Type: Full-time contractor (hours negotiable)
Location: Remote
OpenFn is a free and open source digital public good (DPG) that automates data exchange and repetitive tasks so that NGOs and governments can work more efficiently, improve service delivery, and scale promising health & humanitarian interventions.
Our team, Open Function Group, is the primary steward of this open source software. We are a team of IT and data integration specialists that provide open source software, training, and technical support to help partners in 40+ countries automate mission-critical workflows and achieve interoperability.
We’re a fully-remote, lean team that uses cutting edge technologies to drive efficiency where it matters most; we do not make marginal improvements to already comfortable lives.
The role
We are seeking a highly experienced and motivated Senior Software Engineer with proven experience in JavaScript development to join our Services team as an Engineer for key implementations with government ministries and large NGOs.
This is not a frontend role. Candidates must have a strong backend JavaScript/Node.js background. Applicants without this experience will not be considered.
We are looking for someone who thrives on solving complex technical challenges, has a design-first mindset, and consistently delivers innovative, high-performing, scalable architecture that goes beyond the conventional. You’ll guide the technical direction of our service implementations and mentor fellow engineers through code, guidance, and example.
You should have a strong understanding of data integration design and software architectures. You’ll be the first port of call for our team of engineers and consultants to tackle the many technical issues that come up in integration pipelines and local software deployments, and will take a leading role in the design and development of OpenFn Adaptors.
What you'll be doing
You will collaborate with technical teams, partners, and clients to design and develop data integration and workflow automation solutions that enable smarter, more connected digital systems. Leveraging your expertise in system integration, software architecture, deployment strategies, and modern development practices, you will deliver solutions that meet project scope, cost, and timeline requirements. You’ll bring architectural clarity and technical oversight to projects that demand high performance, scalability, and creativity.
Day-to-day, you will:
- Design and implement data integration approaches and solution architectures using OpenFn as an integration platform
- Provide feedback on solution designs and support API discovery to help OpenFn consultants deliver robust, secure, and scalable automation solutions
- Engaging directly with partners and clients to provide architectural insight, technical validation, and creative solutions to complex requirements
- Configure and implement deployment strategies and architecture design for customers seeking to host OpenFn on local infrastructure
- Mentoring and reviewing work by Services team engineers, and ensuring solutions developed using the open source OpenFn toolkit and Node.jsare technically sound and production-ready
- Develop the open source JavaScript Adaptors modules which our users depend upon to interface with various backend platforms
Requirements
To successfully ensure the technical quality of solutions implemented by the OpenFn services team, you should have the following qualifications and be comfortable consulting with a diverse range of technical stakeholders.
- 5-7+ years of experience successfully delivering high performing application solutions that meet scope, cost, and date parameters
- 5-7+ years of experience in software development utilizing a variety of common system integration methods and technologies including web services, JSON, REST, APIs, automated testing frameworks, and orchestration tools
- Proven expertise in Javascript and Node.js, and experience with backend development
- Experience with an agile work approach and feel passionate and motivated about supporting software teams in all their disciplines
- Expertise in comparing data integration approaches and assessing their relative strengths and limitations in terms of meeting business goals
- Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to facilitate technical workshops with external stakeholders
- You are fluent in English (written and spoken) in order to communicate in the best way possible with colleagues and partners
- Training and development of your skills are highly important to you. Moreover, you enjoy passing on acquired knowledge
- Ability to work from home or a shared office space with fast, stable internet, preferably in a country that is located in Africa/Europe time zones
Things that might set you apart
- Experience implementing different middleware or workflow automation platforms
- Solid understanding of software architectures, cloud-native development, and containerization (Docker, Kubernetes).
- Hands-on experience with DevOps practices (e.g., CI/CD pipelines, infrastructure as code, system monitoring) is highly desirable
- Creative problem-solving and a design-oriented mindset that pushes beyond standard solutions
- Strong understanding of cloud-native development and orchestration tools (e.g., Kubernetes, Terraform) is a plus
- Experience with API design and development is also a major advantage
- Experience with technology consulting for NGO and government partners, and/or experience working remotely with multifunctional teams from different countries
- Experience leading a team or managing people
- Working proficiency in another language (preferably French or Spanish)
Benefits
- Financial compensation is commensurate with experience.
- Flexible working schedule.
- We’re fully remote with team meetups across Europe and Africa (our last three were in Nairobi, Cape Town, and Dakar).
- Exposure to hottest industry and technology trends and leading health and humanitarian interventions in the sector.
- Opportunity for leadership and advancement. You will be a key contributor to our company’s strategy and direction.
- Opportunities to travel to team meetings, partner visits, and conferences.
- The opportunity to shape our strategy and impact millions of lives through our open source software in a small, mission-driven organization.
