Senior Data Scientist - Retainer

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has a Centre for Humanitarian Data in The Hague, the Netherlands which is focused on increasing the use and impact of data in the humanitarian sector. The vision is to create a future where all people involved in a humanitarian emergency have access to the data they need, when and how they need it, to make responsible and informed decisions. The Centre has four workstreams: data services (managing the Humanitarian Data Exchange platform), data responsibility, data literacy and predictive analytics.

An area of emerging interest in the humanitarian sector is predictive analytics: asking what will happen in a particular humanitarian context and using machine learning and the application of statistical modelling to arrive at an answer. The Centre initiated its work on predictive analytics through our 2018 and 2019 Data Fellows Programme, and has continued to invest in this area through research into the development of models related to different aspects of humanitarian response. In September 2019, the Centre created a new workstream for predictive analytics with a focus on three areas: model development, a peer review process for partner models, and community and capacity building.

Reporting Relationships
The Senior Data Scientist will report to the Predictive Analytics Team Lead under the overall direction of the Lead for the Centre for Humanitarian Data. She or he will be expected to work closely with the rest of the Centre team.

-          Research partner models to understand their design and potential application in humanitarian operations.

-          Supporting the Central Emergency Response Fund in the development of Anticipatory Action Frameworks.

-          Providing support to OCHA Country Offices for projections and scenarios in humanitarian response plans.

-          Contribute to piloting and revising the Centre’s Peer Review Framework for Predictive Analytics in Humanitarian Response.

-          Utilize available project management and office communication tools to effectively track and deliver expected outputs.

-          At least one OCHA Country Offices supported with projections for their humanitarian response plans.

-          At least one OCHA Anticipatory Action Framework supported with analysis of forecasts and triggers.

*FEMALE CANDIDATES ARE STRONGLY ENCOURAGED TO APPLY

Work Experience

Language

Contract type: Individual Contractor Agreement  - ICA retainer modality. A retainer contract is issued for a period of time during which the services of the individual contractor are required intermittently. The individual contractor agreement on retainer basis will specify a “unit price” per day worked. For budgetary purposes, a monetary cap will be determined when the contract is awarded and issued. Please note that the retainer contract will not provide for a minimum, and payment will be made only after completion of work.

Contract level: IICA-2/ICSC-10

• Please note that the closing date is midnight Copenhagen time
• Applications received after the closing date will not be considered.
• Only those candidates that are short-listed for interviews will be notified.
• Qualified female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.
• The incumbent is responsible to abide by security policies, administrative instructions, plans and procedures of the UN Security Management System.

It is the policy of UNOPS to conduct background checks on all potential recruits/interns.
Recruitment/internship in UNOPS is contingent on the results of such checks.