Associate Data Scientist

Only candidates who are not nationals of the country of assignment are eligible to apply to this position

Hardship LevelH (no hardship)

Family TypeFamily

Residential location (if applicable)

GradePR2

Staff Member / Affiliate TypeProfessional

* Staff members will not normally serve in International Professional positions in the country of their nationality. In addition, in case of a first appointment upon recruitment, the assignment must be outside the staff member’s country of nationality.

In practical terms this means that you are not eligible to apply for International Professional vacancies advertised in the country where you are national of.

ReasonTemporary > Temporary Assignment/ Appointment

Remote work acceptedNo

Target Start Date2023-07-01

Job Posting End DateJune 13, 2023

Standard Job DescriptionAssociate Data Scientist Organizational Setting and Work Relationships The UNHCR Data Transformation Strategy 2020-2025 envisions that by 2025 UNHCR becomes a trusted leader on data and information related to refugees and other persons of concern, thereby enabling actions that protect, include and empower. The Strategy stipulates investing in four complementary priority areas: data management and governance; information systems; capacities and skill development; and culture for evidence-informed decision-making. The Associate Data Scientist will apply innovative methods (e.g. machine learning / AI, data mining, remote sensing, topic extraction, predictive analytics, etc.) and explore the use of innovative data sources (e.g. big data, geospatial data and imagery, etc.) to improve the production, analysis and dissemination of data in global forced displacement and statelessness situations. In these areas, the incumbent will oversee and implement research and analytics, recommend and facilitate enhancements to data systems and processes, provide training and capacity building, and represent the organization at the technical level in relevant fora. The Associate Data Scientist will thereby play a crucial role in helping UNHCR harness the power and potential of these innovative techniques and data sources, achieve the vision of the Data Transformation Strategy, and further enhance its ability to save lives, protect rights and build a better future for refugees, forcibly displaced communities and stateless people. The Associate Data Scientist reports to a senior staff member in the Division/Bureau or to the Senior Data Scientist in the Global Data Service. The incumbent will work closely with relevant colleagues in delivering the expected outcomes for the concerned entity. The incumbent will also liaise with external partners and stakeholders as/when required. S/he may directly supervise staff at the General Service category. All UNHCR staff members are accountable to perform their duties as reflected in their job description. They do so within their delegated authorities, in line with the regulatory framework of UNHCR which includes the UN Charter, UN Staff Regulations and Rules, UNHCR Policies and Administrative Instructions as well as relevant accountability frameworks. In addition, staff members are required to discharge their responsibilities in a manner consistent with the core, functional, cross-functional and managerial competencies and UNHCR¿s core values of professionalism, integrity and respect for diversity. Duties - Apply data science techniques to global forced displacement and statelessness situations to improve both understanding of population behaviour, needs, and vulnerabilities as well as capacity to monitor and evaluate the impact of UNHCR policies and programmes. - Draft concept papers, prepare background analyses, and briefings to build support for the use of data analytics and data science techniques throughout UNHCR, in collaboration with relevant Services and Divisions. - Provide consultation and guidance to non-technical audiences and develop and implement guidance on integrating advanced data and analysis in routine decision-making processes. - Promote a knowledge sharing and learning culture. Conduct trainings to improve technical and research skills of headquarters and field staff in the area of data science and/or advanced statistical analysis, in collaboration with the Global Learning and Development Centre. - Contribute to the research on the use of alternative data sources to produce data on global forced displacement and statelessness situations. - Facilitate open access to anonymized forced displacement data while addressing protection and privacy concerns over microdata managed by UNHCR. - Advance analytical techniques and data quality assurance approaches in UNHCR, bringing them in line with international statistical standards and analytical best practices. - Apply predictive analytics techniques to produce population statistics. - Contribute to the visualisation and reporting of data findings creatively in a variety of formats. - Support the development and enhancement of UNHCR data systems interoperability and systematic adoption by providing advice on data science techniques. - Support the dialogue across UNHCR in collaboration with the appropriate colleagues for improvement of inter-operability and responsible access to corporate systems - Contribute to the delivery of high-profile analytical products, in consultation with the relevant operational teams, including field operations. - Perform other related duties as required. Minimum Qualifications Education & Professional Work Experience Years of Experience / Degree Level For P2/NOB - 3 years relevant experience with Undergraduate degree; or 2 years relevant experience with Graduate degree; or 1 year relevant experience with Doctorate degree Field(s) of Education Applied Mathematics, Statistics, Economics, Computer Science, Public Policy, Demography, Geography, Engineering Quantitative Social Sciences or other relevant field with a focus on data science. (Field(s) of Education marked with an asterisk* are essential) Certificates and/or Licenses UNHCR ODM Module 7 Registration Module 8 and Module 5 HCR Operational Data Management Learning Programme Information Management Evaluation Training (Certificates and Licenses marked with an asterisk* are essential) Relevant Job Experience Essential Strong quantitative background in statistics, economics, mathematical or computer science modelling or similar; experience in data collection, management, cleaning, processing, and applied analysis using statistical software or computer/programming languages such as Python, Stata, SAS, R, SPSS, MATLAB, SQL etc. Experience in ensuring the operational relevance of analytical and/or research work. Solid understanding of forced displacement-related issues. Drive, proven sense of initiative, results orientation, flexibility, leadership qualities, as well as effective teamwork skills. Experience working with Big Data and/or Statistical Learning methods. Experience writing technical reports. Experience presenting work to both technical and non-technical audiences. Willingness to experiment in data innovation and big data and push the boundaries in applying technical skills for development and humanitarian action. Ability to work flexibly, creatively and to multitask as the need arises. A high degree of self-motivation, positive attitude and drive. Desirable Experience in process re-engineering (process redesign, process transformation, or change management). Experience with data sharing, data anonymization, statistical disclosure control, data management, and data analysis. Experience with data visualization tools such as D3.js, Power BI and Tableau. Experience with UNHCR¿s corporate applications and operational data. Demonstrated understanding of civil registration and other national population registration systems. Knowledge of UNHCR and interagency policies, standards, programmes and operations. Functional Skills DM-Data Collection and Analysis DM-Data collection methodologies DM-Data Interoperability DM-Data Management DM-Data science methodologies DM-Population census and econometrics DM-Qualitative data analysis DM-Quantitative data analysis IT-Computer Literacy PR-Coordination in Forced Displacement situations (Functional Skills marked with an asterisk* are essential) Language Requirements For International Professional and Field Service jobs: Knowledge of English and UN working language of the duty station if not English. For National Professional jobs: Knowledge of English and UN working language of the duty station if not English and local language. For General Service jobs: Knowledge of English and/or UN working language of the duty station if not English. All UNHCR workforce members must individually and collectively, contribute towards a working environment where each person feels safe, and empowered to perform their duties. This includes by demonstrating no tolerance for sexual exploitation and abuse, harassment including sexual harassment, sexism, gender inequality, discrimination and abuse of power. As individuals and as managers, all must be proactive in preventing and responding to inappropriate conduct, support ongoing dialogue on these matters and speaking up and seeking guidance and support from relevant UNHCR resources when these issues arise. This is a Standard Job Description for all UNHCR jobs with this job title and grade level. The Operational Context may contain additional essential and/or desirable qualifications relating to the specific operation and/or position. Any such requirements are incorporated by reference in this Job Description and will be considered for the screening, shortlisting and selection of candidates.

Desired Candidate Profile This position will be connected to the ‘CLIFDEW-GRID: Early Warning Grid-Based Risk Modelling of Climate Induced Forced Displacement’ project funded by CRAF’d to create an early warning system for climate induced forced displacement. The chosen candidate will work as the main researcher for this project under the supervision of the project lead and in close collaboration with the Department of Earth System Science at the University of California – Irvine and UNHCR’s GIS unit.
The optimal candidate for this role will:
• have a degree in data science, computer science, or statistics;
• have extensive experience with remote sensing imagery and GIS data;
• have experience of working with large data sets of different granularity and time frequency;
• be a solid programmer in ‘R’, ‘SQL’, and alternatively ‘Python’;
• ideally have some experience with the nexus of climate change and food security;
• ideally have some insight into the nexus between environmental stressors and forced displacement;
• be organized, self-driven, and experienced to work in a diverse team.
The tasks of this role will comprise the collection of remote sensing data, data on forced displacement, and other environmental variables at the grid level in East and Western Africa with the support of UCI and UNHCR’s GIS unit; with support of the team’s data engineer, the creation of a data base, as well as the cleaning and alignment of the different data sources. Furthermore, with support of the data science team, the development of predictive risk models of climate induced forced displacement at the grid level for the named regions. The role will include in-person training activities for field operations in the named regions and upholding close communication with colleagues in the field to assess their needs and to align project outcomes accordingly. Additionally, the role will include contributing to written reports, presentations at conferences and workshops, as well as supporting the dissemination of the project results within UNHCR and across other UN agencies.

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Operational context

Occupational Safety and Health Considerations:

Nature of Position:

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Additional Qualifications

SkillsDM-Data Collection and Analysis, DM-Data collection methodologies, DM-Data Interoperability, DM-Data Management, DM-Data science methodologies, DM-Population census and econometrics, DM-Qualitative data analysis, DM-Quantitative data analysis, IT-Computer Literacy, PR-Coordination in Forced Displacement situations

Education

CertificationsHCR ODM Module 7 Registration - UNHCR, HCR Operational Data Management Learning Program - UNHCR, Information Management - Other

Work Experience

CompetenciesAccountability, Analytical thinking, Change capability & adaptability, Client & results orientation, Commitment to continuous learning, Communication, Empowering & building trust, Innovation & creativity, Judgement & decision making, Managing performance, Managing resource, Organizational awareness, Teamwork & collaboration

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Additional Information

Functional clearanceThis position doesn't require a functional clearance