Smart Parks is looking for a passionate conservation technology field engineer with a no-nonsense, getting-things-done attitude to extend our team. This means you know your way around computers, (LoRaWAN) networks and sensor technology and you share our passion for the protection of our natural world.

What it boils down to: you’ll be creating cutting edge technology solutions to help saving endangered wildlife. And you will get the opportunity to install them in the field and share your knowledge with park rangers. Yes, in the field which means; climbing to staggering heights, thick bush, rocks, deserts, solving puzzles with your pocketknife and duct tape, African sunsets, the occasional sundowner at a campfire and of course being surrounded by amazing wildlife.

 

Skills, Experience and Requirements

  • Critical thinker who can work alone, as well as in a team environment
  • Interested in Internet of Things and sensor technology in general
  • Ability to troubleshoot and diagnose complex problems under pressure
  • Strong understanding of electronic concepts
  • Good communication skills in both Dutch and English
  • Working knowledge of Linux environments and terminal skills
  • Working knowledge with setting-up and managing IP networks
  • Working knowledge with solar installations (DC power circuits)
  • Experience with AWS, Google Cloud, other cloud-hosted platforms preferred
  • Experience with engineering in the African bush
  • Deployment experience with LoRaWAN networks is a plus

 

What can you expect?

  • Work in a team, interacting with multiple technology developers and conservation partners
  • Work in a fast-paced environment with challenging timelines
  • Assist in the development of server-side sensor data capture and recording
  • Assist in developing code for IoT (Internet of Things) sensors to capture data
  • Work in remote places around the world with limited access to a shower
  • A lot of responsibility
  • At least one vegan colleague

What we offer?

  • Flexible compensation and mindblowing experiences.
  • Flat hierarchy and appreciation of individual work
  • Visibility of your work worldwide
  • Pioneering with state-of-the-art IoT technology
  • Office in Utrecht

Can’t wait to start?

Please apply by sending us your CV (or updated link to your LinkedIn profile) with a rock-solid motivation to info@smartparks.org before February 1, 2020.


 

About Smart Parks

Smart Parks is a social enterprise based in Utrecht and we provide technology solutions for the protection of wildlife, with a strong focus on keystone species.

In short: we want to make it possible for parks to communicate with all wildlife and assets inside a protected wildlife area (animals, rangers, vehicles, equipment etc.). We do this by creating networks based on suitable communication technology, whether that being LoRaWAN, WiFi, Narrowband IoT or something else.  In those networks, we place sensors on animals, rangers and other assets that give us information about their whereabouts. All this information is fed into a control room application, providing park management with more situational awareness that leads to actionable intelligence.

We have deployed the first Smart Parks two years ago on a small scale in Mkomazi, Tanzania where we managed to be the first to put LoRaWAN sensors inside the horn of an Eastern Black Rhino. Since then, we have built Smart Parks in Malawi, Tanzania, Rwanda, Kenya, India, Zambia, Namibia and the Netherlands and are working with partners such as African Parks, Peace Parks, WWF and many others. With the rapidly evolving industry around the Internet of Things, we are now also capable of providing parks the capability to detect gunshots with acoustic sensors, recognize intruders with smart cameras that work with machine learning and it’s a matter of time before we can measure animal health status remotely as well.

We also launched opencollar.io in order to create Open Source tracking collars for a variety of species.

Our aim is to create networks and deploy sensors in conjunction with local staff. Over time we want local staff to learn the skills to implement new technologies for conservation. We believe that’s the only way to this can be done sustainably.