UNICEF is looking for a Geospatial Data Engineer (Climate and Connectivity)

General Information

Publication for: Partner

Partner Name: UNICEF United Nations Children's Fund

Position Title: Geospatial Data Engineer (Climate and Connectivity)

Job Category: Engineer

Duty Station(s): Geneva

Seniority Level: Mid Level

ICS Level: ICS 10

Contract Type: ICA - IICA - Regular

Contract Level: IICA 2

Posting Start Date: 18-Feb-2026

Posting End Date: 04-Mar-2026

Duration: 31 December 2026, with possibility of extension subject to funding availability, satisfactory performance, and continued business needs

Job Highlight

As countries increasingly face climate and disaster-related risks, the resilience of schools and education systems is critical. The Geospatial Data Engineer will support a pilot initiative to test and demonstrate how hazard and climate data can be integrated with DI's school geolocation and connectivity datasets.

About the Region

The UNOPS Global Portfolios Office (GPO) unites the New York Portfolios, including the Peace and Security team (PSC); the Geneva Office; and the Vienna-based Water, Environment and Climate (WEC) teams, to maximize global impact, foster efficiencies and streamline global programmes. Leveraging our collective expertise and networks, GPO supports UNOPS' strategic priorities and the SDGs across over 130 countries. We deliver project management, fund management, advisory services, project implementation, and HR services, working closely with major global partners. Our thematic focus includes sustainable development, climate action, health, peace & security, and humanitarian action.

About the Country/Multi-Country Office

As part of the Global Portfolios Office, UNOPS Geneva provides comprehensive solutions in secretariat hosting, operational support, and fund management. We manage global programmes, including the Water, Environment and Climate (WEC) Portfolio, offering project management, procurement, HR, and financial services. Geneva hosts the secretariats of eight global partnerships focused on health (RBM, Stop TB, ATscale), nutrition (SUN), water/sanitation (SHF), humanitarian leadership (GELI), urban development (Cities Alliance), and disaster displacement (PDD). We also provide fund management for EIF and UN Water, and operational support to Geneva-based partners like the Global Fund and UNHCR.

Job Specific Context

UNOPS Geneva Office is providing support to a wide range of portfolios, including UNEP, UNICEF, UNHCR, and other partners.

UNICEF works in some of the world's toughest places, to reach the world's most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential.

This position is a Partner Personnel role. UNOPS is supporting UNICEF-DI as a UN partner and is acting on its behalf to provide recruitment and administrative support for this position. The selected candidate will be recruited through UNOPS in accordance with UNOPS recruitment rules and will be engaged as UNICEF-DI personnel.

The incumbent will work under the effective management and supervision of UNICEF-DI, not UNOPS.

About UNICEF Digital Impact Division (DID)

Digital Impact Division (DID)is at the heart of reshaping how UNICEF delivers lasting results for children. We are committed to harnessing the full potential of emerging digital technologies to advance UNICEF's mission.

DID works in close collaboration with regional Digital Impact teams and colleagues across headquarters divisions, regions, and country offices to leverage technologies and capabilities that accelerate progress on UNICEF's goals, strengthen community resilience, and expand access to essential digital services and information.

Our mission is to enhance UNICEF's global digital impact by promoting equitable access to information and services, empowering communities to create lasting, positive change for children, and foster a more inclusive, interconnected, and sustainable world for every child, everywhere.

About UNICEF Digital Inclusion (DI)

UNICEF's Digital Inclusion programme supports governments and partners to improve equitable, affordable digital access for children, schools, and communities. The programme engages with regulators, operators, and public institutions to explore innovative approaches to connectivity, infrastructure governance, and digital public goods.

Role Purpose

The Geospatial Data Engineer will identify and process relevant hazard-related datasets and integrate them with DI's school geolocation and connectivity datasets. The role will identify and pilot use cases in at least two emergencies for school-level risk and the impact on connectivity. The Geospatial Data Engineer will also develop visualization products and ensure appropriate knowledge management and documentation.

The Geospatial Data Engineer will work closely with DI's Applied Science team, the Global Alliances team, the Country Engagement team, UNICEF's Frontier Data Network, UNICEF Country Offices and other relevant teams and partners.

Functions / Key Results Expected

Under the overall guidance of the Programme Manager, the Geospatial Data Engineer's main responsibilities will be:

1. Identification of relevant datasets

• Identify and review natural hazard, exposure, climate risk and forecasting datasets that can be meaningfully combined with DI's school location and connectivity data and prioritize datasets for integration with DI's datasets and Giga Spatial (an open-source geospatial Python library).

2. Data processing and integration

• Extend and apply Giga Spatial to process and integrate selected hazard datasets with other DI data, including maintaining technical documentation for the Giga Spatial extension for GitHub.

3. Country use case identification

• Identify countries and priority use cases for hazard risk analysis in line with programmatic needs and collaborate with relevant UNICEF teams and partners to pilot country level analyses and contribute to the documentation of use cases.

4. Piloting use cases for school-level hazard risk and connectivity analysis

• Pilot school-level hazard risk and connectivity analyses by integrating real-time and event-based hazard data with school location and connectivity datasets, in collaboration with relevant UNICEF teams.

5. Visualization and guidance products

• Explore ways to integrate the produced data analysis outputs in UNICEF's visualization tools to support interpretation and use of results.

6. Documentation and knowledge management

• Develop and maintain appropriate documentation and knowledge management resources to support the work for future use.

Monitoring and Progress Controls

• Item 1 – Identification of relevant datasets

  • Detailed list of reviewed datasets (including source, spatial resolution, temporal coverage, update frequency and access) with recommendations on suitability for integration with DI data, e.g. in Excel format
  • Structured inventory of prioritized datasets, e.g. in Excel format
  • Access to prioritized datasets secured – Ongoing

• Item 2 – Data processing and integration

  • Giga Spatial extended to handle the new datasets
  • Datasets preprocessed
  • Giga Spatial extension documented for GitHub – Ongoing

• Item 3 – Country use case identification

  • Summary of country-specific use cases, analytical questions, and confirmed country priorities – Ongoing

• Item 4 – Piloting use cases for school-level hazard risk and connectivity analysis

  • At least two use cases of integrating hazard data with DI's data successfully piloted in selected emergencies
  • Web app developed to visualize findings
  • Brief analysis report with the findings of each use case pilot (e.g. affected schools, impact on connectivity and continuity of education), highlighting practical applications
  • Brief report including methodology, limitations, country use cases and lessons learned from the pilots – Ongoing

• Item 5 – Visualization and guidance products

  • Integration with UNICEF visualization tools or brief report on integration possibilities
  • User guide or training materials – Ongoing

• Item 6 – Documentation and knowledge management

  • Established and regularly updated knowledge repository
  • Brief report on progress, recommendations and lessons learned
  • Academic report on findings of pilots – Quarterly

Skills

Data Processing, Geodatabase, Geoprocessing, Python, Scientific Computing, Statistical Programming, Coding

Competencies

• Strategic Perspective: Develops and implements sustainable business strategies, thinks long term and externally in order to positively shape the organisation. Anticipates and perceives the impact and implications of future decisions and activities on other parts of the organisation.

• Respect: Treats all individuals with respect; responds sensitively to differences and encourages others to do the same. Upholds organisational and ethical norms. Maintains high standards of trustworthiness. Role model for diversity and inclusion.

• Collaboration: Acts as a positive role model contributing to the team spirit. Collaborates and supports the development of others. For people managers only: Acts as positive leadership role model, motivates, directs and inspires others to succeed, utilizing appropriate leadership styles.

• Partnerships: Demonstrates understanding of the impact of own role on all partners and always puts the end beneficiary first. Builds and maintains strong external relationships and is a competent partner for others (if relevant to the role).

• Excellence: Efficiently establishes an appropriate course of action for self and/or others to accomplish a goal. Actions lead to total task accomplishment through concern for quality in all areas. Sees opportunities and takes the initiative to act on them. Understands that responsible use of resources maximizes our impact on our beneficiaries.

• Adaptability: Open to change and flexible in a fast paced environment. Effectively adapts own approach to suit changing circumstances or requirements. Reflects on experiences and modifies own behavior. Performance is consistent, even under pressure. Always pursues continuous improvements.

• Decision-making: Evaluates data and courses of action to reach logical, pragmatic decisions. Takes an unbiased, rational approach with calculated risks. Applies innovation and creativity to problem-solving.

• Communication: Expresses ideas or facts in a clear, concise and open manner. Communication indicates a consideration for the feelings and needs of others. Actively listens and proactively shares knowledge. Handles conflict effectively, by overcoming differences of opinion and finding common ground.

Education Requirements

Required

• An Advanced University Degree (Master's degree or equivalent) preferably in geospatial analysis, spatial data science or a related field is required.

• A first level University Degree (Bachelor's degree of equivalent) in the related fields combined with 2 additional years of professional experience may be accepted in lieu of an Advanced University Degree.

Experience Requirements

Required

• Minimum 5 years of professional experience in geospatial data processing, hazard/risk modeling, and applied analytics for development, climate or disaster risk contexts.
• Proven expertise in processing raster and vector datasets (e.g., hazard footprints, climate projections) and integrating them with socio-economic or infrastructure datasets.
• Proven experience in coding environments for geospatial analysis (Python, R, Google Earth Engine).
• Demonstrated experience in climate-related hazard and risk modeling, including vulnerability assessments and scenario-based simulations.
• Experience producing decision-support products, e.g. web apps, risk maps, ranked risk lists, narrative briefs for non-technical audiences.
• Strong reporting and documentation skills.
• Experience in geolocated time series analysis, forecasting and/or computational modeling.

Desired

• Familiarity with education sector data and challenges around school infrastructure and connectivity.
• Experience with disaster risk reduction and/or climate adaptation in low- and middle-income country contexts.
• Understanding of connectivity infrastructure.
• Ability to translate technical geospatial or climate analyses into policy-relevant recommendations for governments or development partners.
• Ability to successfully collaborate with various teams and partners, translate operational needs into analytical use cases, and present results effectively.
• Ability to work independently and deliver results under tight timelines, while maintaining quality and attention to detail.
• Prior experience working with UNICEF, UN agencies, or international development/humanitarian organizations.

Language Requirements

• English – Fluent – Required

Additional Information

• Please note that UNOPS does not accept unsolicited resumes.
• Please note that UNOPS will at no stage of the recruitment process request candidates to make payments of any kind.
• Applications to vacancies must be received before midnight Copenhagen time (CET) on the closing date of the announcement. Applications received after the closing date will not be considered.
• Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process, which involves various assessments.
• UNOPS embraces diversity and is committed to equal employment opportunity. Our workforce consists of many diverse nationalities, cultures, languages, races, gender identities, sexual orientations, and abilities. UNOPS seeks to sustain and strengthen this diversity to ensure equal opportunities as well as an inclusive working environment for its entire workforce.
• Qualified women and candidates from groups which are underrepresented in the UNOPS workforce are encouraged to apply. These include in particular candidates from racialized and/or indigenous groups, members of minority gender identities and sexual orientations, and people with disabilities.
• We would like to ensure all candidates perform at their best during the assessment process. If you are shortlisted and require additional assistance to complete any assessment, including reasonable accommodation, please inform our human resources team when you receive an invitation.

Terms and Conditions

• For staff positions only, UNOPS reserves the right to appoint a candidate at a lower level than the advertised level of the post.
• For retainer contracts, you must complete a few mandatory courses (they take around 4 hours to complete) in your own time, before providing services to UNOPS. Refreshers or new mandatory courses may be required during your contract. Please note that you will not receive any compensation for taking courses and refreshers. For more information on a retainer contract here.
• For more details about the contract types, please click here.
• All UNOPS personnel are responsible for performing their duties in accordance with the UN Charter and UNOPS Policies and Instructions, as well as other relevant accountability frameworks. In addition, all personnel must demonstrate an understanding of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in a manner consistent with UN core values and the UN Common Agenda.
• It is the policy of UNOPS to conduct background checks on all potential personnel. Recruitment in UNOPS is contingent on the results of such checks.

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