Geospatial Analyst P3_LFT, Regional Bureau for Western Africa (RBD)

🚩 Vacancy Announcement n°: 168241

📢 Job Title: Geospatial Analyst

📌Type of Contract: Limited Fixed-Term (LFT)

➡️ Unit / Division: Research, Assessment & Monitoring Unit / Regional Bureau for Western Africa

📍 Duty Station: Dakar, Senegal

➡️ Duration: 24 months (renewable)

⏰ Closing date: Thursday 14 July 2022, midnight (Dakar Time)

What will you do in this position?

You will analyze satellite imagery, to detect and quantify cropland change dynamics at the locality level in hard-to-reach/inaccessible areas across West and Central Africa (WCA), providing evidence of existing conflict-related hazards and vulnerabilities. You will produce an analysis focus on conflict-affected areas where access is limited, including the Liptako-Gourma area (border areas between Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger), the Lake Chad Basin (Northern Cameroon, Western Chad, South-Eastern Niger, North-Eastern Nigeria), the Central African Republic, parts of Chad and parts of Cameroon. You will work in close collaboration with relevant partners and the taskforce POT (Produits d’Observation de la Terre), a regional taskforce gathering institutions involved in the EO domain in WCA, including ACF, CILSS, FAO, FEWSNET, JRC, Nigerian Space Agency, WFP, SERVIR etc. At the country level, you will implement capacity-building activities for national governments, local authorities as well as humanitarian partners.

More details on our career page: *www.wfp.org/careers*

How can you make a difference?

In this position, you will have to:

• Coordinate the use and integration of cropland change analyses in Research Assessment and Monitoring (RAM) activities and with in-country partners in West and Central Africa (WCA).
• Conduct satellite analysis to detect cropland change in hard-to-reach areas of identified countries, produce maps and adequate reporting of the analyses (table of derived indicators for the use in Cadre Harmonisé (CH)/IPC, list of affected villages and summary notes).
• Triangulate cropland change results with secondary data and if possible, conduct field activities to validate the results of the analysis.
• Provide operational support to Country Offices (COs) across the region on geo-targeting activities based on Earth Observation products.
• Roll out satellite-based analysis to help measure WFP resilience activities.
• Strengthen the capacity of WFP staff and external partners in the use of satellite imagery in the Western and Central Africa region.
• Communicate and advise on the use of satellite imagery in the Western and Central Africa region.
• Provide technical support to the launch of PRISM platform (Composite applications typically feature multiple screens, rich user interaction and data visualization) and to the general work of WFP RBD through ad-hoc requests.
• Develop partnerships with key regional stakeholders to improve the integration of EO analyses.
• Participate as the WFP focal point in the West Africa POT taskforce (Produits d’Observation de la Terre, or Earth Observation Products), a regional taskforce gathering institutions involved in Earth Observation in West and Central Africa.
• Explore other applications of satellite imagery specifically, and more generally of technical innovations relevant to the WFP Research Assessment and Monitoring (RAM) work.

This position reports to the Senior Regional Research Assessment and Monitoring (RAM) Advisor and will be part of the RAM Unit. Travel within the Western Africa region may be required up to 50 % of working time.

To join us in saving lives, changing lives, you will have for…

Education: Advanced University Degree (Master) in Engineering, Data Science, Remote Sensing, Geographic or Agricultural sciences.

Experience: A minimum of five (05) years of professional experience in satellite imagery analysis.

Knowledge & Skills:

• Proficiency in geographic information system (GIS) and geospatial analysis techniques and standards.
• Knowledge of main Earth Observation (EO) data platforms and processing software.
• Knowledge of the institutional framework of the humanitarian sector and experience. in international organizations (UN/NGOs; preferably in the field of food security).
• Experience in capacity strengthening of various types of audiences is an advantage.
• Knowledge of the conflict and security context in the Sahel is preferred.
• Ability to work with a diverse group of stakeholders, including state actors and local civil society, and develop consensus.
• Ability to work with tight deadlines whilst retaining flexibility and a sense of priorities.
• Ability to deal with organizational and administrative as well as scientific and technical matters.
• Advanced knowledge of GIS and remote sensing.
• Advanced knowledge of programming languages (Javascript, Python, R).
• Ability to produce clear and concise reports and deliverables, with well-presented information in the form of tables, charts, graphs and maps.
• Ability to communicate clearly on the project, both written and orally.
• Good coordination, cooperation, and interpersonal skills.
• Good analytical and problem-solving skills.

Language: Fluency (level C) in French and English.

Before you apply…

A Limited Fixed-Term Appointment (LFT) position is a non-mobile staff appointment in the international professional category for a limited period for up to 4 years and is open to all nationalities (for HQ and RBs) or candidates must be a national of a country other than the country of assignment (for Country Offices). The position is based in Dakar, Senegal and the selected candidate will be expected to relocate. Incumbents of LFT positions are not eligible to apply for other mobile positions advertised internally through the Reassignment.

WFP offers an attractive compensation and benefits package in line with ICSC standards (http://icsc.un.org) including basic salary, post adjustment, relocation entitlement, travel and shipment allowances, 30 days’ annual leave, home leave, an education grant for dependent children, a pension plan, and medical insurance.