar role. 
• Experience with building and maintaining scalable mobile and web applications. 
• Knowledge of API development and integration (RESTful services). 
• Experience in designing and developing intuitive and visually appealing user interfaces. 
• Proficiency in creating scalable and efficient backend systems for data collection, storage, and processing. 
• Experience with data validation mechanisms and ensuring data accuracy, integrity, and consistency. 
• Familiarity with performance optimization in resource-constrained environments. 
• Proven track record of conducting rigorous testing and quality assurance (unit testing, integration testing). 
• Ability to collaborate closely with data scientists and cross-functional teams to gather requirements and understand workflows. 
• Experience in incorporating necessary functionalities into software solutions, adhering to best practices for front-end and back-end development. 
• Capability to provide technical guidance and training to internal teams on software development practices and tools. 
• Strong problem-solving skills and the ability to work independently as well as in a team environment. 
• Flexibility and adaptability to work in dynamic and fast-paced environments. 
• Passion for working on agricultural technology and improving farming practices. 

Timeline 

The consultancy will span eleven months, starting from the date of contract signing.

Budget 

The budget for this consultancy will be negotiated based on the consultant’s experience, the complexity of the tool, and the estimated time frame.

Applications  

Applicants are invited to visit https://alliancebioversityciat.org/careers to get full details of the consultancy and to submit their applications. Cover letter and CV should be saved as one document using the candidate’s last name, first name for ease of sorting. The Alliance collects and processes personal data in accordance with applicable data protection laws.

Applications closing date: 25^th August 2024

Please note that email applications will not be considered.

Only short-listed candidates will be contacted.

We invite you to learn more about us at:http://alliancebioversityciat.org