Job description
United Nations University (UNU)
UNU is an international community of scholars engaged in policy-oriented research, capacity development and dissemination of knowledge in furthering the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations. The mission of UNU is to contribute, through research and capacity building, to efforts to resolve the pressing global problems that are the concern of the United Nations and its Member States.
For the past four decades, UNU has been a go-to think tank for impartial research on human survival, conflict prevention, sustainable development, and welfare. With more than 400 researchers in 12 countries, UNU’s work spans the 17 Sustainable Development Goals’ full breadth, generating policy-relevant knowledge to effect positive global change. UNU maintains more than 200 collaborations with UN agencies and leading universities and research institutions across the globe.
About United Nations University for Integrated Management of Material Fluxes and of Resources (UNU-FLORES)
UNU-FLORES is one of 13 research and training Institutes that comprise the think tanks in the UNU system. UNU-FLORES develops strategies to resolve pressing issues in the sustainable use and integrated management of environmental resources such as water, soil, waste, energy, and other geo-resources that are of concern to the United Nations and its Member States – particularly in developing and emerging economies. Based in Dresden and Weißwasser, Germany, the Institute engages in research and innovation development, education and capacity development as well as outreach, advocacy and impact to advance the Resource Nexus. For more information, please visit https://flores.unu.edu/.
Sustainability Assessment for the Resource Nexus
The short and long-term implementation of Sustainability Assessment is fundamental to the comprehensive understanding of the Resource Nexus and for driving policy creation for resource management that considers social, economic, and environmental dimensions, without disregarding other facets, such as technical, institutional, and cultural. The integration of the multi-dimensional concept of resilience in sustainability assessments is also emphasized, considering the complementary character and synergetic potential of these perspectives. In general, Sustainability Assessment has been highlighted as a valuable analytical viewpoint that can support the operationalisation of the Resource Nexus concept. However, due to the various definitions and methods available, there is a challenge to find the suitable direction in which Sustainability Assessment can support Resource Nexus research.
The overall objective is to assess sustainability from its initial design to its application in a comprehensive analysis, namely by interconnecting different resources and addressing their dimensions of sustainability. Considering the plethora of methods for Sustainability Assessment, a multi-metric approach based on the screening of data, context analysis, integration of stakeholders’ perspective, and the selection of the most appropriate assessment method to support the solution is envisioned. Additionally, to tackle the Nexus problem, an analysis across multiple scales and in a transdisciplinary manner through assimilating stakeholder and wickedness analyses is recommended. Sustainability Assessment supports a Resource Nexus Approach for all relevant environmental resources, including water, soil, waste, energy, and other geo-resources, as well as biodiversity. Sustainability Assessment promotes research beyond the siloed biophysical-oriented view of a resource by involving all three dimensions, namely, social, economic, and environmental. This aligns with the comprehensive and holistic view proposed by the Resource Nexus perspective. The Senior Research Associate will spearhead this research theme and associated research with the goal of tackling Nexus problems beyond the siloed biophysical-oriented views of resources.
Responsibilities
Under the overall authority and direct supervision of the Director of UNU-FLORES, the incumbent shall be responsible for the following duties:
1. Research and Innovation Development on the Resource Nexus
- Advance the Institute’s research projects by designing, implementing, and managing research projects related to the Resource Nexus and its integration with state-of-research Sustainability Assessment, more specifically, methodology based on Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), Life Cycle Costing (LCC), Social Life Cycle Assessment (S-LCA), Circularity Assessment (CA), and Life Cycle Sustainability Assessment (LCSA);
- Consult on the conceptualization, planning, and scientific base of the House from Waste (HfW) project;
- Contribute to publications and publish articles in peer-reviewed renowned scientific journals, books, and policy briefs, actively represent the Institute by presenting papers where appropriate;
- Cooperate with researchers from partner institutions on the topics of sustainable building, space sufficiency in the built environment, novel construction materials, and sustainability assessment;
- Contribute to addressing emerging issues advancing the Resource Nexus, that are of interest to the United Nations, its Member States, the United Nations University, and relevant policymakers;
- Prepare research studies and management reports based on the scientific methods of systematic literature review, inductive and deductive qualitative content analysis, grounded theory, design science research and case study research;
- Provide substantial support in developing grant proposals and resource mobilization for research activities; and
- Identify opportunities and build strategic partnerships and networks to expand research impacts, in line with Institute’s Strategic and Implementation Plan.
2. Education and Capacity Development
- Mentor, supervise, and/or provide guidance to students writing their master thesis (around 3-5 per year);
- Co-supervise and mentor staff, fellows, scholars, and interns;
- Contribute to the Institute’s teaching activities, especially e-learning and capacity development regarding Sustainability Assessment for the Resource Nexus; and
- Prepare presentations, tools and other materials, and support organization of capacity building activities, related to the Research Programmes.
3. Governance and Administration of the Institute
- Identify and apply for funding opportunities; prepare, coordinate and write research proposals;
Act as UNU-FLORES focal point for building & construction-related networks; - Support with the creation of vacancy announcements and the selection process for the hiring of new colleagues;
- Support the institute-wide project management/update standardization processes and the Resource Nexus standardization process;
- Contribute to the implementation of administrative regulations and policy framework relevant to respective activities and projects; and
- Contribute to discussions regarding the Institute’s strategic and implementation plan and ensure direct reports support with the execution of the implementation plan.
4. Outreach, Advocacy and Impact
- Maintain networks with stakeholders and research institutes in the context of sustainable building and sustainability assessment;
- Act as focal point in building-related and sustainability assessment-related alliances and platforms;
- Represent UNU-FLORES at networking events and science communication events; and
- Participate in local and international conferences, networking events and science communication events, and present the knowledge acquired from the research, education and capacity development activities of the Institute.
5. Perform other duties as assigned by the supervisor
Key Performance Indicators
- Smooth, innovative timely and quality development and implementation of research, education and capacity-building activities.
- Timely and quality design and the delivery of projects, meeting respective external deadlines.
Quality and quantity of outreach activities and project outcomes in conferences and events. - Quality and level of engagement with partners in research, (inter-)governmental actors, industry, and students.
- Contribution to the positive reputation of UNU-FLORES and UNU as a reliable and trustworthy partner by research partners, governments, donors, and civil society.
Competencies
Values:
- Inclusion – Take action to create an environment of dignity and respect for all, regardless of age, culture, disability, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, gender expression, geography, grade, language, nationality, racial identity, religion, sex, sex characteristics, sexual orientation, social origin or any other aspect of identity.
- Integrity – Act ethically, demonstrating the standards of conduct of the United Nations and taking prompt action in case of witnessing unprofessional or unethical behaviour, or any other breach of UN standards.
- Humility – Demonstrate self-awareness and willingness to learn from others.
- Humanity – Act according to the purposes of the United Nations: peace, dignity and equality on a healthy planet.
Behaviours:
- Connect and Collaborate – Build positive relationships with others to advance the work of the United Nations and work coherently as One UN
- Analyse and Plan – Seek out and use data from a wide range of sources to understand problems, inform decision-making, propose evidence-based solutions and plan action
- Deliver Results with Positive Impact – Hold oneself and others accountable for delivering results and making a positive difference to the people and causes that the United Nations serves
- Learn and Develop – Pursue own learning and development and contribute to the learning and development of others
- Adapt and Innovate – Demonstrate flexibility, agility and the ability to think and act in novel ways
Qualifications
1) Education and certification
- PhD or Master’s degree in sustainability assessment or other relevant field.
2) Required skills and experience
- A minimum of four (4) years of research experience in sustainability sciences within an international organization (e.g. educational institutes or industry);
- Experience with LCA for Experts, openLCA, or similar sustainability assessment software, as well as the databases ecoinvent and GaBi Professional;
- Proven record of publications, including academic papers related to sustainability assessment and the field of building and construction;
- Experience in coordinating and writing research proposals, as well as with grant writing and fundraising; and
- Expert knowledge of Microsoft Office required, knowledge of programming language Visual Basic for Applications desired.
Desired
- Advance knowledge of environmental issues of building and construction sector and familiarity with global complexities is beneficial;
- Experience with stakeholder engagement, outreach, and event organization;
- Experience and knowledge of statistical analysis software and programming language R;
- Team player with strong interpersonal skills, initiative seeker, strong conceptual and drafting ability.
- Proven organizational skills and ability to take initiative, prioritize and deliver results in a fast-paced work environment.
- Proven ability to handle sensitive and confidential information.
- UN working experience is desirable.
3) Language Requirements:
- Fluency in English is required;
- Fluency in German is desired;
- Knowledge of another UN official working language is an asset.
Remuneration
The successful candidate will be employed under PSA contract. UNU offers an attractive compensation package including a monthly net salary EUR 4.025, commensurate with the experience and qualifications of the candidate. Benefits include 30 days annual leave and a health insurance scheme.
UNU is not liable for any taxes that may be levied on the remuneration you receive under this contract. Payment of any such taxes remains the sole responsibility of PSA holders.
Duration of contract
The duration of the initial contract is 1 year. This is Personnel Service Agreement (PSA) contract with UNU, with the possibility for renewal subject to requirements and satisfactory work performance. The combined duration on a PSA contract with UNU may not exceed six (6) years. The mandatory age of retirement for PSA holders is 65 years.
Starting date
Immediate
How to Apply
To apply to UNU, you will not need an account. Instead, we ask that you:
- Apply via the apply link;
- fill out the UNU P11 Form (please avoid using similar forms provided by other United Nations organisations);
- provide a motivation statement (in the P11 form); and
- answer a few questions that are tailored to the position.You may wish to refer to the UN Values and Behaviours Framework for more information.
Application Deadline
21 July 2024
Assessment
Evaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise which may be followed by a competency-based interview, background checks, and references.
Special Notice
Staff members of the United Nations University are international civil servants subject to the Rector’s authority. They may be assigned to any of the activities or offices of the United Nations University. The Rector reserves the right to appoint a candidate at a level below that advertised. UNU is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities to apply and become part of the organisation. Applications from developing countries, and from women are strongly encouraged. Eligible internal applicants are also encouraged to apply. UNU has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNU, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination.
If you have supervisory function you need to have awareness on gender related issues.
Information about UNU rosters
UNU reserves the right to select one or more candidates from this vacancy announcement. We may also retain applications and consider candidates applying to this post for other similar positions with UNU at the same grade level and with similar job description, experience and educational requirements.
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