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Kijani Forestry
Agriculture + 2 more
Systems and Research Associate
Closed for applicationsOnly on Fuzu
Description
Kijani Forestry seeks a dynamic and results-driven Systems and Research Associate (SRA) to join the Expansion Team. The SRA will play a key role in designing, improving, and maintaining the data and information systems that support Kijani’s growing portfolio of Expansion-led projects, including our smallholder biochar initiative.
This is not a software engineering position. Instead, the ideal candidate will have a systems mindset, strong analytical skills, and the ability to work across digital platforms, field operations, and research workflows. They will act as an internal product owner, working with Kijani’s IT and project teams to streamline data collection, ensure interoperability of tools, and deliver actionable insights.
During the probation period, the SRA will focus primarily on biochar systems and operations, supporting the quality control team and overseeing a donor-funded field research grant on operational learning.
1. Systems development & information flow optimization
Develop, maintain, and improve data systems and information workflows for Expansion projects
Serve as the main point of coordination with Kijani’s IT team to translate field needs into technical system updates
Maintain clear documentation of data structures, user guides, and reporting formats ● Identify gaps in data systems and propose scalable, tech-enabled solutions using off-the shelf tools (e.g. Airtable, ODK, PlantVillage, Kobo)
2. Support to Biochar operations (initial focus)
Support the Biochar Quality Control (QC) team in managing data integrity, audit trails, and batch tracking
Help troubleshoot and streamline digital submission of production, mixing, and application data
Clean, organize, and maintain biochar-related data systems across mobile and desktop platforms
Participate in refining data pipelines and verification protocols aligned with carbon certification standards
3. Research coordination & donor reporting
Lead data collection, coordination, and reporting for a biochar-focused field research grant
Design and oversee small-scale field experiments comparing operational protocols
Manage field logistics, sample collection, and data quality checks
Conduct descriptive data analysis and present findings in clear written and visual formats
Draft donor reports and internal updates summarizing learnings and field performance
4. Cross-functional field support
Support data collection and coordination for special Expansion projects and for other Kijani departments , such as:
○ Growth rate modeling for nursery hubs
○ Biochar sample collection or in-field assessments
○ Monitoring of specialized trials or one-off exploratory activities
Provide hands-on support during field visits and assist teams with digital tools and research protocols
Minimum Requirements
Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science, Agriculture, Information Systems, Data Science, or related field
Proven experience managing digital data workflows (field-to-office) in a rural or community setting
Proficiency in at least one mobile data collection tool (e.g., ODK, KoboToolbox, Airtable, or similar)
Demonstrated ability to manage structured and unstructured data, run basic analyses, and produce reports
Excellent written and verbal communication skills Comfortable working across office, lab, and rural field environments Ability to work independently and coordinate across multiple teams
Preferred Qualifications
Experience in operational research or grant reporting
Familiarity with agroforestry, carbon projects, or rural technology deployment
Working knowledge of simple analytics software (e.g., Excel, R, Python)
Past exposure to carbon MRV or certification projects (e.g., Verra, Carbon Standards International, CERES etc.)
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