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.
The UNU Institute for Environment and Human Security (UNU-EHS), is
one of 14 research and training Institutes that comprise the think tanks
in the UNU system. It contributes to the overall mandate of UNU, and
the UN, by advancing human security and well-being through reducing
current and future risks from environmental hazards and climate change.
UNU-EHS’s research is clustered in two main areas: “Risk and Adaptation”
and “Transformation”.
Department “Risk and Adaptation”
The department Risk and Adaptation focuses on understanding and
addressing interconnected risks and the adverse impacts of climate
change in science and policy based on a variety of different, yet
complementary work streams. These include, inter alia, (i) understanding
and assessing systemic risk, (ii) developing pathways to
sustainability, (iii) supporting the international regime to respond to
climate impacts, (iv) fostering governance and the uptake of climate and
disaster finance, (v) understanding human mobility and immobility in
context of climate change, (vi) assessing and developing ecosystem-based
disaster risk reduction and adaptation, (vii) understanding and
assessing loss and damage, and (vii) enhancing climate risks analytics
and forecasting, with a focus on regions which are strongly exposed to
the adverse impacts of climate change and disaster risk, such as cities,
mountains, river basins and the low-lying coasts.
Interconnected Disaster Risk report
Interconnected Disaster Risks is an annual science-based report
designed to be accessible for the general public. It is published by the
United Nations University – Institute for Environment and Human
Security, and was first released in 2021. The idea for the report was
developed based on the recognition that disasters are occurring at an
ever-faster rate and, despite progress being made in how we prepare and
respond to them, we are continuously being caught out by new extremes
and new emerging threats. The report is based on thorough scientific
analysis and includes technical background reports for each of the
cases. For more information, please visit https://interconnectedrisks.org/
Responsibilities
Under the authority of the Director of UNU-EHS and the direct
supervision of the Deputy Director, the successful candidate will be
entrusted with the following tasks:
1. Provide scientific support to the Deputy Director in the area of Risk and Adaptation
- Follow relevant and emerging research streams;
- Conduct scientific reviews and background searches; synthetize information;
- Scope new opportunities in the field of risk and adaptation;
- Author or co-author scientific papers, policy briefs in areas of risk and adaptation;
- Contribute to the development of content for teaching in the fields of Risk and Adaptation
2. Provide scientific support to the Department Risk and Adaptation
- Prepare and follow-up on the regular “Risk and Adaptation” department meetings in relation to their scientific content;
- Coordinate inputs from and for internal stakeholders on risk and adaptation;
3. Contribute to the development of the annual Interconnected Disaster Risk report
- Research aspects of the annually changing theme of the report in the realm of interconnected disasters risks;
- Identify and develop possible interventions and ways of systemic change in the context of changing risks;
- Document research results and identify patterns across different cases;
- Contribute to the technical background papers as first author or co-author;
- Manage references and databases;
- Respond to editorial comments, revise the documents as needed.
4. Contribute to the outreach of the Deputy Director and the Interconnected Disaster Risk report
- Prepare scientific presentations and scientific inputs to relevant processes;
- Prepare background briefing documents;
- Contribute with scientific input to the visualization and the development of communication products;
- Support
- the development of communication materials related to the body of
- academic work by providing input, fact checking and liaising closely
- with the UNU-EHS communication section;
- Engage with media for the communication of the results of the Interconnected Disaster Risk report.
5.Perform other duties as assigned by supervisor
Key Performance Indicators
- Timely and quality collection, synthesis and generation of scientific information
- Timely and quality delivery of reports, presentation and communication products
- High quality engagement with project team and implementation partners
- Contribution to project, institute and UNU mission.
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
Completed Master’s degree with high academic standing in Geography,
Environmental Sciences, Sustainability Science, or other relevant
discipline
2) Required skills and experience
- At least 1 year work experience in the field of disaster risk reduction, climate change adaptation is required;
- Strong methodological skillset for quantitative or qualitative empirical research is required;
- Demonstrated
- ability to synthesize complex information, and to translate into
- impactful communications and publications/reports/presentations is
- required;
- Strong interpersonal skills to work in a multi-cultural environment with sensitivity and respect for diversity is required;
- Strong ability to carry out work independently is required;
- Proficient user knowledge of reference management programs (e.g. Citavi or similar) is required;
- Experience with project managements software (e.g. Asana or similar) is an asset;
- Demonstrated
- experience in working as a member of a science and communication
- project team, high awareness of the various needs of different target
- audiences is an asset;
- Experience with media interviews is an asset.
3) Language Requirements:
- Excellent spoken and written English is required;
- Fluency in another UN official working language is an asset.
Remuneration
The successful candidate will be employed under a national PSA
contract. UNU offers an attractive compensation package including an
annual net salary, 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.
This post is open to applicants from all countries and UNU will aid the
successful applicant in securing a work visa for Germany, as necessary.
It is, however, a locally recruited post and no relocation allowances
apply. The duty station will be Bonn, Germany.
Starting date: As soon as possible