Geospatial Information Officer (Earth Observation and Water Monitoring), Temporary, 80% part-time, P4

Org. Setting and Reporting

The United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) is the United Nations office responsible for promoting international cooperation in the peaceful uses of outer space. UNOOSA manages and implements the programme on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space, which focusses on strengthening international cooperation in the exploration and peaceful uses of outer space and advancing the use of space science and technology for achieving sustainable development, including through the Programme on Space Applications and the United Nations Platform for Space-based Information for Disaster Management and Emergency Response (UN-SPIDER), both implemented by the Space Applications Section (SAS) within UNOOSA. This post is located within the Space Applications Section and based in Vienna. The Geospatial Information Officer (Earth observation and Water Monitoring) works under the direct supervision of the Chief of the Space Applications Section, and under the overall guidance of the Director of UNOOSA. For more information on UNOOSA, please visit the following website: www.unoosa.org

Responsibilities

Within delegated authority, the incumbent will be responsible for the following specific duties:

• Support management and planning for the implementation of Component 2 of the Central Asia Water and Land Nexus (CAWLN) Programme, through the development and delivery of Earth Observation and geospatial services for water accounting, agricultural monitoring, land degradation, drought and flood risk, and related nexus analytics across the Amu Darya and Syr Darya basins.
• Coordinate the Space4Water initiative on an interim basis, ensuring that methodologies, training resources, and case studies from CAWLN Component 2 are integrated into the Space4Water Portal, disseminated to the global community of practice, and represented in international fora.
• Supervise and coordinate the work of staff and consultants under those projects, ensuring compliance with United Nations administrative and financial rules and procedures.
• Provide expert advice to Member States, regional institutions (such as the Scientific-Information Center of the Interstate Commission for Water Coordination in Central Asia (SIC ICWC)), and international partners (including the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the United Nations Global Service Centre (UNGSC)) on the operational integration of Earth Observation (EO)-based services into policy frameworks and decision-making processes related to water and land management.
• Ensure synergies and inter-agency coordination, working closely with other CAWLN components, UNOOSA sections, and relevant United Nations entities to mainstream EO applications into wider food security, disaster risk reduction, environmental monitoring, and sustainable development agendas.
• Prepare and deliver written outputs, including analytical reports, donor submissions, inputs to CAWLN governance mechanisms, United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS) documentation, and other publications.
• Represent UNOOSA at high-level meetings, expert groups, and conferences in Central Asia and internationally, liaising with government ministries, United Nations system entities, and international organizations on matters related to EO and sustainable natural resource management.
• Collect and analyze data to identify trends or patterns and provide insights through graphs, charts, tables and reports using data visualization methods to enable data-driven planning, decision-making, presentation and reporting.
• Perform other work-related duties as required.

Competencies

• Professionalism: Has knowledge and professional competence in the area of geospatial technologies and space applications solutions applied to water management, risk and disaster risk reduction, humanitarian assistance and/or sustainable development and planning or environmental monitoring. Has ability to identify issues, analyse and participate in the resolution of issues/problems. Has ability to develop sources for data collection. Has conceptual analytical and evaluative skills to conduct independent research and analysis, particularly a familiarity with and experience in the use of various research sources, including electronic sources on the internet, intranet and other databases. Has knowledge of one or more EO/GIS workflows (e.g., ArcGIS/QGIS, cloud platforms such as Google Earth Engine or similar). Is able to apply judgement in the context of assignments given, plan own work and manage conflicting priorities. Has ability to analyse and interpret data in support of decision-making and convey resulting information to management. Shows pride in work and in achievements; demonstrates professional competence and mastery of subject matter; is conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines and achieving results; is motivated by professional rather than personal concerns; shows persistence when faced with difficult problems or challenges; remains calm in stressful situations. Takes responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work.
• Planning & Organizing: Develops clear goals that are consistent with agreed strategies; identifies priority activities and assignments; adjusts priorities as required; allocates appropriate amount of time and resources for completing work; foresees risks and allows for contingencies when planning; monitors and adjusts plans and actions as necessary; uses time efficiently.
• Client Orientation: Considers all those to whom services are provided to be “clients” and seeks to see things from clients’ point of view; establishes and maintains productive partnerships with clients by gaining their trust and respect; identifies clients’ needs and matches them to appropriate solutions; monitors ongoing developments inside and outside the clients’ environment to keep informed and anticipate problems; keeps clients informed of progress or setbacks in projects; meets timeline for delivery of products or services to client.

Managerial Competencies:

• Vision: Identifies strategic issues, opportunities and risks; clearly communicates links between the Organization’s strategy and the work unit’s goals; generates and communicates broad and compelling organizational direction, inspiring others to pursue that same direction; conveys enthusiasm about future possibilities.

Education

An advanced university degree (Master's degree or equivalent) in environmental sciences, or applied geospatial sciences (including geography and geosciences), information systems, regional and international development or related engineering discipline is required. A first-level university degree in similar fields in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Job - Specific Qualification

Not available.

Work Experience

A minimum of seven (7) years of progressively responsible professional work experience in defining and implementing international or regional programmes in the use of geospatial-, space-based technologies or information technology and related technological fields for natural resources management, agriculture or environmental monitoring is required. Work experience in providing technical expert support and developing information technology solutions for water management, integrated river basin management is required. Work experience in the design and implementation of capacity building /development programmes, training initiatives, and knowledge management and transfer activities in developing countries is required. Work experience in leading capacity development, institutional strengthening, and knowledge transfer activities with governments and regional organizations is desirable. Work experience in applying Earth Observation (EO), remote sensing and Geographic Information System (GIS) technologies for agriculture or land management, including digital agriculture, sustainable land management practices, or monitoring of agricultural productivity and water use efficiency is desirable. Work experience within the United Nations system or similar international organizations is desirable. Work experience in data analytics or related area is desirable.

Languages

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this job opening, English is required. Russian is desirable. The table below shows the minimum required level for each skill in these languages, according to the UN Language Framework (please consult https://languages.un.org for details).

Required Languages

Desirable Languages

Assessment

Evaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise and competency-based interview.

Special Notice

This temporary position is available for six (6) months at 80% part-time engagement. Actual filling of this position and actual duration of the assignment is subject to availability of funding. If the selected candidate is an internal staff member from the United Nations Secretariat, the selection may be administered as a temporary assignment. While this temporary assignment may provide the successful applicant with an opportunity to gain new work experience, the selection for this position is for a limited period and has no bearing on the future incumbency of the post. Staff members of the United Nations common system organizations who will reach the mandatory age of separation or retirement within the duration of the current temporary need period are not eligible to apply. Submitting an application or selection for the current temporary job opening does not delay or increase the mandatory age of separation. Retirees above the mandatory age of separation who wish to be considered for the current temporary job opening must indicate the reason for their last separation as "retirement." Such retirees shall not be employed by the Organization, unless (a) the operational requirements of the Organization cannot be met by staff members who are qualified and available to perform the required functions; and (b) the proposed employment would not adversely affect the career development or redeployment opportunities of other staff members and represents both a cost-effective and operationally sound solution to meet the needs of the service. At the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the recruitment and employment of staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence and integrity, with due regard to geographic diversity. All employment decisions are made on the basis of qualifications and organizational needs. The United Nations is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect. The United Nations recruits and employs staff regardless of gender identity, sexual orientation, race, religious, cultural and ethnic backgrounds or disabilities. Reasonable accommodation for applicants with disabilities may be provided to support participation in the recruitment process when requested and indicated in the application. The United Nations Secretariat is committed to achieving 50/50 gender balance and geographical diversity in its staff. Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply for this position. Vienna is classified in the H category (family duty station).

United Nations Considerations

According to article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity. Candidates who have committed crimes other than minor traffic offences may not be considered for employment. Due regard will be paid to the importance of recruiting staff on as wide a geographical basis as possible. The United Nations places no restrictions on the eligibility of men and women to participate in any capacity and under conditions of equality in its principal and subsidiary organs. The United Nations Secretariat is a non-smoking environment. Reasonable accommodation may be provided to applicants with disabilities upon request, to support their participation in the recruitment process. By accepting a letter of appointment, staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General, who may assign them to any of the activities or offices of the United Nations in accordance with staff regulation 1.2 (c). Further, staff members in the Professional and higher category up to and including the D-2 level and the Field Service category are normally required to move periodically to discharge functions in different duty stations under conditions established in ST/AI/2023/3 on Mobility, as may be amended or revised. This condition of service applies to all position specific job openings and does not apply to temporary positions. Applicants are urged to carefully follow all instructions available in the online recruitment platform, inspira, and to refer to the Applicant Guide by clicking on “Manuals” in the “Help” tile of the inspira account-holder homepage. The evaluation of applicants will be conducted on the basis of the information submitted in the application according to the evaluation criteria of the job opening and the applicable internal legislations of the United Nations including the Charter of the United Nations, resolutions of the General Assembly, the Staff Regulations and Rules, administrative issuances and guidelines. Applicants must provide complete and accurate information pertaining to their personal profile and qualifications according to the instructions provided in inspira to be considered for the current job opening. No amendment, addition, deletion, revision or modification shall be made to applications that have been submitted. Candidates under serious consideration for selection will be subject to reference checks to verify the information provided in the application. All external candidates recruited in accordance with section 2.2 (a) of ST/AI/2025/3 for a fixed term appointment without limitation and all external candidates recruited in accordance with section 2.2. (c) of ST/AI/2025/3 for a fixed term appointment limited to the entity are subject to an initial probationary period of one year under a fixed-term appointment. Job openings advertised on the Careers Portal will be removed at 11:59 p.m. (New York time) on the deadline date.

No Fee

THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.

Candidates will not be considered for employment with the United Nations if they have committed violations of international human rights law, violations of international humanitarian law, sexual exploitation, sexual abuse, or sexual harassment, or if there are reasonable grounds to believe that they have been involved in the commission of any of these acts.

The term “sexual exploitation” means any actual or attempted abuse of a position of vulnerability, differential power, or trust, for sexual purposes, including, but not limited to, profiting monetarily, socially or politically from the sexual exploitation of another.

The term “sexual abuse” means the actual or threatened physical intrusion of a sexual nature, whether by force or under unequal or coercive conditions.

The term “sexual harassment” means any unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature that might reasonably be expected or be perceived to cause offence or humiliation, when such conduct interferes with work, is made a condition of employment or creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive work environment, and when the gravity of the conduct warrants the termination of the perpetrator’s working relationship.