- Job Opening ID: 252307
- Job Network : Economic, Social and Development
- Job Family : Environmental Affairs
- Category and Level : Consultants, CON
- Duty Station : NAIROBI
- Department/Office : United Nations Environment Programme
- Date Posted : Feb 6, 2025
- Deadline : Feb 17, 2025
Result of Service
Developing a water quality data management software and pilot testing the software at selected partner organisations.
Work Location
home-based
Expected duration
12 months
Duties and Responsibilities
Background and Organizational Settings The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is the leading global environmental authority that sets the global environmental agenda, promotes the coherent implementation of the environmental dimension of sustainable development within the United Nations system and serves as an authoritative advocate for the global environment. Its mandate is to coordinate the development of environmental policy consensus by keeping the global environment under review and bringing emerging issues to the attention of governments and the international community for action. UNEP’s Early Warning and Assessment Division (EWAD) is responsible for analyzing the state of the global environment, providing early warning information, and assessing global and regional environmental trends to catalyze and promote international cooperation and action on the environment. Through this, the EWAD works to provide timely, scientifically credible, policy-relevant environmental assessments, data and information for decision-making and action planning for sustainable development. It also spearheads UN-wide monitoring and reporting on the environmental dimension of the 2030 Agenda and SDGs. The GEMS/Water Programme within the Global Environment Monitoring Systems and Early Warning for Environment Unit of the Early Warning and Assessment Division supports UN Member States in developing their water quality monitoring and assessment capacities to improve the knowledge of status and trends of freshwater resources worldwide. Many governmental agencies in charge of national water quality monitoring that have participated in the GEMS/Water capacity development activities over the last 10 years have expressed the demand to strengthen their water quality data management capacities as one of the key-enabling factors to produce reliable water quality data and to fulfill national and international reporting obligations such as the reporting on SDG indicator 6.3.2. This consultancy will deliver on the GEMS/Water’s project “ActBlue – Global support for intersectoral implementation of SDG6 in the Water-Climate-Ecosystem Nexus” under Output 3 “Strengthening national climate and water data management and reporting capacities”. The consultant will contribute to activities related to the development of water quality data management software based on and extending existing open source/free software to enable GEMS/Water partner agencies to quality-control, analyze, visualize and publish their in situ water quality monitoring data. Specific tasks and responsibilities Under the supervision of the Coordinator of the GEMS/Water Programme in the Global Environment Monitoring and Early Warning Unit of the Early Warning and Assessment Division, the consultant will perform the following tasks; • Develop a comprehensive work plan and timeline for deliverables, ensuring alignment with project goals and stakeholder expectations. • Gather and document user requirements from selected GEMS/Water partner agencies for functional and non-functional aspects of the water quality data management software. • Conduct an extensive review and testing of existing open-source/free software to evaluate their potential as a foundation for developing the required data management system. • Collaborate with technical working groups at UNEP, WMO, and relevant stakeholders to ensure the software integrates seamlessly with the WMO Hydrological Observing System and the UNEP GEMStat water quality information system. • Design and develop a user-centric water quality data management software system based on the requirements and gaps identified, ensuring interoperability with existing hydrological data exchange standards like SensorThingsAPI and WaterML 2.0. • Pilot-test the developed software at partner organizations, incorporating feedback to refine functionality and usability. • Prepare comprehensive documentation for end-users, including software installation guides, usage manuals, and online support resources published via platforms like GitHub. • Compile a detailed project report summarizing outcomes, challenges, and recommendations for the future development of water quality data management systems.
Qualifications/special skills
A bachelor degree in informatics or environmental sciences with experience in the field of hydroinformatics is required. An advanced degree (Master’s or equivalent) in the same areas is desirable. • At least five years’ experience in the development of data management systems with in-depth knowledge of relational database management systems, REST web services and web frontend technologies (HTML, CSS, Javascript) is required. • In-depth knowledge of data processing, analysis and visualization is required, with a focus on water data exchange standards, especially relevant OGC standards like SensorThingsAPI and WaterML 2.0,. • Knowledge of water quality monitoring and related metadata is desirable. • Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to effectively engage with diverse stakeholders is desirable. • Prior experience in delivering technical training is desirable.
Languages
English and French are the two working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this consultancy, fluency in English (both oral and written) is required. Fluency in Spanish is desirable.
Additional Information
Not available.
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.
