Komaza is revolutionizing African forestry by unlocking the potential for small-scale farmers to serve booming wood markets. By combining high-scale operations with digital intelligence, we are currently planting commercial-grade forests at a rate of over 1 million trees with 5,000+ new farmers per year, making us Kenya’s largest industrial tree planter.  We hold the only sustainable blueprint for meeting Africa’s $30B wood supply crisis - by leveraging farmers’ contribution of land and labor, Komaza can access nearly limitless land and establish a hectare of trees for far less than big plantations. 

We recently raised a $28M Series B from top venture and climate investors and have rapidly grown to become one of Africa's top 5 commercial tree planters, producing one of the world's cheapest and most scalable carbon sequestration engines on the planet. We're supported by top environmental organizations including Conservation International and The Nature Conservancy. We've also just launched a partnership with Apple's $200 Restore Fund. 

About the team

Data Science is a new team whose mandate is to accelerate Komaza’s data and insights capabilities and facilitate its transition towards a tech-forward company. Our work spans Komaza’s entire value chain from Nursery to Sales and we participate in projects at every stage of the data lifecycle, from devising data capture and structuring methods, through to forecasting and predictive modeling. We work closely with many teams - particularly the Technology team - to complement their efforts with our knowledge and insights of data methods. This year we will work on projects ranging from carbon financing accreditation to executive dashboard design and delivery. 

About this role

As a Data Engineer Manager you will be joining our small (but growing) US-based Data Science team and play a critical role in helping shape Komaza’s short-term and long-term data architecture as the company looks to scale its operations across Africa. You will also be trusted with automating and maintaining the current systems, and help prepare and extract data for further analysis and reporting used to drive key company decisions. Additionally, as a member of the small (but growing) Data Science team you will help put in place the standards and best practices to help create a world-class analytics team.

What You Will Do

Data Architecture

• Lead efforts in the standardization, design, and deployment of the data architecture across Komaza’s value chain 

• Lead construction of the infrastructure, pipelines, and data tools to facilitate analytics, reporting and data science activities 
• Help propose and implement data curation and programming best practices to ensure the creation of a robust and scalable data framework 

Data Analysis

• Assist with Data Science teams' various key initiatives from Carbon Pricing Certification to director dashboard deployment and be willing to wear multiple hats
• Assist with the creation and extraction of large, complex data sets that meet functional / non-functional business requirements.

Data Integration

• Own data integration, ETL processes, and data management capabilities of the team
• Collaborate with various stakeholders including the Executive, Corporate Finance and Operations teams to assist with data-related technical issues and support their data infrastructure needs 
• Work closely with leads of the technology and Data Science team to strive for greater functionality in our data systems

Team Leadership

• Manage a team of 2+ Data Scientists and/or Analysts and track the team’s performance & KPIs
• Conduct regular trainings to upskill the team Travel to Kenya on a quarterly/semi-annual basis to work directly with the technology and operations teams
• Provide perspective on the latest technologies and industry trends to push the team towards world-class practices

What You Should Have

Education

• Master’s degree in Computer Science, MIS, Data Science or any other related field

Experience

• 3+ years experience and knowledge with Data Engineering and/or related technical experience
• 1+ years of team management experience, ideally in a Data Science environment 

Capabilities

• Strong knowledge of SQL
• Strong capability with Google SuiteExperience in data integration and/or ETL frameworks
• Experience in software development using object-oriented programming languages
• Experience with creating and deploying solutions that are hosted in cloud platforms like AWS, Salesforce, Azure or Google Cloud Platform
• Experience with Git/Github or similar version control systems
• Experience with data visualization tools (e.g. Tableau, QlikView, Looker) is a plus 
• Project management and coordination skills for concurrent, complex projects
• Strong experience in systems mapping and iterative experimentation
• Experience working with data collection and management in remote/rural, challenging environments is a plus
• Lean and resilient startup mindset to conduct complicated analyses and system building with limited resources
• Strong written and verbal communication skills

You’re also

• Highly aligned to our mission and values
• High energy and enthusiasm
• Flexible and self-motivated with the drive to do whatever necessary to get the job done
• Self-directed and intellectually curious - you know how and when to seek feedback in the pursuit of continuous improvement
• Adept at working in a fast-paced, demanding environment of a fast-growth company and comfortable wearing many hats 
• Growth-driven with a strong desire for personal development
• A collaborative problem solver who seeks the opinions of other teammates and departments in the development of creative and sustainable systems

What we expect

This is more than a technical role. It will challenge you to apply your quantitative and qualitative tech skills at a dynamic work environment!  You’ll get a chance to travel to our headquarters in Kilifi or Nairobi, Kenya. We offer a great opportunity to further your career.

Role Location

Presently remote (as of March 2021), however, preference for candidates in Seattle or the Bay Area for the longer term.

What’s in it for you?

Great vision without great people is irrelevant, Jim Collins wisely stated. If you share Komaza’s vision and want to help make it a reality, apply today! You’ll get a chance to work at our headquarters in Kilifi, Kenya. We offer a competitive remuneration package and an opportunity to further your career. 

Please note, applicants must have valid work authorization for the US (US Citizen, Green Card Holders, or other applicable work visas) as Komaza is unable to sponsor US work visas at this time. 

Komaza is an equal opportunity employer and values diversity. All employment is decided on the basis of qualifications, merit, and business need.