Full Stack Developer - REMOTE

About the organization

Armed Conflict Location & Event Data (ACLED) is a disaggregated data collection, analysis, and crisis mapping institution. The ACLED team collects conflict information; conducts analysis to describe, explore, and test conflict scenarios; and makes both data and analysis open for free use by the public. ACLED’s work is regularly used to inform journalism, academic research, and public discourse on conflict, and to support practitioners and policymakers. ACLED is the highest quality and most widely used real-time data and analysis source on political violence and protest around the world.

The role

ACLED is recruiting a Full Stack Developer to focus on API development and integration, website enhancement, and scalable system architecture. You will play a key role in developing high-impact tools and interfaces that make ACLED’s content and data accessible, performant, and actionable for global users. This includes front-end user interfaces, API services, performance optimization, and DevOps workflows.

The position reports to the Enterprise Architect. It is fully remote, and candidates from all locations are encouraged to apply.

For more information, please review the Applicant FAQs. The start date for the position is July 2025. 

Specific roles and responsibilities

The Employee is expected to contribute to both the front-end development of the ACLED website as well as the API products. The Employee is required to perform the following duties and undertake the following responsibilities in a professional manner:

API Development & Management

• Develop and implement APIs that are scalable and maintainable, and align with industry standards, ensuring seamless integration with existing systems to align with ACLED’s branding and long-term data access strategy.
• Ensure that APIs are secure by implementing robust authentication and authorization mechanisms, protecting sensitive data from unauthorized access.
• Configure and manage API gateways to ensure secure and efficient handling of API traffic, including tasks such as traffic management, authentication and authorization, monitoring, and API versioning. ​
• Regularly monitor API performance, promptly troubleshoot issues, and optimize code to enhance efficiency and scalability.
• Ensure APIs adhere to secure coding standards and OWASP guidelines, and participate in remediation efforts following penetration testing or security audits.
• Integrate APIs with internal and external systems, enabling programmatic data consumption and partner integrations.
• Collaborate on BCP and DR planning and testing to ensure API systems remain available, secure, and recoverable in the event of outages or incidents.

Web & Front-End Development

• Build and maintain modern web interfaces and data access tools that integrate seamlessly with ACLED’s APIs and datasets.
• Collaborate with external vendors and internal stakeholders on ACLED’s website, integrating new front-end features as needed.
• Lead the design and development of custom applications and dashboards for internal teams and public users.
• Apply best practices in responsive design, usability, and accessibility (WCAG 2.1 AA).
• Conduct performance audits and optimization using tools like Lighthouse, ensuring fast load times, SEO performance, and a high-quality user experience.
• Collaborate with external security vendors to support regular penetration testing, and apply security best practices to mitigate vulnerabilities in the website and its applications.
• Support Business Continuity Planning (BCP) and participate in Disaster Recovery (DR) drills to ensure website availability and resilience under failure conditions.
• Test and adjust web applications to function consistently across different browsers and devices, providing a uniform experience for all users.

DevOps & Deployment

• Build and maintain automated CI/CD pipelines for web and API projects.
• Manage containerized deployments using Docker and/or Kubernetes.
• Deploy and monitor applications across cloud infrastructure (e.g., AWS or DigitalOcean), ensuring scalability and uptime.
• Ensure operational performance, reliability, and data protection across all digital services.

Collaboration & Growth

• Work closely with data scientists, researchers, and other developers to understand evolving needs and translate them into scalable solutions.
• Proactively propose new features, integrations, or optimizations to improve the user experience and internal workflows.
• Continuously research and implement new technologies, tools, and best practices to keep the application modern and competitive. ​

Skills and competencies

ACLED is seeking applicants who have the following skills and experience:

Required:

• University degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or a related field.
• 3-5 years of professional experience as a Full Stack Developer or similar role.
• Strong knowledge of PHP, JavaScript, React, NEXT.js, HTML/CSS, and responsive UI frameworks.
• Experience building scalable RESTful APIs using Python, Java, Golang, PHP, Node.js, or similar.
• Familiarity with modern web performance tools and SEO optimization strategies.
• Solid understanding of authentication flows (e.g., OAuth 2.0, JWT, and SAML), and web security standards.
• Experience with CI/CD, GitHub workflows, and automated deployment pipelines.
• Proficiency in Docker, cloud services (AWS/ DigitalOcean), and container orchestration (Airflow).
• Familiarity with database design and integration (e.g., PostgreSQL, MySQL, MongoDB).
• Experience supporting Business Continuity Planning (BCP) and Disaster Recovery (DR) activities for web and API systems.
• Knowledge of web and API security best practices, including experience applying recommendations from penetration testing.
• Experience with cloud platforms like AWS.
• Fluency in English.
• Reliable with strong problem-solving skills.
• An extremely high level of attention to detail.
• Ability to work remotely and meet deadlines with limited supervision.
• Flexible team player, especially across a remote, global team.

Desirable:

• Possession of a cloud architecture certification (e.g., AWS Certified Solutions Architect, Google Cloud Professional Architect, or equivalent) is a strong plus.
• Familiarity with Drupal-based CMS architecture.
• Experience integrating geospatial/mapping tools (e.g., Mapbox).
• Exposure to Apache Airflow or other workflow orchestration tools.
• Experience working with third-party security audit firms and implementing remediations based on penetration test reports.
• Experience with serverless architecture (e.g., AWS Lambda) and cost-optimized cloud hosting strategies.
• Experience with API management platforms and gateway technologies (e.g., AWS API Gateway).
• Interest in conflict data, humanitarian tech, or open data platforms.
• Strong desire to grow into a Solution Architect or technical lead role.
  
  

Applications:

To apply, please submit a CV and cover letter detailing your qualifications, experience, and salary requirements. 

Please also submit a sample of your work in the form of a web-based application, including the corresponding codebase (if possible). A working version of the app is preferred (either via an active link or a locally servable demo).

Further information on the organization is available online at acleddata.com. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Interested candidates are advised to apply early.