About You and The Role 

Zipline’s Nest Applications Software team builds and manages the fulfillment, maintenance and flight systems that power our operations in Africa. We are responsible for the software that manages medical inventory, order processing, and flight coordination for automated delivery at scale. Our work spans internal platforms that streamline supply chain, and financial workflows, as well as external-facing applications that allow customers to place and track orders. By connecting every corner of the business through software, we ensure Zipline can operate efficiently, intelligently, and globally.

What You'll Do  

• Deep dive into your users’ problems to simplify operational workflows which enable the business to move efficiently 
• Architect simple, modular, flexible software systems that evolve with fast changing business needs.
• Lead backend and frontend development of major projects across all aspects of a modern tech stack.
• Establish strong automated testing practices across unit, integration, and system layers.
• Improve reliability, observability, and operational robustness of production systems.
• Systematize AI-assisted workflows across development, testing, and operations.
• Maintain clear engineering patterns, code quality standards, and review discipline.
• Mentor junior engineers through direct coaching, pairing, and design reviews.
• Increase team throughput by reducing friction, simplifying architecture, and eliminating waste.

What You'll Bring 

• 8+ years building and operating production-grade distributed systems.
• Deep experience developing full stack software using Python, Go, or a similar object-oriented language.
• Frontend experience using React or similar Javascript frameworks.
• Experience architecting distributed and event-driven systems using Kafka or similar technologies.
• Database modeling and performance tuning experience with Postgres.
• Demonstrated history of designing systems that are simple, flexible, and resilient.
• Proven implementation of comprehensive automated testing strategies.
• Experience driving architectural decisions in fast-changing environments.
• Track record of mentoring and growing junior engineers.

Nice to Haves

• Experience building modern fulfillment, logistics, or warehouse systems.
• Willingness to spend significant time in Kigali, Rwanda, via travel or relocation.
• Production experience with Kubernetes and AWS.

What Else You Need to Know   

The final cash pay for this role will depend on a variety of factors, including a specific candidate's experience, qualifications, skills, working location, and projected impact. The total compensation package for this role may also include: equity compensation; overtime pay; discretionary annual or performance bonuses; sales incentives; benefits such as medical, dental and vision insurance; paid time off; and more.

Zipline is an equal opportunity employer and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, ancestry, national origin, religion or religious creed, mental or physical disability, medical condition, genetic information, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, and related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, marital status, military or veteran status, citizenship, or other characteristics protected by state, federal or local law or our other policies.

We value diversity at Zipline and welcome applications from those who are traditionally underrepresented in tech. If you like the sound of this position but are not sure if you are the perfect fit, please apply!

About the Role

The Zipline Maps team is responsible for producing the high-precision geospatial data that our fully autonomous drones need to safely and reliably navigate complex urban environments—flying from fulfillment centers directly to homes, businesses, and other delivery locations. We build and maintain systems for collecting and aggregating spatial data from a variety of sources, validating our flight routes over the latest information, and providing geospatial services to stakeholders across the company. We use these tools to measure and manage risk and ensure regulatory compliance in each jurisdiction.

As Zipline grows, the imperatives of scale are driving the development of robust systems that enable distributed teams to manage geographic data around the world. We analyze the accuracy of elevation models, estimate and track the completeness of ground feature datasets, evaluate the impact of new distribution centers, model an evolving regulatory landscape, and keep everything up-to-date as time passes and the world changes around us.

As a Senior Full Stack Software Engineer, you’ll play a critical role in shaping the systems that bridge complex backend services with human operators around the world. You’ll collaborate with designers, product managers, and map editors to deliver elegant user interfaces that turn sophisticated data and workflows into simple, intuitive experiences.

This role is not just about building features—it’s about creating the face of Zipline’s technology. From operational dashboards that track thousands of daily deliveries, to interfaces that help regulators evaluate safety and compliance, to design systems that empower our entire engineering org, your work will directly influence how the world interacts with autonomous delivery at scale.

What You'll Do

• Build and scale full-stack systems that power Zipline’s global mapping and flight validation workflows
• Develop intuitive web applications for map annotators, and regulators to interact with complex geospatial data
• Build robust APIs and data pipelines that integrate multiple geospatial data sources, ensuring accuracy, completeness, and regulatory compliance
• Create reusable component libraries and design systems to ensure consistency across tools and dashboards
• Improve system reliability, performance, and observability to support autonomous delivery at global scale

What You'll Bring

• 5+ years of experience building and maintaining production web applications
• 2+ years of experience leading frontend projects, driving architectural decisions, and mentoring other engineers
• Strong expertise with Rust, Python, React (or similar frameworks), and modern full-stack tools
• Experience building component libraries and design systems that balance flexibility with consistency
• A customer-obsessed mindset, with the drive to continuously improve products in close feedback loops with real users
• Strong communication skills and a collaborative approach to solving problems across distributed teams

What Else You Need to Know   

Zipline is an equal opportunity employer and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, ancestry, national origin, religion or religious creed, mental or physical disability, medical condition, genetic information, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, and related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, marital status, military or veteran status, citizenship, or other characteristics protected by state, federal or local law or our other policies.

We value diversity at Zipline and welcome applications from those who are traditionally underrepresented in tech. If you like the sound of this position but are not sure if you are the perfect fit, please apply!

Please Note

We have received reports stating that certain individuals are reaching out to people under false pretenses, claiming to be Zipline employees, affiliates, agents, or representatives. They may seek to gain access to your personal information or to acquire money from you by offering fictitious employment opportunities or by claiming that they are contacting you on Zipline’s behalf.

Genuine Zipline employees or representatives will never ask you for money or payment in exchange for employment opportunities or other related services. Any such offer of employment or any other service in exchange for fees that claims to be from us is deceitful and part of a fraud.

If you believe you have been targeted by a fraudulent party, we ask that you immediately get in touch with us via email at security@flyzipline.com upon receiving a suspicious offer or claim.

ABOUT ALU

At the African Leadership University (ALU), we are more than an academic institution, we are a launchpad for Africa’s next generation of leaders. Our mission is bold: to develop ethical, entrepreneurial changemakers who will shape Africa’s future. Through an innovative curriculum, hands-on learning, and a vibrant pan-African community, we equip our students to tackle complex challenges, connect the dots across diverse perspectives, and create solutions that drive lasting impact. We don’t just teach; we nurture adaptable, globally minded problem-solvers ready to thrive in ambiguity, build from scratch, and lead Africa into a prosperous 21st century.

African Leadership University is incorporated in Rwanda as The African Leadership University (ALU) and in Mauritius as the African Leadership College of Higher Education (ALCHE). Each entity is separately accredited to offer qualifications by the Council of Higher Education in Rwanda and the Higher Education Commission in Mauritius. The ALU School of Business (ALUSB) is the engine of education in business, leadership, and entrepreneurship for both campuses. 

We are dedicated to fostering an open yet secure environment, balancing the safety of students, staff, and visitors with respect for individual rights, and safeguarding responsibilities.

HOW WE WORK

The ALU Team works in starkly different ways to traditional academic bureaucracies. We approach education from first principles, empower individuals to design, test, and implement creative new ideas, and work closely together to craft transformative learning experiences. We are deeply passionate about our students and excited by the challenge of building something entirely new.

The African Leadership University is committed to ensuring the safety and Well-being of all students under our care. As part of this commitment , we have a comprehensive safeguarding policy in place , which outlines our Zero-tolerance approach to any violation of safeguarding.

ABOUT THE ROLE

The BSc Software Engineering programme is a three-year degree programme with the aim of developing Software Engineering graduates at scale who are well prepared to leverage technology as the first hand solution to solve relevant problems in the continent and beyond and also who are ready to meet the needs of employers globally. This innovative and scalable programme prepares graduates not only with relevant technical skills but also problem solving and leadership skills missing in our tech graduates and promotes learning with a purpose.

The role  of the  SE Specialisation Coach - Full Stack Web Development entails the responsibility to successfully deliver the learning components of the programme in the Full Stack Web Development Specialization track or other SE modules adhering to the principles of our ALU’s Learning Model.

We are looking for an individual who can meet the requirements as mentioned in the profile below:

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Manage the in-person experience for the programme including the academic orientation,  induction for the specialisation modules for each intake, including responsibility for its development, evolution and its delivery adhering to the internal and external quality assurance standards
• Design, evolve and deliver the specialisation modules, induction and re-induction of new and existing coaches, respectively.
• Review, validate and refine the current learning curriculum of the Full Stack Web Development Specialization tracks and revise the operational plans per trimester for an effective learning delivery based on continuous feedbacks.
• Audit and refine the experiential learning components for each trimester additional to the support in self-directed student learning. Organize academic activities including Live coding sessions, Peer Learning Days, Mock Interview sessions, Hackathons and any other events that encourages student engagement in both online and in-person learning environments
• Administration and coordination of the internship modules along with supporting teams (Coaches, SPD team and other stakeholders)
• Evaluate the possibilities of improving student learning experiences by leveraging partnerships with industries, draft concept notes and finalize relevant plans to include the identified learning activities as part of the learning content.
• Contribute to updated definitive documentation for the Software Engineering modules in the programme handbooks, policies and accreditation documents
• Participate in regular student-staff consultative group meetings and other feedback instruments to capture student feedback and to implement recommendations to enhance the quality of programme delivery.
• Assist the SE Programme Manager in the review and approval of course modifications made by external learning content partners, either independently or following ALU inputs.
• Engage with all developmental and performance management processes for academic teams.
• Contribute to the annual programme review to ensure content is up-to-date, valid, relevant and reflects current and future trends in Software Engineering, whilst giving consideration to pedagogical approaches suited for hybrid learning.
• Implement modifications to learning materials, assessments and other relevant components meet internal and external quality assurance requirements.
• Implement modifications to the academic components following the findings of the annual programme review, periodic review, student-staff consultative groups, student evaluations and other quality assurance & enhancement instruments.
• Other relevant activities to ensure successful delivery of the programme.
• Engage in institutional service through active participation in the Senate and its sub-committees as per their composition.
• Any other reasonable duties that may be allocated from time to time by the line manager.

Person Specification:

Essential

• Master’s degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering or a relevant field where Software Engineering and/or Programming is a significant component with at least 5 years of industry experience in Web Development Domain.
• Experience in core web development components -  HTML, CSS, JavaScript, JSON, BootStrap, Flexbox etc
• Experience working with React.js, React-native, Node.js, ES6, modern SQL/NoSQL databases
• Deep knowledge and experience in DevOps technologies 
• Expertise in managing and deploying services on the public cloud - e.g. AWS, Google Cloud, Microsoft Azure
• Practical experience building and consuming RESTful APIs
• Expertise in information retrieval using Python requests and APIs
• Strong understanding of and practical exposure to regular expressions 
• Experience in network configurations, load balancing on servers and firewalls
• Knowledge in CI/CD technologies such as CircleCI and Jenkins
• Experience using version control systems [preferably git] for software development
• Experience in linux based shell scripting 
• Strong debugging skills in the respective domain expertise.
• Experience designing experiential learning activities that promotes peer learning
• Experience guiding student undergraduate Projects
• Excellent coaching and adequate computing skills with the ability to support students in both remote and in-person learning environments
• Excellent communications (oral and written), interpersonal and presentation skills.
• Excellent problem-solving skills with attention to detail.
• Excellent time management skills with the ability to multitask, prioritise own work, and work independently.
• The ability to quickly analyze data and determine the appropriate academic support intervention required by the student or to redirect to other teams.
• A startup mindset to help us scale the programme to the order of thousands of students in the next 12 months.
• A strong, customer-service ethos
• An ability to work flexibly with remote team members if needed

Desirable

• Experience in Embedded programming  / Mobile Development / Machine Learning is a plus
• Strong regional or international network - Startup Incubators and accelerators, etc.
• Experience of programme management and leadership at a higher education institution.
• Experience in people management - managing a fast-growing team
• Experience of online teaching and learning delivery at challenger universities.
• Experience of teaching at higher education level.

About One Acre Fund

Founded in 2006, One Acre Fund equips 5.5 million smallholder farmers to make their farms more productive. Across nine countries that together are home to two-thirds of Africa's farmers, we provide high-quality farm supplies, tree seedlings, accessible credit, modern agronomic training, and a wide range of other agricultural services. On average, this model enables any farmer to increase their income and assets on supported land by more than 35 percent, while permanently improving their resilience. This is all made possible by our team of 9,000+ full-time staff, drawn from diverse backgrounds and professions.

To learn more, please see our Why Work Here blog post.

About the Role

We believe that new technology is critical to building the most effective rural distribution network on the African continent. Today, we reach over 1.6 million farm families and we aspire to serve more than 10 million households in the coming decade. Reporting to the Chief Technology Officer, you will lead the development of our technology, focusing on a mobile tech transformation: providing our field staff with the mobile-based tools to reach more farmers; developing scalable, direct communication channels with farmers to improve customer service; and digitizing and decentralizing data collection tools to speed up data flows and improve efficiency.

We are looking for someone with the technical experience to bring this vision to life; the Director of Engineering will transform our technology into a core organizational strength, working through several development teams that cross our tech stack

Responsibilities

• Own the tech stack and overall architecture and strategic direction: You will guide our team to work toward a common vision of our tech stack, ensuring a robust solution across all of our technical needs whether back-office, client-facing, or business intelligence needs.
• Lead efficient delivery of impactful software products: Provide detailed, hands-on guidance for tech projects based on an intimate understanding of our clients and internal users. Maintain a robust and well-documented architecture, balancing elegant design with practical requirements across our functional needs.
• Leverage Talent into an Agile Center of Excellence: Support a talented team to work at their best - support Agile processes that go beyond scrum ceremonies to drive efficiency and excellence in all areas. Use new technologies to support the velocity and quality of deployments.
• Develop Leaders and Build Team: Manage a leadership team of ~5 senior-level direct reports, and increase career growth and performance across the division.
  • Grow the careers of leaders across the tech division through weekly check-ins and workshops, ongoing development feedback, and regular career reviews.
  • Provide technical mentorship to the team.
  • Lead recruitment efforts to ensure we are building our team with top talent.
  • Set clear performance expectations and support the team to build itself as a center of excellence.

Career Growth and Development

We have a strong culture of constant learning and we invest in developing our people. You’ll have weekly check-ins with your manager, access to mentorship and training programs, and regular feedback on your performance. We hold career reviews every six months, and set aside time to discuss your aspirations and career goals. You’ll have the opportunity to shape a growing organization and build a rewarding long-term career.

Qualifications

Across all roles, these are the general qualifications we look for. For this role specifically, you will have:

• 10+ years of industry experience with 5+ years leading and managing technology teams.
• Experience working with mobile technology solutions.
• Passion for providing hands-on execution guidance for large teams.
• Experience managing Agile software engineering teams successfully deploying solutions to support complex processes.
• Experience translating complex customer needs into high-quality tech solutions that deliver impact.
• Experience with our tech (C# .Net Core, CouchBase, React Native, and Kubernetes) and our tooling landscape (GitHub, JIRA, and Azure DevOps).
• Humility. We are looking for a passionate professional who combines a focus on excellent performance with good humor, patience, and a service mindset interested in joining our family of leaders.
• Language: English is required in all locations.

Preferred Start Date

As soon as possible

Job Location

Nairobi, Kenya; or Kigali, Rwanda (these two locations are preferred but we are open to locations within our program countries)

Benefits

Health insurance, housing, and comprehensive benefits

Eligibility

One Acre Fund can support a work permit for this role. However, nationals of (or those with an extensive professional background and work history in) our countries of operation are preferred.

Application Deadline

9 February 2026

One Acre Fund never asks candidates to pay any money or pay for tests at any stage of the interview process. Official One Acre Fund emails will always arrive from an @oneacrefund.org address. Please report any suspicious communication here (globalhotline@oneacrefund.org), but do not send applications or application materials to this email address.

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion (DEI), and anti-racism are deeply connected to our organization’s mission and purpose. One Acre Fund aspires to build a culture where all staff feel consistently valued, represented, and connected – so that our team can thrive as professionals, and achieve exceptional impact for the farmers we serve.

We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, marital status, disability, gender, gender identity or expression. We are proud to be an equal opportunity workplace.