Remote Geospatial Data Engineer Volunteer
The Opportunity Are you a Geospatial Data Engineer Volunteer wanting to use your skills to help people in a humanitarian crisis and ultimately help save lives? Now we are looking for a enthusiastic Geospatial Data Engineer professional who has a desire to commit to a great team, and to help MapAction make a difference that has a lasting effect on vulnerable communities. Below, you will find a complete breakdown of everything required of potential candidates, as well as how to apply Good luck.
MapAction works with a range of humanitarian partners, from local organisations who are closest to the ground to a range of global UN partners.
MapAction is a leading humanitarian mapping charity, delivering information services and products to enhance decision making in disasters and conflicts. In collaboration with our partners, this mapped information helps responders understand vulnerabilities and target their response effectively, contributing to saving lives and minimising suffering. We have built a strong reputation in the humanitarian sector, and are a technical partner of the United Nations, Non-Government Organisations and Civil Society Organisations, the Red Cross, Red Crescent Movement, regional entities and national authorities.
The humanitarian sector is evolving, and technical expertise such as GIS, mapping, information management, data processing and visualisation are becoming increasingly utilised for improving decision making in complex humanitarian response. MapAction and our partners are uniquely positioned to provide technical expertise in support of this.
Once your onboarding is complete, you will be able to choose the tasks and projects that best fit your skillset and interests. Here below some activities that our data engineer volunteers can support with:
MapAction external projects that require a Data Engineer skillset (e.g.: data pipeline automation, hazard exposure platforms, multi-risk models, conflict incident reporting, etc...)
Work with external partners such as UN agencies, International NGOs and Academic Institutions
Conduct and automate data collection and processing scripts
Create and maintain optimal, performant data pipeline architectures, both internally and externally
Propose improvements to infrastructure, schemas, platforms, toolchains and configurations
Assist in the automation, provision and management of development environments, source-code, build-tools, pipelines and deployments
Support ad-hoc Data Processing during MapAction’s Emergency Responses in collaboration with MapAction’s GIS team
Support internal systems maintenance in collaboration with MapAction’s IT Support Engineer
Train other volunteers or external organizations on Data Engineer tools and processes
A desire to use their skills, experience and dedication in the cause of humanitarian ends
Good team player with leadership and/or project management experience or ambition wherever possible
Exceptional communication skills, to explain your work to people who don't understand the mechanics behind data analysis, and experience in understanding partner needs and requirements, in particular working with non-technical clients
Degree or equivalent experience in the field of Data Science, Data Engineering, Computer Science, Software Development, Information Technology or a related field
Three or more years of professional experience working in a data or information management team, as a data engineer, data scientist, developer or other similar role
Experience and proficiency working with Python and Jupyter Notebooks
Data pipeline design skills
Knowledge of cloud platforms like GCP, AWS or Azure
Project management experience. Experience of participating in a volunteer organisation or open source projects.
Experience working with geospatial data (raster and vector)
Databases (NoSQL, SQL, Graph Dbs, Principles of RDBs)
Understanding of the Software Development Life cycle
An interest in software-engineering or data-science e.g. ML / DL / AI / Statistics
Humanitarian knowledge/experience
Being part of MapAction means entering a close-knit community of highly skilled and committed and experienced professionals in different sectors. It means using your unique skills to help prepare for, anticipate, or respond to humanitarian emergencies, enabling our partners to provide life-saving support.
At MapAction, training and team building are at the heart of our organisational culture. We have frequent meet-ups online and in person where paid staff and volunteers get together for training opportunities and skill-sharing, to strengthen our service offer.
As a volunteer, you can participate in all levels and areas of the organisation, working alongside our colleagues at various UN agencies and/or other humanitarian partners. You will have the opportunity to travel, whether that’s at training events, project work abroad, missions or representing MapAction at a conference.
Availability for projects, including in-person deployments
# MapAction expects a high level of commitment by volunteers to make themselves available to deliver projects, whether these projects are planned or emergency missions, remote or in-person, one-off tasks or longer term commitments.
# Deployable volunteers are expected to seek a commitment from their employer (if applicable) to permit time off (paid or not) for deployments when necessary.
# For non-emergency deployments and projects logged on the tasking grid, volunteers must respond to a request for assistance (whether yes or no) by the deadline specified on the grid.
# Volunteers are expected to put themselves forward for at least three substantive (i.e. at least two days work) tasks every year, and are normally expected to contribute at least 10 days of voluntary effort (excluding training) to MapAction every year.
# As a member of the team, you will be expected to participate in at least 6 internal weekend training events. Other weekend training events include 6 annual training weekends where we get together in person at various locations around the UK, and 4 online development days. Volunteers should live either within the UK or within reasonably easy and affordable reach of the UK in order to be able to attend face to face training events. We are committed to creating an inclusive environment and welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, communities, and experiences. We value diversity and are dedicated to providing equal opportunities regardless of age, disability, gender identity, marital or civil partnership status, pregnancy or maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, or sexual orientation. xehkeey Attendance for Interviews online - week of the 12th August 2026
Remote working/work at home options are available for this role.
MapAction works with a range of humanitarian partners, from local organisations who are closest to the ground to a range of global UN partners.
MapAction is a leading humanitarian mapping charity, delivering information services and products to enhance decision making in disasters and conflicts. In collaboration with our partners, this mapped information helps responders understand vulnerabilities and target their response effectively, contributing to saving lives and minimising suffering. We have built a strong reputation in the humanitarian sector, and are a technical partner of the United Nations, Non-Government Organisations and Civil Society Organisations, the Red Cross, Red Crescent Movement, regional entities and national authorities.
The humanitarian sector is evolving, and technical expertise such as GIS, mapping, information management, data processing and visualisation are becoming increasingly utilised for improving decision making in complex humanitarian response. MapAction and our partners are uniquely positioned to provide technical expertise in support of this.
Once your onboarding is complete, you will be able to choose the tasks and projects that best fit your skillset and interests. Here below some activities that our data engineer volunteers can support with:
MapAction external projects that require a Data Engineer skillset (e.g.: data pipeline automation, hazard exposure platforms, multi-risk models, conflict incident reporting, etc...)
Work with external partners such as UN agencies, International NGOs and Academic Institutions
Conduct and automate data collection and processing scripts
Create and maintain optimal, performant data pipeline architectures, both internally and externally
Propose improvements to infrastructure, schemas, platforms, toolchains and configurations
Assist in the automation, provision and management of development environments, source-code, build-tools, pipelines and deployments
Support ad-hoc Data Processing during MapAction’s Emergency Responses in collaboration with MapAction’s GIS team
Support internal systems maintenance in collaboration with MapAction’s IT Support Engineer
Train other volunteers or external organizations on Data Engineer tools and processes
A desire to use their skills, experience and dedication in the cause of humanitarian ends
Good team player with leadership and/or project management experience or ambition wherever possible
Exceptional communication skills, to explain your work to people who don't understand the mechanics behind data analysis, and experience in understanding partner needs and requirements, in particular working with non-technical clients
Degree or equivalent experience in the field of Data Science, Data Engineering, Computer Science, Software Development, Information Technology or a related field
Three or more years of professional experience working in a data or information management team, as a data engineer, data scientist, developer or other similar role
Experience and proficiency working with Python and Jupyter Notebooks
Data pipeline design skills
Knowledge of cloud platforms like GCP, AWS or Azure
Project management experience. Experience of participating in a volunteer organisation or open source projects.
Experience working with geospatial data (raster and vector)
Databases (NoSQL, SQL, Graph Dbs, Principles of RDBs)
Understanding of the Software Development Life cycle
An interest in software-engineering or data-science e.g. ML / DL / AI / Statistics
Humanitarian knowledge/experience
Being part of MapAction means entering a close-knit community of highly skilled and committed and experienced professionals in different sectors. It means using your unique skills to help prepare for, anticipate, or respond to humanitarian emergencies, enabling our partners to provide life-saving support.
At MapAction, training and team building are at the heart of our organisational culture. We have frequent meet-ups online and in person where paid staff and volunteers get together for training opportunities and skill-sharing, to strengthen our service offer.
As a volunteer, you can participate in all levels and areas of the organisation, working alongside our colleagues at various UN agencies and/or other humanitarian partners. You will have the opportunity to travel, whether that’s at training events, project work abroad, missions or representing MapAction at a conference.
Availability for projects, including in-person deployments
# MapAction expects a high level of commitment by volunteers to make themselves available to deliver projects, whether these projects are planned or emergency missions, remote or in-person, one-off tasks or longer term commitments.
# Deployable volunteers are expected to seek a commitment from their employer (if applicable) to permit time off (paid or not) for deployments when necessary.
# For non-emergency deployments and projects logged on the tasking grid, volunteers must respond to a request for assistance (whether yes or no) by the deadline specified on the grid.
# Volunteers are expected to put themselves forward for at least three substantive (i.e. at least two days work) tasks every year, and are normally expected to contribute at least 10 days of voluntary effort (excluding training) to MapAction every year.
# As a member of the team, you will be expected to participate in at least 6 internal weekend training events. Other weekend training events include 6 annual training weekends where we get together in person at various locations around the UK, and 4 online development days. Volunteers should live either within the UK or within reasonably easy and affordable reach of the UK in order to be able to attend face to face training events. We are committed to creating an inclusive environment and welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, communities, and experiences. We value diversity and are dedicated to providing equal opportunities regardless of age, disability, gender identity, marital or civil partnership status, pregnancy or maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, or sexual orientation. xehkeey Attendance for Interviews online - week of the 12th August 2026
Remote working/work at home options are available for this role.