Consultancy - GIS Python Developer, Data and Analytics (D&A) Section - Frontier Data Team, DAPM NYHQ, remote based

UNICEF is progressively aligning and enhancing its cross-divisional GIS investments. While supporting a hybrid approach of commercial and open-source software, we are placing GIS data assets in a common catalogue implemented using open-source components that serve our multiple corporate systems.

Consultancy Title: GIS Python Developer

Section/Division/Duty Station: Data and Analytics (D&A) Section - Frontier Data Team, DAPM NYHQ (remote based)

Duration: 20 June 2022 till 19 December 2022

About UNICEF

If you are a committed, creative professional and are passionate about making a lasting difference for children, the world's leading children's rights organization would like to hear from you. For 70 years, UNICEF has been working on the ground in 190 countries and territories to promote children's survival, protection and development. The world's largest provider of vaccines for developing countries, UNICEF supports child health and nutrition, good water and sanitation, quality basic education for all boys and girls, and the protection of children from violence, exploitation, and AIDS. UNICEF is funded entirely by the voluntary contributions of individuals, businesses, foundations and governments. UNICEF has over 12,000 staff in more than 145 countries.

BACKGROUND

UNICEF is progressively aligning and enhancing its cross-divisional GIS investments. While supporting a hybrid approach of commercial and open-source software, we are placing GIS data assets in a common catalogue implemented using open-source components that serve our multiple corporate systems.

We seek a Geospatial Developer Consultant to augment our ongoing implementation efforts.

Terms of Reference / Deliverables

Contribute to the development and delivery of a geospatial data repository (hereinafter referred to as “GeoRepo”) deployable on UNICEF’s Azure-based cloud infrastructure to manage, version and share geospatial datasets, including Application Programming Interface (API) support for, and Single-Sign-On (SSO) integration for major UNICEF systems that use common administrative boundary and other shape files.

Under the general supervision of the Frontier Data and Data Technology Unit (FDTU) and in day-to-day collaboration with the EMOPS RAPS section, the consultant will:

• Requirements: participate in iterative refinement of GeoRepo requirements with core stakeholders, resulting in a set of user stories and associated development tasks using common Agile methodology approaches.
• Design: work with the Frontier Data and Data Tech Unit (FDTU), Information Communications and Technology Division (ICTD), and the Risk Analysis and Preparedness Section (RAPS) to collaboratively architect and document two GeoRepo releases that progressively address stakeholder requirements.
• Implementation: using architectures, programming languages, libraries and components agreed upon by FDTU and RAPS, collaboratively code, delivering on two deployable GeoRepo versions that progressively address stakeholder requirements.
• Testing: write and exercise unit, API, and integration tests.
• Deployment: assist UNICEF ICTD division in deploying the GeoRepo to staging and production environments on UNICEF’s Azure Infrastructure using continuous integration & continuous delivery (CI/CD) methods, together with any necessary deployment documentation.
• Documentation: documented classes/variables/methods and APIs using Swagger

Qualifications

Education

• University degree (at least Bachelor degree) in: Geoinformatics/Geomatics, Geographic Information Systems, Computer Science, Software Engineering, Information Technology, or related degree

Knowledge/Expertise/Skills required:

• At least four years (4) of experience implementing and deploying common open-source GIS frameworks (e.g., GeoDjango, QGIS) and technology in Python
• SQL skills, especially over PostGIS
• Experience implementing and documenting service-oriented architectures
• Experience with contemporary deployment practices, e.g., CI/CD, containers, orchestration, is an asset
• Experience coding JS MVC frameworks such as React is an asset
• Knowledge of geospatial data sources used for humanitarian crises and disaster preparedness and response is a plus
• Spoken and written fluency in English

Requirements

- Completed profile in UNICEF's e-Recruitment system and provide Personal History Form (P11) Upload copy of academic credentials

- Financial proposal that will include:

- your daily/monthly rate (in US$) to undertake the terms of reference/deliverables

o travel costs and daily subsistence allowance, if internationally recruited or travel is required as per TOR.

o Any other estimated costs: visa, health insurance, and living costs as applicable.

o Indicate your availability

- Any emergent / unforeseen duty travel and related expenses will be covered by UNICEF.

- At the time the contract is awarded, the selected candidate must have in place current health insurance coverage.

- Payment of professional fees will be based on submission of agreed satisfactory deliverables. UNICEF reserves the right to withhold payment in case the deliverables submitted are not up to the required standard or in case of delays in submitting the deliverables on the part of the consultant.

U.S. Visa information:

With the exception of the US Citizens, G4 Visa and Green Card holders, should the selected candidate and his/her household members reside in the United States under a different visa, the consultant and his/her household members are required to change their visa status to G4, and the consultant’s household members (spouse) will require an Employment Authorization Card (EAD) to be able to work, even if he/she was authorized to work under the visa held prior to switching to G4.  

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF's values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, and Accountability (CRITA).

To view our competency framework, please visit here.

UNICEF 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 to become a part of the organization.

UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. UNICEF also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.

Remarks:

Mobility is a condition of international professional employment with UNICEF and an underlying premise of the international civil service.

Individuals engaged under a consultancy or individual contract will not be considered “staff members” under the Staff Regulations and Rules of the United Nations and UNICEF’s policies and procedures, and will not be entitled to benefits provided therein (such as leave entitlements and medical insurance coverage). Their conditions of service will be governed by their contract and the General Conditions of Contracts for the Services of Consultants and Individual Contractors. Consultants and individual contractors are responsible for determining their tax liabilities and for the payment of any taxes and/or duties, in accordance with local or other applicable laws.

The selected candidate is solely responsible to ensure that the visa (applicable) and health insurance required to perform the duties of the contract are valid for the entire period of the contract. The candidate may also be subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid).