Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific

Consultant on drought monitoring in Central Asia

Duty station: 🇹🇭 Bangkok, Thailand
Country / area: Thailand
Region: Asia
UN system: Regional Commission
Level: CON
Category: Consultants
Job family: Environmental Affairs
Posted: May 28, 2026
Closes: Jun 05, 2026 today Source: 10:59, Jun 05, 2026 Asia/Bangkok

About this role

The United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) is seeking a Consultant on drought monitoring in Central Asia to support a project aimed at enhancing the capacity of Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan to use Earth Observation and geospatial tools for drought and crop monitoring. The Consultant will lead capacity development activities, coordinate with implementing agencies and UN Country Teams, develop geospatial practice profiles, and contribute to project progress reports. Key responsibilities include organizing training sessions, preparing documentation, and supporting the development of an online course for drought and crop monitoring. The role requires expertise in geospatial data, disaster risk reduction, and stakeholder engagement in Central Asia.

Key requirements

University degree in international relations or related field
Advanced competency in disaster risk reduction with focus on slow-onset disasters
Geospatial data application development experience

Nice to have

Experience in developing hazard data and information platforms
Design and formatting skills
Experience with multidisciplinary team collaboration

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Requirements at a glance

Distilled by AI from the posting

Min. experience: Experience in developing innovative applications using geospatial and other data is required. Stakeholder engagement, project and event coordination, and working with Central Asian countries on hazard risk management are also required.
Required degree: A university degree in international relations, global governance, and related fields.
Languages: English Russian

Result of Service

Under the direct supervision of the Economic Affairs Officer and general supervision of the Chief, Space Applications Section, the Technical Consultant will carry out the following duties: Duties and Responsibilities 1. Lead conduct of capacity development activities under the project in support of A1.1.2; A1.1.3: A1.3.1, including: • Development of concept notes and programme • Coordination and communication with participants, presenters and experts. • Organization of sessions, speakers, and technical/field visits • Preparation of the post-activity reports detailing the proceedings and recommendations of the meetings. • Drafting and translating letters and documents following up on these recommendations. 2. Support ESCAP in coordinating with implementing agencies in the project countries, technical partners, and UN Country Teams. 3. Develop at least 15 profiles of good geospatial practices from North and Central Asia using ESCAP templates in support of A1.3.2. 4. Provide inputs to project progress report. 5. Perform other duties under the supervision of the Section Chief. EXTENSION 3: ---------------------- 6. Provide inputs to and translation support of an online course to develop the skills of experts from the target countries to develop customized code snippets for various drought and crop monitoring related indices in support of A1.3.4.

Work Location

Remote

Expected duration

13/10/25 – 15/06/26

Duties and Responsibilities

ESCAP has initiated a project to enhance the capacity of Central Asian countries to use Earth Observation and geospatial tools with statistical data for drought and crop monitoring. Leveraging the Regional Drought Mechanism, this project aims to help Central Asian countries utilize recent advances in space technology and geospatial data for drought management, and to facilitate timely access to space-derived data, regional expertise, and resources. The project, supported by the Russian Federation, will focus on Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. It will leverage regional expertise and partner with local institutions to develop an operational drought monitoring system and a cloud-based crop monitoring system in the context of the Asia-Pacific Plan of Action on Space Applications for Sustainable Development (2018-2030). The project will support the three countries in addressing the barriers to effectively using EO and geospatial tools, including limited technical expertise, infrastructure constraints, and restricted access to advanced data-sharing platforms. In Kyrgyzstan, the project will build on the activities and achievements of the Central Asia Drought Information System (CADIS) pilot project implemented by the Kyrgyz Ministry of Emergency Situations. The project will develop a publication on good practices of the use of space applications for drought and crop monitoring incorporating experience in the target countries.

Qualifications/special skills

A university degree in international relations, global governance, and related fields. Advanced competency in disaster risk reduction, with a focus on slow-onset disasters. A geographic focus on Central Asia is required. : Experience in developing innovative applications using geospatial and other data is required. Stakeholder engagement, project and event coordination, and working with Central Asian countries on hazard risk management are also required. Experience in developing and/or coordinating the development of hazard data and information platforms in collaboration with multidisciplinary teams is an asset. Excellent drafting and editing skills. Advanced project management and training coordination. Design and formatting skills would be an asset

Languages

Fluent in English and Russian.

Additional Information

Not available.

No Fee

THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.

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