Senior Software Engineer

Role: Senior Software Engineer (12-month contract position)

Location: Remote

Pay: Contract compensation will be commensurate with experience.

Forests are the single most important nature-based solution that can help avert dangerous warming due to climate change. However, due to deforestation, degradation, pollution, invasive species, and climate change, forests are in the midst of their most extreme transformation since the last great extinction.

ForestGEO is an organization led by the Smithsonian that studies the growth and survival of the world’s forests. The ForestGEO network is unparalleled in both size and scope - a global network of 78 research sites across 29 countries monitoring approximately 7 million trees and nearly 12,000 species. Despite already achieving this massive scale, immediate action is needed to improve the efficiency of ForestGEO data collection and management.

ForestGEO is seeking an experienced Software Engineer to accelerate the pace of research for ecologists around the world. The position would be a remote, 12-month contract to develop, test, and train scientists on the ForestGEO App, a cloud-native web application that enables researchers to record, validate, and publish ForestGEO census data. The application is already being piloted by scientists. A full specification and code are available on GitHub: https://github.com/ForestGeoHack/ForestGEO.

This position will require a natural leader who can collaborate with a global team of ecologists with varied backgrounds in data management and meet complex product requirements. You will need to be comfortable developing the full stack – including the frontend in NextJS and architecting Azure Cloud solutions. You will need to be self-directed and able to deliver results with minimal support. You must have a passion for building software and be mission driven.

As the Senior Software Engineer for this project, you will make a global impact on an urgent and meaningful mission. You will learn from a diverse range of collaborators while shaping the future of forest science.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of professional software development experience.
• Experience designing, testing, deploying, and maintaining full-stack web applications.
• Experience building distributed cloud services using Azure, AWS, GCP, or equivalent.
• Experience leading the design and release of a major software feature or product.
• Experience with MySQL, TypeScript, NextJS, or equivalent.

To apply: send a resume (required) and cover letter (optional) to Lauren Krizel, ForestGEO Program Manager at krizell@si.edu. Deadline for applications is 7 July 2025.