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Senior AI & Data Technical Lead, Togo Data Lab

Join one of Africa’s most ambitious public artificial intelligence initiatives. We are currently looking for a Senior AI & Data Technical Lead capable of providing technical vision, leading multiple complex projects, and supporting the growth of the Togo AI Lab.

Priority application deadline: Friday, October 2. Please apply as soon as possible to ensure your application is considered.

About the Togo AI Lab

The Togo AI Lab (formerly Togo Data Lab) is the Togolese Government’s national center of expertise in artificial intelligence, data science, and public innovation. Our mission is to put the most advanced technologies at the service of public policy to improve citizens’ lives concretely.

In collaboration with the Ministry of Public Service Efficiency and Digital Transformation (MESPTN), the Center of Effective Global Action (CEGA) at UC Berkeley, and a network of international scientific and industrial partners, we develop next-generation AI solutions in several strategic areas:

  • Artificial intelligence for public action and decision support;
  • Language models and voice technologies for African languages;
  • Geospatial AI applied to agriculture, the environment, and natural resource management;
  • National high-performance computing (HPC) infrastructures dedicated to AI;
  • National data and artificial intelligence platforms.

Your Mission

You will be one of the Lab’s main technical references. You will be involved from design to deployment of high-impact national artificial intelligence solutions, in collaboration with ministries, international researchers, and a multidisciplinary team of engineers and data scientists.

Depending on your profile, you may focus more on Machine Learning, Data Engineering, MLOps, or HPC infrastructure aspects.

Primary responsibilities:

Technical Leadership

  • Design technical architectures for AI and Data projects.
  • Ensure end-to-end technical management of strategic projects.
  • Define best practices in software engineering, code quality, security, documentation, and scientific reproducibility.
  • Guarantee the technical quality of deliverables produced by all teams managed.

Development of AI Solutions

  • Develop and optimize robust pipelines for data processing and model training.
  • Design, train, evaluate, optimize and deploy artificial intelligence models (Machine Learning, Deep Learning, Generative AI).
  • Use MOSAIKS, other earth embedding models, and geospatial machine learning with satellite imagery to measure priority outcomes in agriculture, environment, natural resources, disaster management, and land use planning.
  • Contribute to the “Local Languages Challenge”, including collecting local language training datasets, developing systems based on language models (LLMs), Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG), AI agents, and multimodal technologies.

Innovation and Applied Research

  • Identify the most innovative approaches in artificial intelligence and evaluate their relevance for Government needs.
  • Experiment with new methods, tools, and architectures.
  • Contribute to scientific publications, technical reports, and collaborative projects with our international partners.

Technical Mentoring

  • Supervise and support four Lab’s engineers and data scientists.
  • Perform code reviews and guide technical choices.
  • Participate in recruitment and skills development for Togo AI Lab staff.

Candidate Profile

We are looking for an excellent engineer and researcher with experience solving complex problems with cross-functional teams. You are not expected to be an expert in all the technologies listed below; solid expertise in several of these areas is sought.

Required Qualifications

  • Master’s degree in Artificial Intelligence, Computer Science, Data Science, Applied Mathematics, Software Engineering, or a related field.
  • Minimum five years of professional experience on AI, Machine Learning, or Data Engineering projects.
  • Excellent proficiency in Python.
  • Excellent quantitative skills, including experience in collecting, managing, processing, and analyzing large datasets.
  • Experience managing complex technical projects.
  • International or research experience is an asset.
  • Proficiency in French and English. The ability to work in a bilingual environment (French/English) is highly desirable.

Desired Qualifications

  • Experience working with or in government.
  • Excellent understanding of inferential and descriptive statistics.
  • Experience in data visualization and dashboard development.
  • Experience applying machine learning methods in enterprise or nonprofit settings.
  • Ability to synthesize and communicate scientific methods and results to diverse partners and stakeholders.
  • Excellent creative problem-solving skills.
  • Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
  • Ability to take initiative, self-manage, and work independently as well as collaboratively within a multidisciplinary team.
  • Exceptional attention to detail and strong organizational and time management skills.

Qualities Sought

We are looking for someone who:

  • Enjoys solving complex problems;
  • Possesses strong technical autonomy;
  • Appreciates working in a multidisciplinary environment;
  • Knows how to communicate effectively with both engineers and public decision-makers;
  • Enjoys sharing knowledge and mentoring a team;
  • Is motivated by projects with high social impact.

Why Join Togo AI Lab?

By joining the Togo AI Lab, you will have the opportunity to:

  • Directly contribute to the digital transformation of the Togolese government;
  • Participate in the development of the first AI models for African languages;
  • Work on national high-performance computing infrastructures;
  • Collaborate with leading international researchers and institutions;
  • Work on projects covering generative AI, computer vision, geospatial systems, big data, and public decision support;
  • Represent the Lab at international scientific conferences and events;
  • Evolve in an environment offering high technical autonomy and high-level scientific challenges.

Conditions

Location: Lomé (Togo)

Travel: Occasional international travel may be organized (Africa, Europe, North America). 

Visa Support: The Togolese Government will support international candidates in their administrative procedures, including obtaining a work visa. 

Compensation/Benefits: Salary is commensurate with prior experience; the approximate annual range for this position is $80,000-$90,000. We will also offer a concession to help candidates cover health and dental benefits. 

Duration: This position is for a one-year fixed term, with the possibility of extension based on performance and funding. 

To Apply

All applications must be submitted via the link: https://ee.form.gouv.tg/x/5gPBZ4eV. Please submit your cover letter and CV in a single file when applying. In addition to a current CV, candidates must submit a cover letter describing (1) their qualifications for the responsibilities listed above, (2) their specific interest in the position, and (3) three academic and/or professional references. Incomplete applications will not be considered. The Government of Togo will sponsor visas for selected candidates, regardless of their national origin. The Togo AI Lab supports CEGA’s efforts to include individuals from underrepresented groups in their team. Read CEGA’s statement of values.

Priority application deadline: Friday, October 2. Please apply as soon as possible to ensure your application is considered.

Hiring Process

  • Stage 1: CV and Cover Letter Screening
  • Stage 2: Screening Interview (30 mins)
  • Stage 3: Take-Home Technical Assessment
  • Stage 4: Final Interview (60 mins)

 

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