Back-End Web Development Specialist

ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY

The Back-End Web Development Specialist, Media Viability Accelerator (MVA) will head up an important function for a cutting edge, online platform that will set a new standard for the industry – developing, testing, and deploying business layer components for the MVA.

Reporting to our Media Business Unit’s Head of Technology, the Back-End Web Development Specialist’s work will focus on maintaining and further developing an ASP.NET Core web API, which manages business layer functions for the MVA such as registration and data entry.

ABOUT THE MVA

Only by staying in business can independent news and information providers keep people safe and able to make informed decisions about their lives. With the rise of digital media, social and entertainment platforms, and disinformation, these independent media struggle to survive. To help meet this challenge, Internews has secured a 3-year program from USAID which will be known as the Media Viability Accelerator (“MVA”) Forward. It will be a highly visible initiative (announced at the 2021 and 2023 Summits for Democracy) and could have substantial impact on the media sector worldwide.

MVA Forward is contributing to the development of a new online platform supporting independent media by strengthening their business performance. Build on Azure and using ASP.NET Core, Angular and Bootstrap with embedded Power BI data visualizations, the platform offers a growing array of tailored insights and opportunities that can transform media businesses. By making these opportunities intuitive and easy to act on, independent media at scale will engage to create a thriving new ecosystem that unlocks new paths to long-term financial security.

Brought to Minimum Viable Product in January 2024 after seven months of development, the platform is now ready for phased launch through to public launch by August 2024. Over the coming years, the development team will add features, functionality, and languages so that independent media around the world can use the platform. In collaboration with Microsoft, the integration of AI to create powerful insights and recommendations is a priority. To ensure deep understanding of the MVA’s subject matter, purpose, and datasets, a small and dedicated team will lead further development, supplemented by contractors for any specific deliverables beyond the team’s capacity.

LOGISTICS

Internews has Headquarters offices in Washington, DC and London, UK which support a hybrid workforce with staff working remotely, fully in-office, or partially remote. This is a remote-based role, and candidates based anywhere in the United States or United Kingdom will be considered.

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, so candidates are encouraged to apply soon.

This is a limited-term position with an expected end date of September 24, 2026. This position may be extended.

OUR COMMITMENT TO FOSTERING A CULTURE OF BELONGING

We are an organization of dynamic, mission-driven individuals who are passionate about our core values and about supporting positive change in the world. We pride ourselves on our commitment to innovation and flexibility. We believe that diverse teams are strong teams and work to support an ethic of belonging, dignity, and justice for all people. Our current team includes a mix of genders, parents and non-parents, and people of multiple races, nationalities, ages, sexual orientations, and socioeconomic backgrounds. We are an EEO employer and encourage candidates of all races, genders, ages, orientations, ethnicities, and national origins to apply, and welcome those with alternative backgrounds and experiences.

DAY-TO-DAY TASKS will include:

General

• Commitment to understanding the MVA’s subject matter, purpose, datasets, and core technologies to ensure meaningful contribution to the program’s overall objectives.
• Contributing to defining the scope, objectives, and activities of the MVA.
• In all duties, upholding Internews’ Core Values and demonstrating commitment to fostering a culture of Belonging, Dignity, and Justice.

Collaboration

• Collaborating with the MVA Forward program team, which leads rollout of the platform globally, ensuring partner and stakeholder feedback is reflected in the MVA.
• Working closely with colleagues, including a Product Manager and a Front-End Web Development Specialist, to improve application usability and feature integration.
• Working in Scrum and contributing to sprint planning, goal setting, and product design.
• Communicating with, coordinating with, and/or managing the work of external contractors and solutions providers.

Web Development

• ASP.NET Development: Utilitize ASP.NET Core for the creation of back-end services. This includes developing APIs, microservices, and server-side logic to power web applications, ensuring high performance and responsiveness to requests from the front-end.
• Integration with Front-End: Work closely with front-end web developers to ensure seamless integration of ASP.NET Core back-end services with Angular front-end systems, facilitating a cohesive and dynamic user experience.
• Database Systems: Build and manage database systems for efficient indexing, querying, prefetching and caching with active management of Azure SQL. Implement best practices for database versioning and schema management to ensure system robustness and data integrity.
• API Integration and Management: Develop and maintain integrations with platforms — such as Google Analytics, Google Search Console, Meta, YouTube, and Telegram — for data retrieval and analysis.
• Secure Operations: SEcurely manage secrets, application configurations, and client tokens using Azure Key Vault. Test platform and application API calls. Coordinate with the –End Web Development Specialist for security testing of Entra and AD 2BC authentication, authorization, and logic.
• Documentation: Maintain and extend documentation of processes and components. Ensure documentation is accessible and up to date to support team collaboration and knowledge sharing.
• Code Maintenance and Improvement: Maintain and enhance the existing codebase for optimal performance and scalability, with a focus on future compatibility.
• Testing: Improve continuous logging and testing strategies. Adopt Test-Driven Development (TDD) or Behavior-Driven Development (BDD) methodologies to ensure high-quality outputs and efficient bug tracking.
• Project Management Tools: Issues and docs in Azure and Jira are key to project management, tracking tasks, and collaborating with team members.

QUALIFICATIONS WE’RE LOOKING FOR:

Required

• A bachelor’s degree in computer science or a related discipline, or equivalent professional experience.
• At least ten years of relevant professional experience, including a minimum of five years of professional experience as a Back-End Web Development Specialist, with a proven track record of successful projects.
• Demonstrated proficiency in C# and ASP.NET Core for back-end development, with a solid understanding of its ecosystem, including Entity Framework, .NET Core Identity for authentication and authorization, and efficient data access methodologies.
• Experience building RESTful APIs.
• Integration experience, including OAuth authentication and consuming RESTful APIs for data retrieval, manipulation, and third-party service integration.
• Knowledge of security management, including use of Azure B2C.
• Database expertise, including experience with Azure SQL Database.
• Excellent written and spoken English skills.
• Proven interpersonal skills, including excellent team-building and communication skills.
• Experience with agile software development in a team using version control.
• Ability to work effectively both independently and in close collaboration with colleagues, across multiple locations.
• Demonstrated organizational skills, ability to multi-task, and prioritize workload.
• Self-reliance, resourcefulness, flexibility, and problem-solving attitude.
• Optimism, a sense of humor, and excitement regarding this work.

Preferred

Note: Candidates who do not have these preferred qualifications, but who are interested and willing to learn, are encouraged to apply.

• Full-stack development experience.
• Experience using Angular and/or TypeScript.
• experience in scripting or data engineering using Python.
• Advanced experience or certifications in Azure cloud services and solutions.
• Experience with continuous integration and deployment (“CI/CD”) tools and practices, particularly within Azure DevOps.
• Familiarity with Azure cloud services including ADLS, Azure Key Vault, and Azure batch.
• Experience working with performance metrics for data visualization.
• Ability to troubleshoot complex issues and develop effective solutions.
• Extensive experience with best practices in data security and compliance.
• Experience working with news media.
• Proficiency in any other spoken language.