Digital Humanitarian Platform R&D Infrastructure Architect

Luxembourg

Organization: ICRC - International Committee of the Red Cross
Location: Luxembourg
Grade: Level not specified - Level not specified
Occupational Groups:
- Communication and Public Information
- Humanitarian Aid and Coordination
- Infrastructure and Urban-Rural development
- Information Technology and Computer Science
- Scientist and Researcher
Closing Date: Closed

What we do

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) works worldwide to provide protection and humanitarian assistance to people affected by conflict and armed violence. We take action in response to emergencies and, at the same time, promote respect for international humanitarian law. We are an independent and neutral organization, and our mandate stems essentially from the Geneva Conventions of 1949. We work closely with National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and with their International Federation in order to ensure a concerted, rational and rapid humanitarian response to the needs of the victims of armed conflict or any other situation of internal violence. We direct and coordinate the international activities conducted in these situations.

Context

The humanitarian sector has been undergoing a significant digital transformation in recent years, creating both opportunities and risks. On the one hand, people affected by humanitarian emergencies are increasingly connected, and humanitarian organizations are developing and offering digital humanitarian services. On the other hand, unauthorized access to or extraction of humanitarian data by malicious actors, to gain operational advantages or for other non-humanitarian purposes, can create significant risks for the dignity and safety of vulnerable people whilst undermining the work of humanitarian actors.

The recent creation of an ICRC Delegation for Cyberspace aims at strengthening its capacity to be operational, also in a digital space, according to the standard working modalities of the ICRC. The ICRC Delegation for Cyberspace aims at exploring new ways to support, enable, and protect the ICRC’s digital footprint, which is made up primarily of the data that affected populations entrust it with. The Delegation also aims at creating a safe R&D environment to develop a response to the challenges brought by digitalization, notably in conflict settings, and anticipate those that will continue to emerge with its expansion. Understanding what adherence to the fundamental principles of neutrality, impartiality, and independence of exclusively humanitarian action means in a digital world, and adapting its operating modalities and technology choices accordingly, is a key component of this. This is essential for the ICRC to gain and preserve the trust of affected populations as well as interlocutors, to continue to have access to affected areas, also by digital means, to ensure that affected communities access essential humanitarian services, and to ensure the acceptance and safety of its own staff.

RedSafe, the Digital Humanitarian Platform, has been piloted in Southern Africa since 2021 and in Central America since 2023. It enables its users (people in need of humanitarian assistance) to self-register and access digital humanitarian services provided by the ICRC and its partners, through a web front-end. The platform has security and data protection concerns at the heart of its mandate that minimizes data collection and exposure of data.

From 2024, RedSafe and the Delegation for Cyberspace in Luxembourg will be working together to create a new instance of the Red Safe platform with the aim of ensuring the highest degree of neutrality, impartiality and independence from a technical architecture standpoint. This involves capitalizing on the Delegation work in the domain of Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) as well as a strong focus on data protection and security by design research and development done by the Data Protection Office in Geneva (DPO).

Purpose

We are seeking a talented and experienced Infrastructure (Software) Architect to join the Luxembourg Delegation and deploy RedSafe as a use-case to test the technologies that are being developed in the Luxembourg R&D environment.

As the RedSafe Infrastructure (Software) Architect, you will play a pivotal role in designing and implementing the new architecture of RedSafe, ensuring its scalability, security, and reliability security by design principle in the new environment, with the main objective of having a new Redsafe instance following principles of privacy and security by design architecture which could help keep up with constantly evolving technological advancements and improvements, in particular in the area of data protection by design architectures, digital identity etc. You will work closely with cross-functional teams from Geneva and Luxembourg to understand requirements, define technical solutions and drive the implementation of the new infrastructure, ensuring that RedSafe can be functional in the R&D environment in Luxembourg, and testing key technology elaborated by the Delegation as well as key technologies developed by the Data Protection Office (DPO) Tech Hub in cooperation with partners.

Accountabilities & Functional responsibilities

Architectural Design: Design, architect and actively maintain a new RedSafe platform, including the back and front-end, ensuring it meets the principles of security by design and data protection. Furthermore, the new platform should be ensured to comply with neutrality, impartiality, and independence in regard to its components and design choices.
System Development: Lead the development of key components and modules of the RedSafe platform, collaborating with developers (externals or partners) to deliver high-quality, scalable, and secure solutions.
Integration and Testing: Collaborate with cross-functional teams (DPO and RedSafe teams in GVA, University partners) to integrate different services and conduct thorough testing to ensure the reliability and functionality of them in RedSafe platform.
Documentation: Create and maintain technical documentation, including architecture diagrams, design documents, and implementation guidelines.
Technical Leadership: Provide technical leadership and guidance to the Luxembourg Red Safe team and collaborating developers, ensuring adherence to best practices, coding standards, and architectural principles.

People management responsibilities

Scope & Impact

Geographical remit: global

The position is based in Luxembourg, no remote working.

Education and Experience required

University degree (or equivalent experience) in a relevant field like engineering or computer science.
8+ years of proven experience as a Software Architect or similar role, with a track record of designing and implementing complex software systems.
Proven experience in leading and managing software development teams consisting of external developers and collaborating partners.
Demonstrated success in designing scalable, high-performance software solutions that meet security by design principles.
Experience with software development methodologies such as Agile, Scrum, or Kanban.
Familiarity with the full software development lifecycle, from requirements analysis to deployment, testing and maintenance.
Experience in conducting code reviews, architectural reviews, and technical evaluations

Technical skills required

Proficiency in software design principles, architectural patterns, and design patterns.
Strong knowledge of programming languages; specifically of Java, Python or Javascript
Experience and understanding of technical architecture (software and hardware)
Understanding of CI/CD processes.
Familiarity with microservices architecture, containerization, and orchestration technologies (e.g., Docker, Kubernetes)
Good knowledge in database design including SQL and NoSQL databases.
Understanding of web development technologies and frameworks (e.g., Java, React, Node.js)
Working knowledge of security principles and best practices, including encryption, authentication and authorization mechanisms.
Expertise in version control system (e.g., Git) and collaboration tools (e.g., Jira)
Experience with RESful APIs and asynchronous programming
Familarity with UI/UX principles and design patterns is a plus

Desired profile

Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to articulate technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders.
Problem-solving abilities and a proactive approach to identifying and addressing technical challenges.
Analytical thinking and attention to detail, with a focus on delivering high-quality solutions.
Adaptability and flexibility to work in a dynamic and fast-paced environment, adjusting to changing requirements and priorities.
Ability to work independently
English: fluent ; French: an asset

Our Values

At the ICRC, we value impact, collaboration, respect, and compassion. We seek candidates who demonstrate behaviors based on these shared values. For more information on the ICRC values, please visit this