Environmental Risk Mapping Volunteer [SPI]

Mission and objectivesUN-Habitat, the United Nations Human Settlements Programme, is mandated by the UN General Assembly to promote socially and environmentally sustainable and resilient towns and cities. It is the focal point agency for all urbanization and human settlement matters within the UN system. UN-Habitat envisions well-planned, well-governed and efficient cities and towns, with adequate housing, infrastructure and universal access to employment and basic services such as water, energy, and sanitation. Responding to crisis and post-crisis context is part of UN-Habitat’s mandate and strategic plan. In Ukraine, UN-Habitat is supporting national and subnational governments in their recovery efforts, linking short-term reconstruction needs to longer-term resilience solutions. At the local level, UN-Habitat provides support to recovery planning efforts of local governments through its Urban Lab established in Kyiv. The programme also strives to increase Ukrainian urban planning and design capacities, through support to academia, think tanks and practitioners, among others. At the national level, UN-Habitat provides support to the government of Ukraine, and more specifically to the Ministry for Communities, Territories and Infrastructure Development, on the development of national policies and instruments that guide regional and local governments’ recovery. UN-Habitat’s engagement towards a sustainable recovery of cities in Ukraine is underpinned by its efforts to strengthen the digital and data capacities of national, regional and local government entities to improve decision-making and enable implementation of climate-resilient recovery planning, through UNITAC, a collaboration between UN-Habitat, the UN Office for Information and Communication Technologies (OICT) and the HafenCity University (HCU).

ContextThe Tech Volunteers for Resilience (Tech4R) programme, co-led by UNDP ICPSD and UNV, mobilizes digital volunteers to co-create open-source solutions that enhance disaster preparedness, environmental resilience, and sustainable recovery. In partnership with UN-Habitat Ukraine, Tech4R is supporting the creation of a GIS-Based Recovery Dashboard for Borodianka hromada (Kyiv Oblast). The dashboard integrates reconstruction data and environmental hazards — including floods, peat fires, and industrial contamination — to guide resilient rebuilding. The Environmental Risk Mapping Volunteers will focus on sourcing, analyzing, and integrating environmental and hazard layers into the dashboard to inform data-driven recovery planning.

Task DescriptionThe Volunteers will: • Identify and collect relevant spatial datasets on environmental and hazard risks (floodplains, fires, contamination zones, and critical infrastructure). • Process and prepare GIS layers for integration into the recovery dashboard. • Analyze overlaps between reconstruction project sites and environmental risks. • Collaborate with GIS and Dashboard Development teams to ensure correct alignment and symbology of hazard layers. • Develop simple risk indicators (e.g., proximity, exposure, or impact levels). • Support visualization of environmental data in user-friendly formats. • Document data sources, metadata, and mapping methodologies for transparency and reuse.

Competencies and values• Accountability • Adaptability and flexibility • Creativity • Judgment and decision-making • Planning and organizing • Professionalism • Self-management

Living conditions and remarksThis is a volunteer assignment, not employment. By sharing your time, energy, and talents, you can support communities in need and become part of something greater than yourself — a global movement for peace, development and humanitarian aid. Volunteering strengthens trust, solidarity, and reciprocity among citizens, and it can promote a sense of belonging and purpose. This is an unpaid volunteer assignment. UN Volunteer entitlement for this assignment: - Private insurance for the duration of the assignment: Health, dental, life and dismemberment (coverage by CIGNA) Other benefits include: - International collaboration and mentorship - Skills development in real-world, UN-driven projects - Certificate of Service and exposure to international work Notes: This UN Volunteer assignment will support the Tech4R programme. The Tech Volunteers for Resilience (Tech4R) programme mobilizes skilled digital volunteers to co-create open-source solutions that strengthen disaster resilience. UN Volunteers for this particular assignment are governed by the particular conditions set out in their offers and contracts.