Senior Software Engineer

We help to strengthen resilience of vulnerable people exposed to hazards and crisis situations and we respond to disasters and conflicts to save lives and alleviate suffering. In the Netherlands with more than thirty thousand volunteers and internationally through technical assistance, supplies and money. Together we act before, during and after disasters to meet the needs and improve the lives of vulnerable people.

We do this without regards to nationality, race, religious beliefs, class or political opinion. Our seven principles guide our humanitarian work: humanity, impartiality, neutrality, independence, voluntary service, unity and universality.

The International Assistance division is responsible for all Netherlands Red Cross international support for victims of disasters and conflicts and for vulnerable people exposed to hazards.

Within the International assistance division, 510 is the data & digital unit of the Netherlands Red Cross. Our vision is that smart use of data and digital products will enable faster, higher quality and more (cost) effective humanitarian aid at a global level. The 510 initiative was established early 2016 and has grown since into a team of 50 core and project staff, and a wide network of students and volunteer data experts with diverse backgrounds.

510 has opened a staff position for a:

Senior Software Engineer

(32-40 hours/week, The Hague)

This is an excellent opportunity to join a growing Software Engineering team in a senior, high impact role, which is innovating, developing and scaling up digital humanitarian products in a ‘start-up’ like environment with a very strong social purpose.

Where are you going to work?

510 is ‘scaling up’ digital humanitarian products to maximise their humanitarian impact. To achieve this, we need to enhance our software engineering capacity and capabilities, and as a result, we are looking for a Senior Software Engineer to boost our Software Engineering team. The Senior full-stack Software Engineer will help us achieve our vision by contributing to digital products that are high quality, reliable, and secure, and mentoring, supporting and coaching more junior members of the team. The Senior full-stack Software Engineer is a critical role in the team.

You report to the Software Engineering Lead of 510. You work closely with design and product management colleagues in the digital team on product development, and with colleagues in the data team on ensuring a seamless connection between data and digital products. Currently there are 8 people working in the Software Engineering team, which we expect to grow in the next few years.

What are your core tasks going to be?

Within 3 months:

• Familiarize yourself with the 510 initiative and its team operations, processes, and goals.
• Begin contributing to front-end and back-end development, maintaining software architecture, and documenting your work.
• Start writing business logic code & APIs and user/developer-documentation.
• Begin writing unit/integration tests.
• Start building responsive web-apps with modern web technologies.

Within 6 months:

• Have a clear understanding of your role within the team and be actively involved in quality assurance.
• Be actively writing unit tests to continually improve quality and our ability to introduce features at a rapid pace.
• Begin conducting code and software architecture reviews with other team members.
• Start supporting other developers in developing software that fits in the DevOps environment.

Within 12 months:

• Fully integrate into the team, actively contributing to the coordination process.
• Coach team members in self-management, cross-functionality, and increase their coding skills.
• Support the Lead Software Engineering do functional reviews of the team members and propose learning pathways.
• Successfully contribute to multiple projects, demonstrating your strong fluency in TypeScript and experience with Node.js, Nest.js and PostgreSQL

Within your work this in an indication on what you will spend your time on:

• Contribute to front-end and back-end development: (c. 50%)
• Quality assurance (c. 30%)
• Coordination (c. 20%)

What do you bring?

We're looking for a senior software engineer who can help shape the future of data and digital technology within the humanitarian sector. Our ideal candidates come from a variety of backgrounds, bringing a wealth of experiences that will contribute to our success. We're particularly interested in those who can offer a fresh perspective and innovative ideas.

In this role, your technical skills will be vital. You should have a robust tech background, with at least six years of professional experience in both backend and frontend development. Expertise in TypeScript is essential, and experience with Node.js, Nest.js, PostgreSQL, and API development is highly desirable. Familiarity with Docker, Angular, and various mobile platforms will be an added advantage. We also value a deep understanding of software architecture, Git and GitHub/Azure workflows, Azure Cloud Services, and testing methods such as Automated Testing, TDD, Unit Tests, API Tests, and Integration Tests.

Beyond technical skills, we're seeking candidates who excel in mentoring and developing team members professionally. The role requires excellent verbal and written communication skills in English and a proven track record of effective collaboration within agile teams, including designers, product managers, and other developers. You should be proficient in communicating effectively with various team members, other departments, and stakeholders. We also value flexibility and adaptability to rapidly changing project requirements and priorities.

Experience in a humanitarian organization is a bonus but not a requirement. If you are passionate about making a difference and ready to bring your skills to our exciting and evolving environment, we would love to hear from you.

The ideal candidate is driven and quality-oriented, with a keen eye for detail. They excel in cooperation and have a strong analytical mind, with the ability to take a helicopter view of products and projects. Their written communication is excellent, and they listen attentively to others. Their natural curiosity fuels their self-development, continuously pushing them to learn and grow.

Your talents (competencies)

• Accurate
• Quality Oriented
• Analyzing and judging
• Listening skills
• Service oriented
• Flexibility
• Drive

What we offer you

An interesting job with a unique organization. The organization has an immense international network and a significant impact in the humanitarian sector. The work you do is socially relevant and makes an impact, which sometimes means an impact on yourself. Therefore, we care about your well-being and provide tools to find a good balance. We are a flexible and people-oriented work environment with room for initiative and development.

The salary for this position falls within scale 12 as mentioned in the collective agreement, depending on experience, with a minimum of €4.369,71 and a maximum of € €5.739,76 gross per month on the basis of full-time employment. We offer a fixed-term contract of 1 year with the prospect of extension.

Next to your monthly salary you will have a 'personal budget’ at your disposal, of 18,9% of your monthly gross salary. You can use it to withdraw a holiday allowance, extra holidays or an end of year bonus. There are also various additional conditions such as a pension scheme, travel allowance, and good opportunities for personal development. You will also have a laptop and mobile phone at your disposal.

Our office is in the Hague, walking distance from the Laan van NOI station. You will work based on your activities, partly from home and partly from the office. We regularly meet colleagues on the work floor but also online via Teams to discuss cross functional topics and to stay connected to each other and our networks.

Join us!

We look forward to receiving your motivation letter and your resume in English with reference to Shelly Jonker (HR advisor)  before 22 December 2024 through the following link: https://werkenvoorhet.rodekruis.nl/vacatures/vacature-332658. Want to know more about this role? You can contact  Richard Lines, Digital Team Lead at rlines@redcross.nl.

We find it important to ensure the reliability, professionalism, and integrity of our organization and (future) employees. Integrity screening is a standard part of our selection process. This means that a reference check is a standard part of our selection process, and we may also ask for a Certificate of Good Conduct (VOG) depending on the position.
Please note that, in order to be eligible for this position, you will need to be in the position to work and reside in the Netherlands.

For more information about the work of the Netherlands Red Cross, visit www.rodekruis.nl, or check our socials:  Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, YouTube, TikTok and X

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