Research Associate (PSA)

United Nations University (UNU)

The United Nations University (UNU) is a global think tank and postgraduate teaching organization within the United Nations System. UNU engages in policy-relevant research, capacity development, and knowledge dissemination in furtherance of the purposes and principles of the United Nations. The work of UNU contributes to solving pressing global problems that are the concern of the United Nations and its Member States.

For the past five decades, UNU has been a source of impartial research on sustainability, human security, and economic development. With hundreds of researchers working at institutes in 12 countries, UNU's expertise spans the full breadth of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals, generating policy-relevant knowledge to effect positive global change. UNU collaborates closely with other UN entities and leading research institutions across the globe. For more information, please visit

United Nations University Institute for Integrated Management of Material Fluxes and of Resources (UNU-FLORES)

UNU-FLORES is one of 13 research and training Institutes that comprise the think tanks in the UNU system.  UNU-FLORES develops strategies to resolve pressing issues in the sustainable use and integrated management of environmental resources such as water, soil, waste, energy, and other geo-resources that are of concern to the United Nations and its Member States – particularly in developing and emerging economies. Based in Dresden, Germany, the Institute engages in research, capacity development, postgraduate teaching, advanced training, and knowledge dissemination to advance the Resource Nexus. For more information, please visit  

Citizen Science in the context of Sustainability Assessment for the Resource Nexus

The short and long-term implementation of Sustainability Assessment is fundamental to the comprehensive understanding of the Resource Nexus and for driving policy creation for resource management that considers social, economic, and environmental dimensions, without disregarding other facets, such as technical, institutional, and cultural. The integration of the multi-dimensional concept of resilience in sustainability assessments is also emphasized, considering the complementary character and synergetic potential of these perspectives. In general, Sustainability Assessment has been highlighted as a valuable analytical viewpoint that can support the operationalization of the Resource Nexus concept. However, due to the various definitions and methods available, there is a challenge to find the suitable direction in which Sustainability Assessment can support Resource Nexus research.

Sustainability Assessment supports a Resource Nexus Approach for all relevant environmental resources, including water, biota, soil, material, space, climate, land, energy, waste, food and sea. Sustainability Assessment promotes research beyond the siloed biophysical-oriented view of a resource by involving all three dimensions, namely, social, economic, and environmental. This aligns with the comprehensive and holistic view proposed by the Resource Nexus perspective. The Research Associate will contribute to this research theme and associated research with the goal of embedding Citizen Science throughout the sustainability assessment, more specifically, within methodology based on Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), Life Cycle Costing (LCC), Social Life Cycle Assessment (S-LCA), Circularity Assessment (CA), and Life Cycle Sustainability Assessment (LCSA).

Responsibilities

Under the overall authority and the direct supervision of the of the Director of UNU-FLORES, the

Research Associate will provide support to UNU-FLORES by performing the following tasks

1. Research and Innovation Development

• Support UNU-FLORES’ projects related to advancing the Resource Nexus by designing, implementing, and managing research activities related to relevant project/s, specifically embedding Citizen Science throughout the sustainability assessment, more specifically, within methodology based on Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), Life Cycle Costing (LCC), Social Life Cycle Assessment (S-LCA), Circularity Assessment (CA), and Life Cycle Sustainability Assessment (LCSA);

• Manage day-to-day research activities from planning to implementation, including support for data analysis, and data collection, design and analysis of questionnaires and case studies;

• Perform literature reviews and assist in the evaluation and examination of research;

• Contribute to publications and publish articles in peer-reviewed renowned scientific journals, books, and policy briefs, actively represent the Institute by presenting papers where appropriate;

• Assist with research studies and management reports based on the scientific methods of systematic literature review, inductive and deductive qualitative content analysis, grounded theory, design science research and case study research;

• Assist in addressing emerging issues advancing the Resource Nexus, that are of interest to the United Nations, its Member States, the United Nations University, and relevant policymakers; and

• Support the development of grant proposals and resource mobilization for research activities.

2. Education and Capacity Development

• Mentor, supervise, and/or provide guidance to students writing their master thesis (around 3-5 per year);

• Co-supervise and mentor staff, doctoral researchers, fellows, scholars, and interns;

• Contribute to the Institute’s teaching activities, especially e-learning and capacity development; and

• Prepare presentations, tools and other materials, and support organization of capacity building activities, related to the relevant project/s.

3. Governance and Administration

• Support the implementation of administrative regulations and policy framework relevant to respective activities and project/s;

• Assist in identifying and applying for funding opportunities; prepare, coordinate and write research proposals, communicate with partners and donors;

• Support in providing timely updates and responses to partner organisations, organise and contribute to meetings with key stakeholders;

• Contribute to project deliverables and reports, and contribute to dissemination;

• Oversee and coordinate projects and developments of online tools; and

• Actively contribute to ideas for Institutional development.

4. Outreach, Advocacy, and Impact

• Assist in maintaining networks with stakeholders and research institutes in the context of relevant project/s;

• Represent UNU-FLORES in local and international conferences, networking events and science communication events, as well as within the non-scientific communities, and present the knowledge acquired from the research, education and capacity development activities of the Institute;

• Prepare outputs to be shared on the UNU-FLORES and other relevant platforms;

• Identify and engage with key contact persons within the UN system to align research findings with policy needs and facilitate research uptake;

• Translate research findings into actionable insights by publishing policy briefs;

• Present research findings at scientific and implementation-related conferences and etc.;

• Promote the Resource Nexus approach and UNU-FLORES activities through regular social media engagement and/or the creation of communication materials.

5. Perform other duties as assigned by supervisor.

Key Performance Indicators

• 1. Research and Innovation Development 

  • Successful submission and publication of at least one peer-reviewed scientific articles as author or co-author of UNU-FLORES on annual basis;

  • At least one of joint research products (for example papers) with academic institutions located in the Global South on annual basis;

  • Contribution to at least one new collaborations in new regions OR one new research topics in the area of research on annual basis; 

  • Consistent participation and presentation of research progress presented as per regular schedule, timely submission of progress reports, and maintenance of up-to-date project information.

  2. Education and Capacity Development 

  • At least 5 hours of delivered capacity-building initiatives on annual basis;

  • Mandatory plans and reports are timely submitted;

  • Academic development of Master’s students through co-supervision or guest lectures completed.

  3. Governance and Administration

  • Contribution to the positive reputation of UNU-FLORES as a reliable and trustworthy partner among research partners, governments, donors and civil society.

  4. Outreach, Advocacy, and Impact 

  • Maintaining/participating in at least one active collaborations on annual basis;

  • Contribution to at least one UN/ Member State organized conferences or policy-dialogues on annual basis; and

  • Contribution to at least one events organised by the Institute with participation of policy makers on annual basis.

Competencies

Values:

• Inclusion — take action to create an environment of dignity and respect for all, regardless of age, culture, disability, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, gender expression, geography, grade, language, nationality, racial identity, religion, sex, sex characteristics, sexual orientation, social origin or any other aspect of identity

• Integrity — act ethically, demonstrating the standards of conduct of the United Nations and taking prompt action in case of witnessing unprofessional or unethical behaviour, or any other breach of UN standards

• Humility — demonstrate self-awareness and willingness to learn from others

• Humanity — act according to the purposes of the United Nations: peace, dignity and equality on a healthy planet

Behaviours:

• Connect and collaborate — build positive relationships with others to advance the work of the United Nations and work coherently as One UN

• Analyse and plan — seek out and use data from a wide range of sources to understand problems, inform decision-making, propose evidence-based solutions and plan action

• Deliver results with positive impact — hold oneself and others accountable for delivering results and making a positive difference to the people and causes that the United Nations serves

• Learn and develop — pursue own learning and development and contribute to the learning and development of others

• Adapt and innovate — demonstrate flexibility, agility and the ability to think and act in novel ways

1) Education and certification

• Master's degree in Environmental, Natural, Social, Economic, or Political Sciences, Environmental Ecology, or a related field;

2) Required skills and experience

• At least one (1) year of relevant progressively responsible experience related to Citizen Science;

• Experience with Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) software solutions, such as open Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), SimaPro, LCA for Experts or similar sustainability assessment software, as well as the databases ecoinvent or Sphera Managed LCA Content databases;

• Proven experience in quantitative data analysis (e.g., statistics);

• Proven record of publications, including relevant academic papers, is an asset;

• Experience in drafting complex reports, communications, and presentations is required;

• Basic experience in conducting trans-/interdisciplinary research (e.g., research-oriented master thesis, research, or consultancy-related employment), including interactions with relevant authorities and stakeholders;

• Strong planning, organisation, and time management skills, with the ability to communicate clearly and efficiently in different contexts (e.g., academia, UN system);

• Demonstrates initiative, strong conceptual abilities and sound judgment;

• Must be flexible with the ability to establish priorities and work within prescribed timeframes;

• An excellent team player with strong interpersonal skills, as demonstrated by the ability to work in a multicultural, multi-ethnic environment with sensitivity and respect for diversity.

3) Language Requirements:

• Fluency in English is required;

• Fluency in German is desirable; and

• Knowledge of another UN official working language is an asset.

Remuneration

The successful candidate will be employed under PSA contract.

The duration of the Research Associate position aligns with the third-party-funded project and will run until 31 December 2026. This is a part-time position (50%) with a monthly salary of 1,798 EUR, commensurate with the experience and qualifications of the candidate. Benefits include prorated annual leave according to the duration of the contract and a health insurance scheme.

UNU is not liable for any taxes that may be levied on the remuneration you receive under this contract. Payment of any such taxes remains the sole responsibility of PSA holders.

Duration of contract

The duration of the contract is 8 months. This is Personnel Service Agreement (PSA) contract with UNU, with the possibility for renewal subject to requirements, availability of the budget and satisfactory work performance. The combined duration on a PSA contract with UNU may not exceed six (6) years. The mandatory age of retirement for PSA holders is 65 years.

Starting date

Immediate

How to Apply

To apply to UNU, you will not need an account. Instead, we ask that you:

• Apply via the apply link;

• fill out the (please avoid using similar forms provided by other United Nations organisations);

• provide a motivation statement (in the P11 form);

• provide copies of educational credentials listed in the P11 form as evidence; and

• answer a few questions that are tailored to the position.

In addition to submitting UNU P11 Form, please compile all additional documents into a single PDF file and upload within the Cover Letter field.

You may wish to refer to the for more information on the organisational culture.

Application Deadline

23 April 2026

Submissions must be received by the midnight CEST (Central European Summer Time) on the deadline; late entries will not be accepted.

Assessment

Evaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise which may be followed by a competency-based interview, background checks, and references.

Special Notice

PSA holders are neither “staff members” under the Staff Regulations and Rules of the United Nations nor “officials” for the purpose of the Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the United Nations (1946). They are subject to the Rector's authority and may be assigned to any of the activities or offices of the United Nations University. The Rector reserves the right to appoint a candidate at a level below that advertised. UNU is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities to apply and become part of the organisation. Applications from developing countries, and from women are strongly encouraged. Eligible internal applicants are also encouraged to apply. UNU has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNU, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. If you have supervisory function, you need to have awareness on gender related issues.

Information about UNU rosters

UNU reserves the right to select one or more candidates from this vacancy announcement. We may also retain applications and consider candidates applying to this post for other similar positions with UNU at the same grade level and with similar job description, experience and educational requirements.

Scam Warning

UNU does not charge any application, processing, training, interviewing, testing or other fee in connection with the application or recruitment process. Should you receive a solicitation for the payment of a fee, please disregard it. Furthermore, please note that emblems, logos, names and addresses are easily copied and reproduced. Therefore, you are advised to apply particular care when submitting personal information on the web.