JOB DESCRIPTION

IT Officer – Engineering I

Job #: req32415 Organization: World Bank Sector: Information Technology Grade: GF Term Duration: 3 years 0 months Recruitment Type: Local Recruitment Location: Washington, DC,United States Required Language(s): English Preferred Language(s): Closing Date: 4/4/2025 (MM/DD/YYYY) at 11:59pm UTC

Description

Do you want to build a career that is truly worthwhile? Working at the World Bank Group provides a unique opportunity for you to help our clients solve their greatest development challenges. The World Bank Group is one of the largest sources of funding and knowledge for developing countries; a unique global partnership of five institutions dedicated to ending extreme poverty, increasing shared prosperity and promoting sustainable development. With 189 member countries and more than 130 offices worldwide, we work with public and private sector partners, investing in groundbreaking projects and using data, research, and technology to develop solutions to the most urgent global challenges. For more information, visit www.worldbank.org

ITS Vice Presidency Context:

The Information and Technology Solutions (ITS) Vice Presidential Unit (VPU) enables the World Bank Group to achieve its mission of ending extreme poverty and boost shared prosperity on a livable planet by delivering transformative information and technologies to its staff working in over 150+ locations. For more information on ITS, see this video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?reload=9&v=VTFGffa1Y7w

Our vision is to transform how the Bank Group accomplishes its mission through information and technology. In this fast-paced, ever-changing world, the formulation and implementation of the ITS strategy is an ongoing, iterative process of learning and adaptation developed through extensive consultations with business partners throughout the World Bank Group.

ITS shapes its strategy in response to changing business priorities and leverages new technologies to achieve three high-level business outcomes: business enablement, by providing Bank Group units with innovative digital tools and technologies to transform how they deliver value for their clients; empowerment & effectiveness, by ensuring that all Bank Group staff are connected, able to find information, and productive to accelerate the delivery of development solutions globally; and resilience, by equipping the Bank Group to provide risk-based cybersecurity and robust data protection for a global network and a growing cloud platform.

Implementation of the strategy is guided by three core principles. The first is to deliver solutions for business partners that are customer-centric, innovative, and transformative. The second is to provide the Bank Group with value for money with selective and standard technologies. The third principle is to excel at the basics by providing a high performing, robust, and resilient IT environment for the organization.

ITS Technology Innovation Office (ITSTI) Context:

The ITSTI Office provides a collaboration platform, knowledge hub and accelerator for the experimentation, prototyping and mainstreaming of cutting-edge technologies and innovative business models at the WBG. ITSTI collaborates with internal and external stakeholders to explore and scale new capabilities that will enable the Bank Group to fully harness the Digital Age to achieve its mission. ITSTI also leads enterprise efforts to speed the adoption of transformative and innovative technologies. Finally, ITSTI provides the know-how, experimentation space, convening power and guidance to deliver improved business solutions using new and emerging technologies such as Cybersecurity, Blockchain, Artificial Intelligence, IoT, 5G, Physical AI, Edge AI, Spatial Computing/Spatial Intelligence, Quantum Technologies and other emerging technologies.

The incumbent will report to the Manager of the Technology Innovation Office.

Note: If the selected candidate is a current Bank Group staff member with a Regular or Open-Ended appointment, s/he will retain his/her Regular or Open-Ended appointment. All others will be offered a 3-year term appointment.

Role and Responsibilities:

The Opportunity – ITSTI serves as an internal World Bank Group learning and exploration hub around innovative practices and frontier technologies for organizational and development impact. The ITSTI also provides insights into business and policy models transformation, operationalization of frontier technologies by applying design thinking, agile, foresight and lean start-up methodologies, and approaches.

Specific Duties:

• This position provides for a professional with comprehensive and deep knowledge and expertise of disruptive technologies like but not limited to AI, Cognitive Computing, Internet of Things, Blockchain, Robotics, Big Data and Analytics, etc. The candidate should demonstrate strong analytical skills and understanding of the technology landscape and market trends, and ability to determine potential impact on the enterprise, both from the IT and business operations perspectives.

• Apply innovative methodologies and approaches (like Design Thinking, Agile, Foresight, and Systems Design/Thinking) in designing, exploring iteratively, and supporting the operationalization of innovative business practices and emerging technologies for development impact in WB client countries.

• Lead engagements and knowledge-sharing sessions with university innovation labs, tech and entrepreneurial communities, public, private and technology sectors’ partners in exploring, experimenting and co-creating innovative technology enabled solutions for development impact, via Proof of Values (PoVs), technical prototypes, hacking sprints, hackathons, innovation challenges, etc.

• Serve as lead in exploring potential growth and development of Blockchain, AI and Machine Learning, Internet of Things (IoT), AR/VR, 3D printing, quantum computing and other emerging technologies offering which could be implemented across WBG.

• Applying their strong understanding of the application of Blockchain, AI and Machine Learning, AR/VR, IoT, quantum computing, Industrial 4.0 and Big Data Analytics contributing to operation business improvement and cost saving.

• Contribute to developing the knowledge and learning for WBG staff in EAP and beyond, to facilitate the adoption of innovative technologies into WBG operations.

• Lead the identification of market technology trends which create the potential for the World Bank to leverage/accelerate the use of innovative digital platforms and/or hosting solutions.

• Lead and/or coordinate complex multi-disciplinary proof of concepts and engagements to fast-track the learning and adoption of disruptive/innovative technologies and provide technology advise to corporate and operational teams.

Selection Criteria

• Master’s degree in Computer Science, or in Technology, Development-related fields, with 5 years of experience OR Bachelor’s Degree with 7+ years of relevant experience in providing innovating solutions with one or several of the innovative technologies like Cloud, Distributed Ledger Technologies/Blockchain, AI and Machine Learning, Physical AI, AR/VR, Spatial Computing/Spatial Intelligence, IoT, Quantum Technologies, Industrial 4.0 and Big Data Analytics, etc

• Strong technology knowledge, expertise and skills, with focus on both conventional and emerging technologies.

• Strong programming skills and experience in software application development, architecture design to support operationalization of emerging technologies.

• Knowledge and proven experience in Design thinking, Agile, Foresight, & Systems Thinking, Systems Design methodologies, frameworks and tools.

• Knowledge and Technical Architecture skills to research and design new architectural components

• Knowledge and understanding of the developing countries and emerging economies development context and priorities.

• Prior experience in working on technology and innovation projects/initiatives in public, private, start-up sectors, with the focus on exploring innovative business models and emerging technologies for development impact, from experimentation to incubation/scaling and operationalization.

• Creativity, passion, and initiative to deliver outcomes and the know-how to get things done.  Explores ways to get more impactful results; sets challenging stretch goals for oneself.

• Experience managing teams, programs and/or multiple projects.

• Excellent interpersonal skills, proven team orientation, proven ability to work effectively and collaboratively within and across institutional boundaries.

• Proven ability to lead and work independently, seeking guidance on complex issues from leadership.

• Strong partnership building skills to connect with various stakeholders to create opportunities to collaborate, co-create and innovate.

• Ability to operate effectively and efficiently in sensitively in multi-cultural environments, experience in working in developing countries.

• Fluency in written and spoken English.

Required Competencies & Skills 

Technical Competencies:

• Advanced coding expertise with strong technical proficiency in key programming languages and frameworks, enabling the development of prototype with robust and scalable solutions.

• Proven ability to design and architect technology solutions, utilizing best practices and design patterns to deliver effective business outcomes.

• Proven technical skills and proficiency in Python programming is a strong plus, with hands-on experience in Python-based libraries and frameworks including NumPy, Pandas, Django, Flask, and scikit-learn or any related programming languages and frameworks.

• Familiarity with the Linux command line operations and proficiency in executing commands and navigating the Linux environment.

• Ability to develop prototype such as AI models, data visualizations, and interactive dashboards to support country-level projects

• Systems Engineering experience with a proven track record working on diverse computing protocols, high-performance systems, and distributed technologies is a plus
Knowledge of emerging technology processes and practices, including how to evaluate new technologies and their potential value to the business.

Project & Client Management Competencies

• Client Understanding and Advising – Advises clients and helps them think proactively about how to best meet their current and future needs, considering the underlying issues that the client may not be aware of.

• Experience managing programs and/or multiple projects, including simultaneous task assignments.

• Learning Orientation – Stays abreast of new trends and developments in the industry and draws on this knowledge to introduce others to emerging trends and new approaches.

• Strategic Technology Planning: Research and benchmarks against best-practice architecture/technology needs for significant, integrated work processes.

• Systems Thinking – Plans improvements that consider the critical, underlying and less apparent relationships between business, technology and systems platforms.

• Broad Business Thinking – Maintains a deep understanding of key business issues and ensures consistency across the business and clients. Engages business leaders in the identification of medium-term business solutions.

• Business Function Knowledge – Sets the direction for and steers medium-term enhancements of integrated standards and significant business performance drivers.

Innovation and Collaboration Competencies

• Lead and Innovate – Develop innovative solutions with others.

• Creativity, passion, and initiative to deliver outcomes and the know-how to get things done. Explores ways to get more impactful results and sets challenging stretch goals for oneself.

• Collaborate Within Teams and Across Boundaries – Initiates collaboration across boundaries and broadly across WBG and brings differing ideas into the forefront.

• Create, Apply and Share Knowledge – Creates, applies and shares knowledge from across and outside WBG to strengthen internal and/or external client solutions.

• Deliver Results for Clients – Achieves results and identifies mission-driven solutions.

• Strong interpersonal skills and proven ability to work effectively and collaboratively within and across institutional boundaries.

World Bank Group Core Competencies

The World Bank Group offers comprehensive benefits, including a retirement plan; medical, life and disability insurance; and paid leave, including parental leave, as well as reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities.

We are proud to be an equal opportunity and inclusive employer with a dedicated and committed workforce, and do not discriminate based on gender, gender identity, religion, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or disability.

Learn more about working at the World Bank and IFC, including our values and inspiring stories.

Level of Education: Bachelor Degree

Work Hours: 8

Experience in Months: No requirements