Result of Service
Under the supervision of the Chief, Space Applications Section / Interims Space4Water Project Lead, Space Applications Section , the contributions of the consultant include the below listed tasks: • Plans for content releases were developed scheduling upcoming article and interview publications for the Space4Water Portal; • Relevant conferences and events have been researched and a plan for the missions to be undertaken during 2026 submitted to the supervisor; • Monthly articles and interviews with professionals, young professionals or Indigenous voices were published on the portal; • Other content, maps and knowledge resources were published on the Space4Water Portal and the UNOOSA website on demand; • Websites, registration and evaluation forms for events (stakeholder meetings, conferences and webinars) were created as instructed by project manager; • Outreach initiatives were planned and implemented project in coordination with project manager and communications officer; • Presentation material was developed and presentations delivered at conferences; • Conferences and events were visited to attract new relevant stakeholders and community members and travel reports were submitted within four days after return; • Webinars, working group meetings, and stakeholder meeting sessions were moderated – based on coordination with the project manager; • Interims project manager was supported in the organisation and hosting of events (logistics were arranged, reports drafted, statistics developed and other tasks carried out as instructed by project manager); • Social media posts for the project were drafted and submitted to the communications officer. Additional elements/changes may be proposed with the progress of the assignment.
Work Location
Vienna (possibly partially home-based)
Expected duration
December 2025 – December 2026
Duties and Responsibilities
The United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) is the United Nations office responsible for advancing international cooperation in the peaceful uses and exploration of space, and in the utilization of space science and technology for sustainable economic and social development. It also serves as the secretariat for the General Assembly's only committee dealing exclusively with international cooperation in the peaceful uses of outer space, the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS). The Office assists any United Nations Member States to establish legal and regulatory frameworks to govern space activities and strengthens the capacity of developing countries to use space science technology and applications for development by helping to integrate space capabilities into national development programmes. The Space4Water Project was launched in 2018 with the aim of promoting the use of space-based technology and data for increased access to water. The project comprises three pillars: • Foster scientific exchange via conferences, to inform decision-making and have an impact on policy. • Reach and inform users worldwide, via the Space4Water Portal, to show-case excellent work and allow users to find partners based on their expertise or regional focus; • Community building via interactive Space4Water stakeholder meetings. The portal brings together organizations active in the field to share information on projects, initiatives, satellite missions, software, community portals, capacity building & training material, conferences, workshops, data, as well as news and publications in the sector. The consultant will support the implementation of the Space4Water project and work in close collaboration and supervision of the Chief, Space Applications Section / Interims Space4Water Project Lead. Content creation • Compile, manage and help disseminate information content on space and water for the portal; • Acquire and assess relevant water and space technology related materials and inputs, organizing of information and preparation and uploading of content, analyse knowledge-based resources when needed; • Act as an editorial interface between external sources of information relevant to the project and the Office; • Examples: o Work with volunteers and interns to develop science communication articles for the portal. One article per month is published here: https://www.space4water.org/news/articles-success-stories; o Draft interview questions for new community members (Young Professionals, Professionals and Indigenous Voices). One interview per month is published here: https://www.space4water.org/news/interviews; o Research relevant events and webinars and publish them on the portal; o Research relevant training material, get consent and publish them on the portal; Community Management • Support community building and knowledge networking among the portal‘s registered user base and other specialized communities in the water management and/or space domain; • Support the organization of meetings, workshops and training on relevant topics and moderate sessions therein; prepare webpages and outreach material, registration and feedback forms as well as interactive session formats. • Moderate monthly working group meetings online to further co-design of space-based solutions addressing pressing water challenges; • Organise and moderate webinars online; Reporting • Develop statistics for the Office’s reporting purposes to support the creation of the Space4Water 2026 Project Progress Report; • Report on stakeholder meetings and publish reports on the portal;
Qualifications/special skills
Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in remote sensing, geographic information systems, geoinformatics, space technologies / engineering, environmental engineering, water resource management, hydrology, or a related field is required. A first level university degree in similar fields in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree • A minimum of 5 years of professional experience in remote sensing, water management, hydrology or aquatic ecosystem preservation, climate change, scientific writing or related fields is required; • A demonstrated knowledge in communications and moderation is required; • Experience in public speaking and moderation is required; and • Experience with community management is desirable;
Languages
English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this post, fluency and proficiency in oral and written English is required. Knowledge of another United Nations official language is an advantage
Additional Information
• Demonstrated knowledge of MS Office is required; • Excellent communication and presentation skills, including proficiency in facilitating live online sessions and engaging diverse audiences; • Knowledge of remote sensing and geospatial mapping is required; • Demonstrated knowledge of working with content management systems is desirable.
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.
