Technical Assistant

• Attractive local package
• Friendly and supportive team environment
• Join the principal development organisation in the region

Description

The Pacific Community (SPC) is the principal scientific and technical organisation in the Pacific region, supporting development since 1947. We are an international development organisation owned and governed by our 27 country and territory members. In pursuit of sustainable development to benefit Pacific people, our organisation works across more than 25 sectors. We are known for our knowledge and innovation in such areas as fisheries science, public health surveillance, geoscience, and conservation of plant genetic resources for food and agriculture.

The Geoscience Energy and Maritime (GEM) Division provides advice, technical assistance, research and training support to Pacific Island countries and territories (PICTs). There are four (4) areas of scientific programming within this division:

1. Oceans and Maritime Programme (OMP) – assists member countries with services that provide applied ocean science and knowledge for evidence-based policy-making and technical solutions for improved ocean and maritime governance, management and capacity development.
2. Georesources and Energy Programme (GEP) – assists member countries by applying technical knowledge in the areas of geoscience and sustainable energy use.
3. Disaster and Community Resilience Programme (DCRP) – assists member countries to demonstrate strengthened resilience through integrated action on disaster risk management, climate change adaptation, natural resource management and increased access to water and sanitation.
4. Earth and Ocean Observation Services – Promoting spatial data and systems analysis and capacity to improve decision-making to improve resilience and sustainable resource management.

The role – Technical Assistant will support SPC’s work in ocean and coastal prediction and monitoring services by assisting with data collation, archiving, and metadata creation for integration into the data management system. This role will ensure effective and timely management of geospatial and oceanographic data, while also supporting mapping activities. Through this work, the job holder will strengthen member countries’ capacity to address data management challenges, enabling governments and agencies to better plan and coordinate future data collection and management efforts that support the sustainable development of natural resources.

The key responsibilities of the role include:

Collating and processing geoscience data

• Collate and process historical data gathered by the GEM Division to ensure accuracy and accessibility.
• Populate the database.
• Organise and manage the (internal) numerical infrastructure to ensure data is correctly saved and easily retrievable.

Data management system implementation

• Support the creation and implementation of relevant metadata templates for future products developed by the Program.
• Ensure the accurate entry, organisation, and maintenance of metadata for all archived datasets.
• Assisting in providing training internally on operating the data management system.

For a more detailed account of the key responsibilities, please refer to the online job description.

Key selection criteria

Qualifications

• A diploma in a relevant field of study such as in geospatial, environmental science, disaster risk reduction or an equivalent body of knowledge and experience.

Technical expertise

• At least 6 months of experience and knowledge in data collection and management, metadata collating, and relevant good practices and international standards.       

Language skills

• Excellent English communication skills (oral and written). 

Interpersonal skills and cultural awareness

• Ability to work in a multicultural, inclusive and equitable environment.

Salary, terms and conditions

Contract Duration – 1 year – subject to renewal depending on funding and performance. 

Remuneration – the Technical Assistant is a band 4 position in SPC’s 2025 salary scale, with a commencing taxable salary range of FJD 1,323-1,654 per month, plus local staff benefits. An offer of appointment for an initial contract will be made in the lower half of this range, with due consideration being given to experience and qualifications. Progression within the salary scale will be based on annual performance reviews.

Benefits for Staff in a position advertised locally (EPAL) whose duty station is Suva – SPC provides medical and life insurance for eligible employees and their eligible dependents. Employees are entitled to 25 working days of annual leave per annum and other types of leave, and access to SPC’s Provident Fund (contributing 8% of salary, to which SPC adds a 10% contribution).

Recruitment principles – SPC’s recruitment is based on merit and fairness, and candidates are competing in a selection process that is fair, transparent and non-discriminatory. SPC is an equal-opportunity employer, and is committed to cultural and gender diversity, including bilingualism, and will seek to attract and appoint candidates who respect these values. Due attention is given to gender equity and the maintenance of strong representation from Pacific Island professionals. If two interviewed candidates are ranked equal by the selection panel, preference will be given to the Pacific Islander.

Applicants will be assured of complete confidentiality in line with SPC’s Privacy Policy.

Application procedure

Closing Date – 11 November 2025 at 11:59pm (Fiji time)

Job Reference: TT000144

Applicants must apply online at http://careers.spc.int/

Hard copies of applications will not be accepted.

For your application to be considered, you must provide us with:

• an updated resume with contact details for three professional referees
• a cover letter detailing your skills, experience and interest in this position
• responses to all screening questions

Your application will be considered incomplete and will not be reviewed at shortlisting stage if all the above documents are not provided. Applicants should not attach copies of qualifications or letters of reference. Please ensure your documents are in Microsoft Word or Adobe PDF format.

Only Fijian citizens are eligible to apply for this role.

SPC does not charge a fee to consider your application and will never ask for your banking or financial information during the recruitment process.

Screening Questions (maximum of 2,000 characters per question):

1. What is metadata, and why is it important in data management systems?
2. Have you worked with any geospatial or oceanographic data tools or platforms? If yes, please name them.
3. What international standards or good practices are you familiar with for archiving or managing scientific data?