National Soil Information and Data Specialist

2500153 National Soil Information and Data Specialist 

Job Posting

: 16/Jan/2025

Closure Date

: 30/Jan/2025, 10:59:00 PMOrganizational Unit: FRMOZ - FAO Representation in Mozambique

Job Type

: Non-staff opportunitiesType of Requisition: NPP (National Project Personnel)Grade Level: N/A

Primary Location

: Mozambique-MaputoDuration: 12 MonthsPost 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 (FAO) through the Land and Water Division (NSL) will implement one initiative aiming at advancing agriculture by embracing the Vision for Adapted Crops and Soils (VACS) framework that will contribute for enhancing crop yields, improving food security through sustainable, climate-resilient management practices, and revitalizing traditional food crops for their resilience and nutritional benefits.

The expected will contribute to establish and make operational a national soil information system, make data accessible to evaluate soil suitability for different crops, create an integrated soil-crop management platform and create a micro-scale advisory interface that will be avaible for decision making and strengthening the extension advisory services to farmers.

Reporting Lines

The National Soil Information and Data Specialist will work under the overall supervision of the FAO Country Representative, and the guidance of the Assistant FAOR - Programmes, in coordination with the project LTO and project Lead Technical Unit (NSL). The incumbent will work under the direct supervision of the AFAOR-P, the National Project Coordinator and the SoilFER Overall Project Manager at FAO-HQ Mozambique.

Technical Focus

Digital soil maps, advanced geospatial tools and software, such as R, QGIS, Google Earth Engine.

The National Soil Information and Data Specialist will support the development of spatiotemporal national soil information, including high-resolution nutrient and nutrient budget maps, using advanced geospatial tools and software, on the Soil mapping for resilient agrifood systems in Central America and sub-Saharan Africa (SoilFER) project in Mozambique. Furthermore, the incumbent will be responsible for supporting the development of digital soil maps, based on soil survey data, and integrating soil data into decision support tools and applications for farmers and local institutions.

Tasks and responsibilities

The incumbent will undertake the following tasks:
•    Supervise data collection, systematization and harmonization of soil maps and legacy data (in coordination with existing institutions and initiatives in Mozambique).
•    Support the design and supervision of soil surveys and sampling at the national level, using advanced soil survey techniques and methodologies, to generate high-quality soil data and associated metadata, through rigorous quality control and quality assurance measures and in collaboration with the soil laboratory experts
•    Supporting the development of digital soil maps, based on soil survey data, and integrating soil data into decision support tools and applications for farmers and local institutions 
•    Support the design and supervision of a soil monitoring system, including the selection of monitoring sites, to be implemented through the establishment of a national soil spectral library and estimation service 
•    Support capacity development in digital soil mapping and modeling
•    Facilitate the organization of workshops on soil data with stakeholders and partners
•    Liaise with the project team to ensure timely delivery of survey outputs, including data, maps, scripts, reports and training sessions
•    Perform any other duties as assigned in the Representation.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements    

•     University Degree in Agricultural/Soil Science, Geographical Information Systems, Computer Science, or any related field.
•      At least 3 years of experience in digital mapping and analysis.
•    Working knowledge of English
•    National of Mozambique 

FAO Core Competencies

•    Results Focus
•    Teamwork
•    Communication
•    Building Effective Relationships
•    Knowledge Sharing and Continuous Improvement

Selection Criteria

•    Working knowledge of the official language of the country (if considered necessary)

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

• FAO does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process (application, interview meeting, processing)
• Applications received after the closing date will not be accepted
• 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 additional employment opportunities visit the FAO employment website: http://www.fao.org/employment/home/en/ 
•  Appointment will be subject to certification that the candidate is medically fit for appointment, accreditation, any residency or visa requirements, and security clearances. 

 

FAO seeks gender, geographical and linguistic diversity in its staff and international consultants in order to best serve FAO Members in all regions. 

 

 

 

 

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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