Program Associate - Software Engineer

Note: This position is open across Mumbai, New Delhi, Bangalore and Remote

About Us

WRI India Programs work with governments, businesses, civil society, and on-ground organisations to develop strategies and digital tools that build community resilience, and bridge capacity gaps. WRI India's technology work is part of a broader commitment to open-source, interoperable Products — building tools that are publicly accessible, standards-compliant, and scalable to national and subnational use.

Job Highlight

WRI India is seeking a junior Software Engineer to contribute to the development of open-source digital platforms and geospatial tools across Programs such as Food, Land, Water, Mobility, Cities, and Energy. You will help build web-based applications, interactive maps, data pipelines, and AI-assisted tools that support WRI India's research and programmatic work across food systems, land use, water, and climate. This is a hands-on, learning-oriented role for someone eager to apply modern software engineering to solve for the challenges in India.

What You Will Do

I.  Platform development and engineering  (45%)

• Build and maintain full-stack web applications using JavaScript frameworks (React or Vue.js) and Python or Node.js backends, following WRI India's engineering standards.

• Develop interactive geospatial features using open-source mapping libraries such as Maplibre GL, OpenLayers, Leaflet, and Deck.gl.

• Write and maintain geospatial data queries and pipelines using PostGIS, GDAL, GeoPandas, and GeoServer to process and serve spatial datasets.

• Build RESTful APIs to expose environmental and geospatial data to internal tools and external partners.

• Implement automated tests, write clear documentation, and follow version control and code review practices using Git and GitHub.

• Deploy and maintain applications on cloud platforms (AWS or GCP), using containerisation tools such as Docker.

II.  Geospatial and data tooling  (25%)

• Contribute to the development and maintenance of geospatial data pipelines that ingest, process, and visualise data on food systems, land use, water, and climate.

• Work with raster and vector geospatial data formats (GeoJSON, GeoTIFF, Shapefile, MVT) and serve them via tile servers or OGC APIs.

• Integrate with open platforms such as Google Earth Engine, Sentinel Hub, or ISRO's Bhuvan for satellite imagery processing.

• Support the development of data dashboards and visualisation tools using libraries such as D3.js, Plotly, or Recharts.

• Help maintain WRI India's open data repositories, ensuring data quality, metadata standards, and accessibility.

III.  AI tools and research support  (20%)

• Assist in integrating AI and ML tools into research and programmatic workflows — including LLM APIs, geospatial classification models, and automated data extraction pipelines.

• Build lightweight AI-assisted tools such as document analysis utilities, chatbots for internal use, or RAG (retrieval-augmented generation) pipelines using open-source frameworks (LangChain, LlamaIndex).

• Support researchers and program staff in using and accessing digital tools, providing troubleshooting and basic training where needed.

• Stay current on open-source AI, geospatial, and web technologies and contribute ideas for improving WRI India's technical stack.

IV.  Collaboration and knowledge sharing  (10%)

• Work closely with senior engineers, program managers, and UX designers to translate user needs into technical requirements and deliver high-quality features.

• Participate in agile ceremonies (sprint planning, standups, retrospectives) and contribute to a collaborative engineering culture.

• Contribute to open-source projects and communities relevant to WRI India's technology stack.

• Document features, APIs, and deployment processes clearly for internal and external audiences.

What You Will Need

Qualifications and experience

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Geoinformatics, or a related technical field.

• 2–4 years of professional experience in software engineering, including internships and academic projects.

• Proficiency in JavaScript (React or Vue.js preferred) and Python for web application development.

• Working knowledge of geospatial concepts and tools — familiarity with PostGIS, GDAL, GeoJSON, or any mapping library (Leaflet, Maplibre GL, OpenLayers) is a strong advantage.

• Basic experience with relational databases (PostgreSQL preferred) and RESTful API development.

• Familiarity with version control using Git and GitHub, and comfort working in an agile development environment.

• Exposure to cloud platforms (AWS or GCP), Docker, or CI/CD pipelines is desirable.

• Interest in or familiarity with AI and ML tools — including LLM APIs, prompt engineering, or Python ML libraries — is a plus.

• Strong problem-solving ability, attention to detail, and willingness to learn new technologies.

• Interest in environmental sustainability, public policy, food systems, or related domains is preferred.

• A portfolio of projects (GitHub, deployed apps, academic work) demonstrating technical ability is encouraged.

Technology stack

Python, JavaScript (React or Vue.js), Node.js, PostgreSQL/PostGIS, GDAL, GeoJSON, Maplibre GL or Leaflet, Git/GitHub, Docker (basic), REST APIs, Google Earth Engine (familiarity), LLM APIs (basic exposure)

Potential Salary and Benefits: INR 9,50,000 to 12,00,000 per annum

Salary shall be commensurate with experience, skills and internal parity. WRI India offers a generous and comprehensive benefits package.

Duration: 1 year

Location: Mumbai/New Delhi/ Bangalore/Remote

Start date: As soon as possible.
 

List of Documents to be attached:

• Cover Letter
• Resume

Only shortlisted applicants will be contacted for interview purpose.

How to Apply

Qualified applicants should apply online at www.wri.org/careers. All applications must be submitted online through this career portal in order to be formally considered. Only select applicants will be contacted for interview. There will be a writing test conducted with final candidates. Please do not contact program staff directly for this position.

Kindly note that WRI India’s recruitment process does not involve any payment at any stage. Applicants will never be asked to share bank account or financial information as part of the application. All official communication and offer letters are issued only through authorised WRI India email IDs.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion @ WRI India
WRI India values diversity and promotes an inclusive workplace where people from diverse backgrounds can thrive. We are committed to creating a welcoming environment that supports equity and inclusion across all areas of our work.

This role is an excellent opportunity for candidates looking to contribute to a mission-driven organization while developing expertise in expense management and office administration within an international NGO setting.

Learn more about WRI India’s commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI). Click Here

People-centric to the core:

We keep our people at the center of everything we do - from a welcoming work environment to benefits and a culture that encourages staff to stay healthy, happy, engaged, and growing.

Some of the non-monetary benefits that our staff get:

Health benefits: We cover health insurance for you and your loved ones for up to INR 8 lakhs

Term Insurance: Our term insurance policy covers life coverage of 50 lakhs per staff member

Employee Assistance program: Promoting mental well-being and supporting staff in achieving a satisfying work-life balance

Health & Nutrition: Personalized diet recommendation from a certified dietitian based on the physical health condition and lifestyle

Flexible work schedule: Alternative work arrangements for all who are eligible by nature of their job

Learning culture: Workshops and trainings to empower staff, encourage new learning opportunities

Rest and Recharge weeks: We encourage staff to take time off to rest, rejuvenate, upskill, and pursue their interests.

Our leave policy: Avail personal time off at 36 per year, along with public holidays, maternity, paternity, and adoption leaves.

Click here to know more about our benefits Careers | WRI INDIA (wri-india.org)

Equal employment @WRI India

We believe in equal employment, it is our policy to recruit and provide opportunities for advancement in all job classifications without regard to caste, religion, sex, age, marital status, sexual orientation, parental status, or disability.