Job Posting: 10/Jul/2025
Closure Date: 24/Jul/2025, 11:59:00 PM
Organizational Unit: FAPAK – FAO Representation in Pakistan
Job Type: Non-staff opportunities
Type of Requisition: Consultant
Grade Level: N/A
Primary Location: Home-Based
Duration: 8 months
Post Number: N/A
IMPORTANT NOTICE: Please note that Closure Date and Time displayed above are based on date and time settings of your personal device
- FAO is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality, background and culture.
- Qualified female applicants, qualified nationals of non-and under-represented Members and person with disabilities are encouraged to apply;
- Everyone who works for FAO is required to adhere to the highest standards of integrity and professional conduct, and to uphold FAO’s values
- FAO, as a Specialized Agency of the United Nations, has a zero-tolerance policy for conduct that is incompatible with its status, objectives and mandate, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination
- All selected candidates will undergo rigorous reference and background checks
- All applications will be treated with the strictest confidentiality
FAO’s commitment to environmental sustainability is integral to our strategic objectives and operations.
Organizational Setting
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) contributes to the achievement of the 2030 Agenda through the FAO Strategic Framework by supporting the transformation to MORE efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable agrifood systems, for better production, better nutrition, a better environment and a better life, leaving no one behind.
FAO is a specialized agency of the UN that leads international efforts to defeat hunger. FAO’s goal is to achieve food security for all and ensure that people have regular access to enough high-quality food to lead active, healthy lives. With 195 Members (194 countries and the European Union), FAO works in over 130 countries worldwide.
FAO Country Offices, working under overall corporate guidance and in line with the Strategic Framework, offer policy advice and support to countries in the mandated areas of FAO, facilitated through partnerships, resources and an active country programme to provide technical assistance, develop capacities and deliver core services while fully observing international standards of accountability to establish leadership and strengthen impact at the country level.
The offices deliver on the programmatic priorities of each country as agreed in their respective Country Programming Frameworks (CPFs) aligned to the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF) and ensure effective and efficient operations with adequate human and financial resources.
Specifically, FAO Country Offices:
• advocate, inform and support policies and investments in the areas of FAO’s mandate;
• provide technical assistance and deliver core services;
• assist and catalyse partnership and resource mobilization activities to support agrifood systems transformation;
• position FAO as the specialized/authoritative technical agency in food and agriculture and agrifood systems transformation;
• ensure risk-smart and accountable operations and management.
At FAO Pakistan Office, FAO, with funding from the Green Climate Fund, is implementing a project called Transforming the Indus Basin with Climate Resilient Agriculture and Water Management in Punjab and Sindh Provinces (GCP /PAK/146/GCF). The project aims to develop the country’s capacity to get and use the information it needs to cope with the impacts of climate change on agriculture and water management. Under its Component 1, the project aims to establish an evapotranspiration-based water management system by developing and deploying an Evapotranspiration (ET) monitoring system, build capacity to manage the system, and strengthening the network of agrometeorological stations in the project area by upgrading and installing ET measurement instruments. Detailed project activities can be found from the approved funding proposal available on the Green Climate Fund’s website: (https://www.greenclimate.fund/document/transforming-indus-basin-climate-resilient-agriculture-and-water-management) FAO Pakistan has procured and installed 3 eddy covariance flux towers (here after flux instruments) at the Central Cotton Research Institute (CCRI) in Multan, the research farm of Muhammad Nawaz Sharif University of Agriculture (MNSUA) in Jalalpur Pirwala, and Sindh Agriculture University, Tando Jam (SAU) and considering procurement of one more set in 2025.
Reporting Lines
Under the supervision and guidance of FAO Representative in Pakistan and guidance from the Technical Advisor of the project and the Lead Technical Officer of the project, and in close coordination and consultation with international and national experts in water, governmental counterparts, and implementation partners.
Technical Focus
Hydrology, evapotranspiration measurement, and eddy covariance flux tower. The consultant is expected to contribute to the management of the flux instruments and capacity building of the host organizations of the flux instruments
Tasks and responsibilities
• Regularly review the status of the flux instrument management including the landcover management around the instruments and datasets generated from the flux instruments through desktop work and filed mission to the installation sites.
• When necessary, conduct analysis such as footprint analysis to identify the error/uncertainty sources in the datasets and provide advice to modify the instrument, landcover management and/or data collection at the installation sites.
• Advise the host organizations on the flux instrument management, land cover management, and the data collection around the instruments.
• Provide hands-on training online and in-person during a mission to the host organizations on the flux instrument instruments and farm management, data processing, gap filling, and error identification/modification.
• Review the reports submitted by host organizations on their data and management of the flux instruments.
• Develop an end-of-assignment report, summarizing the achievement (or non-achievement) of the consultant against this TOR and also recommendations to the project on successful and sustainable evapotranspiration measurement through the flux instruments and relevant potential application of the flux instruments’ data.
CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING
Minimum Requirements
• Master’s degree in agro-meteorology, meteorology, agronomy, hydrometeorology, hydrology, environmental sciences, environmental studies or closely related field
• 10 years of professional experience in technical work and/or teaching in evapotranspiration, including minimum 5 years of experience in installing and/or using eddy covariance flux towers for evapotranspiration measurement
• Working knowledge (level C) of English
FAO Core Competencies
• Results Focus
• Teamwork
• Communication
• Building Effective Relationships
• Knowledge Sharing and Continuous Improvement
Technical/Functional Skills
• Experience in installing, using and providing capacity building on eddy covariance flux tower in low- or middle-income countries are highly desirable.
• Extent and relevance of experience in the preparation and revision of technical/scientific documents and in organizing training events
• Extent and relevance of experience in writing clear and concise technical documents
Selection criteria:
• Minimum 10 years of experience in working for project(s) or course works that provide capacity building on eddy covariance flux towers, including experience in providing training sessions by himself/herself.
• At least 3 scientific publications using the evapotranspiration (ET) data from eddy covariance flux towers or energy-balance based in-situ ET measurement instruments in internationally recognized journals (Tier 1/Q1 journals)
Please note that all candidates should adhere to FAO Values of Commitment to FAO, Respect for All and Integrity and Transparency
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
- FAO does not charge any fee at any stage of the recruitment process (application, interview, processing)
- Please note that FAO will only consider academic credentials or degrees obtained from an educational institution recognized in the IAU/UNESCO list
- Please note that FAO only considers higher educational qualifications obtained from an institution accredited/recognized in the World Higher Education Database (WHED), a list updated by the International Association of Universities (IAU) / United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The list can be accessed at http://www.whed.net/
- For more information, visit the FAO employment website
- Appointment will be subject to certification that the candidate is medically fit for appointment, accreditation, any residency or visa requirements, and security clearances.
HOW TO APPLY
• To apply, visit the recruitment website at Jobs at FAO and complete your online profile. We strongly recommend that your profile is accurate, complete and includes your employment records, academic qualifications, and language skills
• Candidates are requested to attach a letter of motivation to the online profile
• Once your profile is completed, please apply, and submit your application
• Candidates may be requested to provide performance assessments and authorization to conduct verification checks of past and present work, character, education, military and police records to ascertain any and all information which may be pertinent to the employment qualifications
• Incomplete applications will not be considered
• Personal information provided on your application may be shared within FAO and with other companies acting on FAO’s behalf to provide employment support services such as pre-screening of applications, assessment tests, background checks and other related services. You will be asked to provide your consent before submitting your application. You may withdraw consent at any time, by withdrawing your application, in such case FAO will no longer be able to consider your application
• Only applications received through the FAO recruitment portal will be considered
• Your application will be screened based on the information provided in your online profile
• We encourage applicants to submit the application well before the deadline date.
If you need help or have queries, please create a one-time registration with FAO’s client support team for further assistance: https://fao.service-now.com/csp
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