ISR Technology Development Associate

*** THIS IS A LOCAL POSITION FOR WHICH ONLY APPLICANTS WHO POSSESS THE SPANISH NATIONALITY OR A VALID RESIDENCE AND WORK PERMIT IN SPAIN ARE ELIGIBLE FOR CONSIDERATION *** 

The United Nations Department of Operational Support, Office of Information and Communications Technology (UN DOS-OICT) is responsible for the delivery of applications and technologies that satisfy the requirements of the Departments of Peacekeeping Operations and Operational Support (DPO/DOS) missions as well as Special Political Missions (SPMs).

Field Technology Service (FTS) in the United Nations Global Service Centre (UNGSC) is responsible for the delivery and maintenance of Field Technologies, Information and Communications Technology (ICT) and Geospatial Information Systems (GIS) infrastructure, systems and software applications in support of operational requirements of peace missions as well as special political missions.

The Technology Development, Design and Planning Section (TDDPS) under the FTS umbrella is responsible for the development of pilots, projects and services that satisfy the requirements of the Departments of Peace Operations and Operational Support (DPO/DOS) missions. DOS has implemented a range of systems to address the principal requirements of peace operations and to support and enhance the processes DOS undertakes. Technology Development Unit (TDU) is a central pillar of the TDDPS section and acts a center of excellence for idea generation, transformation of ideas into products/solutions or enhancing existing solutions that address problems facing Departments of Peace Operations and Operational Support (DPO/DOS) missions through the use of Technology.

The incumbent will be part of a team of professionals that have combined decade’s long experience in the UN missions.This is a position in UNOPS for supporting projects carried out for or in the United Nations Secretariat. The incumbent of this position will be a personnel of UNOPS under its full responsibility.

The ISR Technology Development Associate (ISR – Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance) plays a critical part in the research, testing and implementation of ISR technologies in support of DPO/DOS activities. The incumbent will help in initiating and promoting technology innovations in the ISR area, integrating military and civilian technologies and expertise in the field, in support of making UN peace operations more effective and efficient. The incumbent create synergies between the various stakeholders with emphasis on enhanced operational performance and capacity building through the introduction of modern ISR technology to UN missions. S/he is expected to understand information workflows and applications used in tracking and monitoring the relevant projects and systems performance.

• Work with the ISR Technology Officer and other technical teams in TDDPS to carry out feasibility studies, analysis, design, implementation and integration of new ISR and related ICT systems and technologies into daily military or police related operations.
• Work closely with civilian, military and police personnel on proof of concept and pilot projects. 
• Assist in the development of specifications for equipment and services related to innovative systems and technologies in the field of ISR and related ICT.
• Assist in the development of training frameworks and instructions, “Knowledge Transfer” plans and technical instruction strategies for ISR technologies.
• Coordinate with other UNGSC units to support the related technologies, as needed.
• Draft Standard Operating Procedures and Guidelines for the proper use of ISR systems in the field.
• Assist with expertise in addressing client requests or/and resolving issues regarding equipment or process fault diagnosis, complex system problems analysis; advise any remedial action required and follow up on the progress.
• Assist in developing and implementing the ISR roadmap for DPO/DOS.
• Carry out due diligence on existing/emerging solutions and provide suggestions on improvement, as applicable.
• Participate actively in the internal community for sharing innovative thinking and knowledge on new and emerging technologies.
• Perform any other duties as required. 

Impact of Results 

The result of work of the ISR Technology Development Associate impacts directly on delivery of services that satisfy the requirements of TDDPS or/and DPO/DOS, as well as the performance of the services implemented in the DPO/DOS field missions and headquarters. It will also ensure proper processes and methodologies are followed and implemented according to the latest of the industry standards. The incumbent is responsible for ensuring activities for all global locations are in line with the overall business targets and UN policies, rules and regulations.

Education

• Secondary Education in Electronics, Sensors, Technology Development, or Engineering or in a field related to the post description.
• A first level university degree with a combination of relevant academic qualifications and experience in ISR technologies and operations, Electronics, Sensors, Technology Development, or Engineering or in a field related to the post description may substitute for some of the required years of experience.

Work Experience

• Minimum of 6 years of experience in ISR or related technology solution focused roles is required.
• Minimum of 1 year of experience in working on projects related to Technology Solutions is required.
• Minimum of 2 of years of experience delivering projects within a project management framework (e.g. PRINCE2) is required.
• Minimum of 2 years of experience of working in a multinational environment where tact, diplomacy, excellent relationship management and communication skills are critical to positively influence relationships with a wide range of stakeholders is required.

Desirable:

• Minimum of 1 year of experience working with Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) is desired.
• Minimum of 1 year of experience working on Project implementations and Service Design/Transition; general understanding of infrastructure components at high level (i.e. network, servers, database, storage, data, and security) is desirable.
• Experience in technology innovation is desired.
• Knowledge of Military technology and military experience are desirable.

Language

• Fluency in written and oral English is required. 
• Knowledge of another United Nations official language is an advantage.

Certifications

• ITIL Foundation certification is desirable.
• PRINCE2 Practitioner certification or equivalent is desirable.

1. Contract type : Individual Contractor Agreement (ICA)
2. Contract level : LICA 6
3. Contract duration : ‘Open-ended, subject to organizational requirements, availability of funds and satisfactory performance.’

• 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.
• UNOPS seeks to reasonably accommodate candidates with special needs, upon request.
• Work life harmonization - UNOPS values its people and recognizes the importance of balancing professional and personal demands. We have a progressive policy on work-life harmonization and offer several flexible working options. This policy applies to UNOPS personnel on all contract types
• UNOPS seeks to reasonably accommodate candidates with special needs, upon request.
• For staff positions only, UNOPS reserves the right to appoint a candidate at a lower level than the advertised level of the post
• The incumbent is responsible to abide by security policies, administrative instructions, plans and procedures of the UN Security Management System and that of UNOPS.  

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.

UNOPS is an operational arm of the United Nations, supporting the successful implementation of its partners’ peacebuilding, humanitarian and development projects around the world. Our mission is to help people build better lives and countries achieve sustainable development.

UNOPS areas of expertise cover infrastructure, procurement, project management, financial management and human resources.

Working with us

UNOPS offers short- and long-term work opportunities in diverse and challenging environments across the globe. We are looking for creative, results-focused professionals with skills in a range of disciplines.

Diversity

With over 4,000 UNOPS personnel and approximately 7,000 personnel recruited on behalf of UNOPS partners spread across 80 countries, our workforce represents a wide range of nationalities and cultures. We promote a balanced, diverse workforce — a strength that helps us better understand and address our partners’ needs, and continually strive to improve our gender balance through initiatives and policies that encourage recruitment of qualified female candidates.

Work life harmonization

UNOPS values its people and recognizes the importance of balancing professional and personal demands.

Background Information: Sustainable Development Cluster (SDC)

Based in New York, the Sustainable Development Cluster (SDC) supports diverse partners with their peacebuilding, humanitarian and development operations.

The SDC’s services include grants management, development and special initiatives support, and technology support to the UN and UN agencies.

The SDC is part of the New York Service Cluster that supports the United Nations Secretariat, as well as a broadening community of other New York-based United Nations organizations, bilateral and multilateral partners in the delivery of UNOPS mandate in project management, infrastructure management, and procurement management.