This position is now closed. Thank you for your interest in KoboToolbox!

Technical support specialist

Location: Remote

Start date: As soon as possible, in consultation with the selected candidate

Availability: 32-40 hours per week

Deadline: 7 August 2023 at 00:00 UTC

Job brief

Kobo, the international nonprofit organization behind the widely used humanitarian data collection toolkit, KoboToolbox, is in search of an enthusiastic KoboToolbox and XLSForm expert to fill a newly created full-time or part-time position. You will be responsible for providing technical support and project assistance to a vast international user base. This role will include the development of complex XLSForms, facilitation of training sessions, the creation and enhancement of custom interactive dashboards, and the expansion of user support documentation.

Prior experience using KoboToolbox, ODK, and XLSForm as well as strong communication skills are essential for this position. Your enthusiasm and positive attitude will help to better engage with the many KoboToolbox users from around the world, and to provide critical support and guidance to their projects. Your organization skills, independence, and remote work experience will ensure that projects are delivered effectively.

About KoboToolbox and Kobo

KoboToolbox is a very widely used software for data collection, management, and visualization platform specifically designed for humanitarians and researchers working in complex emergencies and resource-poor environments. Founded in 2005 by a team of public health and conflict researchers, it has been managed since 2013 by a growing team based initially at the Harvard Humanitarian Initiative. Kobo was created in 2019 as a nonprofit organization to host and maintain KoboToolbox, and to support open source data systems and technology for humanitarian action, global development, peacebuilding, public health, and human rights.

Publicly hosted KoboToolbox servers are used by more than 14,000 organizations worldwide who collect more than 20 million surveys per month to inform, track, and guide social impact projects in more than 240 countries and territories.

Responsibilities

  • Design, build, and review XLSForms according to client requirements
  • Communicate with clients to suggest improvements to forms, iterate, and integrate feedback
  • Provide technical support for users through Hubspot and the KoboToolbox Community Forum
  • Investigate user support issues and coordinate with support and technical teams when necessary
  • Participate in and support online and in-person training sessions
  • Add to and improve user documentation content (support.kobotoolbox.org) in text, visual, and video format
  • Build or contribute to the design and build of interactive dashboards using Power BI, Tableau, or Dash (Python)

Required Qualifications

  • Proven experience with KoboToolbox, ODK, and related tools
  • Expert knowledge of XLSForm and demonstrable skills building forms from client requirements, adding complex calculations and logic, reviewing, and debugging
  • Strong written and spoken proficiency in English
  • Experience working in data collection for humanitarian assistance, economic development, or similar field research
  • Proven experience creating documentation materials
  • Strong project management skills, the ability to multi-task, meet deadlines within tight timeframes, and work independently
  • Demonstrated adaptability, flexibility, and resourcefulness in setting priorities and organizing work; a results-driven approach to setting goals and celebrating accomplishments
  • Genuine interest in our mission

Preferred Qualifications

  • Written and spoken proficiency in another priority language (Arabic, Spanish, French)
  • Active and contributing member of the KoboToolbox Community Forum
  • Experience facilitating or supporting KoboToolbox training sessions
  • Experience with or working knowledge of R, Python, or JavaScript programming languages
  • Experience building interactive dashboards with Power BI, Tableau, Dash (Python), or similar
  • Familiarity with REST APIs
  • Familiarity with data analysis using Excel, Python, R, or similar
  • Experience working within a remote team
  • Experience using tools such as Notion, Github, Discourse, and Hubspot

Location

  • This is a remote work position; all of Kobo’s team members work remotely in the United States, Canada, Poland, Malawi, South Africa, Nepal, and the United Kingdom
  • Work hours need to overlap at least partially with our team’s core workday (8am-5pm ET / 13:00-22:00 UTC)

What we offer

  • open-ended contractor position
  • flexibility regarding the number of hours worked per week
  • compensation commensurate with experience and location
  • paid professional development opportunities
  • great international team environment with a lot of growth opportunities

How to apply

Please apply by filling in this job application form, which includes a way to upload your detailed CV. Note that this application form is for several open positions, as such, you are not expected to necessarily have expertise in all the qualifications listed on the form.