Job: Research Associate

Location: Dresden, Germany 
Deadline: Sunday, 06 October 2013 

Description

Overview Applications procedure Related Files Contact

• POSITION:

  Consultant Contract

  REFERENCE NO.:

  2013/UNU/FLORES/CTC/RA/SFA/57

  LOCATION:

  Dresden, Germany

  CLOSING DATE:

  2013

• 10
• 06 
  Organizational Unit: UNU Institute for Integrated Management of Material Fluxes and of Resources (UNU-FLORES)
  United Nations University objective
   
  The UNU is an international community of scholars engaged in research, postgraduate training and the dissemination of knowledge in furtherance of the purposes and principles of the United Nations, its Peoples and Member States. The University functions as a think tank for the United Nations system, contributes to capacity building, particularly in developing countries, and serves as a platform for new and innovative ideas and dialogue.
   
  UNU Institute for Integrated Management of Material Fluxes and of Resources (UNU-FLORES)
   
  The mission of UNU-FLORES is to contribute to the development of integrated and sustainable management strategies for the use of water, soil and waste resources, in particular in developing and emerging countries, in scientific, educational, managerial, technological, and institutional terms. Potential issues of focus include: urban water management, nutrient cycles and budgets, methods for reclamation and rehabilitation of degraded sites, site-specific river-basin scale water management; interaction of land use management and water inventory under differing climate conditions, and efficient site-adapted waste management strategies, among others. The Institute will develop innovative concepts for target- and region-specific knowledge transfer as well as appropriate methodologies and approaches for postgraduate and professional education.
   
  The Institute is located in Dresden, Federal Republic of Germany. For more information please visit http://flores.unu.edu.
   
  Systems and Flux Analysis considering Global Change Assessment unit
   
  The unit working on Systems and Flux Analysis considering Global Change Assessment integrates and analyzes the information on water, soil, and waste resources, while considering conditions of global change. It will provide tools to analyse quantities, flows, and transformations of resources, aiming at a complete life-cycle assessment while considering conditions of global change. In particular the section:
  • Applies systems analysis approaches to the analysis of material fluxes and resource inventory and flows;
  • Performs scenario analyses to forecast material fluxes under conditions of global change;
  • Develops, modifies and applies modeling tools to perform such analyses;
  • Advises and provides guidelines for data management enabling/facilitating integrative analyses of data sets; and
  • Chooses and applies statistical methods and tools for data analysis.
  Responsibilities
   
  Under the authority of the Director of UNU-FLORES and direct supervision of the Academic Officer – Systems and Flux Analysis Considering Global Change Assessment, the successful candidate shall carry out the following tasks:
  • Contribute to the literature review on modeling resource flows and material fluxes (mainly related to water and soil) at various scales (e.g., river stretches, watershed, global scale);
  • Compile a list of software and modeling tools which are commonly used for modeling fluxes of water, soil (or its components) and waste;
  • Explore possibilities to link models of sub-compartments (e.g., groundwater, surface water) at various regional scales;
  • Explore possibilities to link models addressing different aspects (e.g., water quantity and water quality);
  • Explore possibilities to upscale modeling approaches to larger regional scales;
  • Support project fundraising, including project proposal development, contacting and maintaining a dialogue with potential donors, and other work related to fund-raising; and
  • Perform other duties as assigned by the supervisor.
  Required qualifications and experience
  • A master's degree in natural sciences or engineering in a field related to systems and flux analysis or hydrology, waste, soil, geography, or other related field;
  • Minimum one (1) year of professional work experience in research on systems and flux analysis, meteorology, climate change, or other related field;
  • Good knowledge of available modeling approaches and tools related to hydrology/substance flows or related areas;
  • Experience with drafting project proposals is highly desirable;
  • Proficiency in oral and written English is required. Knowledge of another UN language would be an asset;
  • Ability to work within agreed timelines;
  • A good team player with strong interpersonal skills demonstrated by the ability to work in a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic environment with sensitivity and respect for diversity.
  Remuneration
   
  Remuneration will commensurate with qualification and experience of the successful candidate.
  Duration of contract
   
  This is a full-time employment (40 hours per week) for a fixed period of five (5) months on a Consultant Contract (CTC) with UNU-FLORES for the above-mentioned project.
   
  The successful candidate will be employed under a local contract and will not hold international civil servant status nor be a 'staff member' as defined in the United Nations Staff Rules and Regulations.
   
  Applications from suitably qualified woman candidates and those from developing countries are particularly encouraged.
   
  Starting date
   
  As soon as possible.

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