Digital Specialist โ Agriculture Job #: req34128 Organization: World Bank Sector: Digital Development Grade: GF Term Duration:ย 4 years 0 months Recruitment Type: International Recruitment Location: Washington, DC,United States Required Language(s): English Preferred Language(s): Closing Date: 9/5/2025 (MM/DD/YYYY) at 11:59pm UTC
Description
Do you want to build a career that is truly worthwhile? The World Bank Group is a unique global partnership of five institutions driven by a bold vision to create a world free of poverty on a livable planet. As one of the largest sources of funding and knowledge for developing countries, we help solve the worldโs greatest development challenges. When you join the World Bank Group, you become part of a dynamic, diverse organization with 189 member countries and more than 120 offices worldwide. We work with public and private sector partners, invest in groundbreaking projects, and use data, research, and technology to bring tangible and transformative change around the globe. For more information, visitย www.worldbank.org.
VPU Context: The Digital Transformation Vertical Vice Presidency was established on July 1, 2024, and guides the World Bank Group efforts to establish the foundations of a digital economy, build and enhance digital and data infrastructure, ensure cybersecurity and data privacy for institutions, businesses, and citizens, and advance digital government services. Digital technologies, including AI and data, present a unique opportunity to accelerate development. The Digital Transformation Vertical has the critical mission of delivering on this development promise. The Digital Vice Presidency and its global and regional teams support client countries in building the foundational and cross-cutting elements of digital transformation.
Unit Context: The Digital Economy and Society unit within the Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) and Services department of the Digital Vice Presidency helps client countries turn digital access into meaningful human and economic outcomes.ย Agriculture remains a cornerstone of economic activity, employment, and livelihoods in many low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), and is increasingly shaped by digital innovations. Digital technologies, ranging from geospatial analytics and precision agriculture tools to mobile-enabled advisory services, market platforms, and AI-enabled climate information systems, are transforming agricultural productivity, resilience, and market access. At the same time, the rapid pace of technological change requires careful planning, policy alignment, and investment strategies to ensure that digital agriculture benefits smallholder farmers, agribusinesses, and rural communities. Small AI models, lightweight, resource-efficient AI systems that can run on smartphones, tablets, or low-cost edge devices, have particular promise for transforming agriculture in LMICs. These models can power use cases such as pest and disease detection through image recognition on mobile phones, localized weather forecasting for climate adaptation, crop yield prediction, automated translation of agricultural extension content into local languages, and optimized irrigation scheduling. Because small AI can operate in low-connectivity, low-compute settings, it offers a unique opportunity to scale AI-driven agricultural services to remote and underserved farming communities.
Duties and accountabilities: The Digital Specialist will provide technical leadership, advisory services, and operational support for integrating digital solutions into agriculture and food systems programs. The incumbent will report to the Practice Manager, Digital Economy and Society, and will work closely with other Digital Economy and Society teams, Agriculture GP teams, regional units, and client country counterparts.
In close collaboration with a Senior Digital Specialist and in coordination with agriculture and digital teams, the Digital Specialist will:โข Contribute technical inputs to digital agriculture initiatives in World Bank operations and analytical work.โข Support governments and Bank teams in assessing and integrating digital solutions into agriculture, agribusiness value chains, and food systems programs.โข Assist in identifying and adapting context-appropriate digital agriculture and small AI solutions that improve productivity, resilience, and market access.โข Help document lessons learned and emerging good practices in digital agriculture for dissemination within the Bank and to client countries.
Key Responsibilities
1. Technical Inputs and Solution Assessmentโข Contribute to the identification and assessment of digital agriculture solutions, including platforms, precision agriculture tools, geospatial systems, and mobile-enabled advisory services.โข Support the evaluation of small AI models for agriculture, such as mobile-based pest and disease detection, localized weather forecasting, crop yield prediction, translation of extension content into local languages, and irrigation optimization.โข Lead and support piloting of innovative solutions for agriculture challengesโข Assist in reviewing technical specifications and vendor proposals to ensure solutions are appropriate for low-connectivity, low-compute environments.
2. Policy and Strategy Supportโข Provide input to digital agriculture components of national agriculture strategies, action plans, and investment programs.โข Contribute to the development of policy recommendations related to data governance, interoperability standards, and responsible use of AI and emerging technologies in agriculture.
3. Project and Operational Supportโข Collaborate with Bank teams to integrate digital agriculture and small AI applications into agriculture, food systems, and rural development operations.โข Support monitoring and evaluation of digital agriculture initiatives, including technical performance and impact assessment.โข Provide support to the team as required.ย
4. Knowledge Generation and Disseminationโข Assist in preparing case studies, toolkits, and technical notes on digital agriculture and small AI applications.โข Document and share lessons learned from pilots and operational projects within the Bank and with client counterparts.โข Track global and regional trends in digital agriculture innovation, with a focus on scalable and affordable solutions for LMICs.
5. Partnership and Ecosystem Engagementโข Engage with technology providers, agribusinesses, research institutions, and innovation hubs to gather information on emerging solutions and best practices.โข Contribute to activities that strengthen local innovation ecosystems, including opportunities for local ICT industry involvement in agriculture-related digital services.
Selection Criteria
โข Masterโs degree in agriculture, agricultural economics, agronomy, environmental sciences, data science, or a related discipline.โข Minimum of 5 years of professional experience in digital agriculture or agriculture sector transformation, with technical knowledge of digital tools and platforms.โข Proven track record in assessing, designing, or implementing digital agriculture solutions in LMICs.โข Knowledge of emerging technologies such as small AI, IoT, geospatial analytics, and their application in agriculture.โข Familiarity with agriculture policy frameworks, rural development strategies, and digital governance issues.โข Strong analytical, communication, and stakeholder engagement skills.โข Experience in multi-stakeholder partnerships and working in multicultural environments.
WBG Culture Attributes:
1. Sense of Urgency โ Anticipating and quickly reacting to the needs of internal and external stakeholders.
2. Thoughtful Risk Taking โ Taking informed and thoughtful risks and making courageous decisions to push boundaries for greater impact.
3. Empowerment and Accountability โ Engaging with others in an empowered and accountable manner for impactful results.
World Bank Group Core Competencies
The World Bank Group offers comprehensive benefits, including a retirement plan; medical, life and disability insurance; and paid leave, including parental leave, as well as reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities.
We are proud to be an equal opportunity and inclusive employer with a dedicated and committed workforce, and do not discriminate based on gender, gender identity, religion, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or disability.
Learn more about working at theย World Bankย andย IFC, including our values and inspiring stories.