Remote Sensing Data Analyst

Purpose and Objectives

ADPC is an autonomous international organization with a vision to reduce disaster and climate risk impacts on communities and countries in Asia and the Pacific by working with all key stakeholders. Established in 1986 as a technical capacity building center, ADPC has grown and expanded its role to be for scientific, educational, developmental and humanitarian purposes. ADPC employs a wide range of professional expertise typically required for Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) and Climate Resilience (CR) in an effective manner. ADPC develops and implements cross-sectoral projects/programs on the strategic themes of risk governance, urban resilience, climate resilience, health risk management, preparedness for response and resilient recovery. Our strategic themes are complemented and underpinned by the cross-cutting themes of gender and diversity, regional and transboundary cooperation as well as poverty and livelihoods. Through its work, ADPC supports the implementation of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015–2030, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the New Urban Agenda, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, the agenda defined at the World Humanitarian Summit in 2016, and other relevant international frameworks.

For details, please refer to ADPC website at http://www.adpc.net/

The Geospatial Information (GEO) Department supports stakeholders to increase their uses of geospatial technology, data, and information for supporting decision making related to disaster risk management and climate resilience. The department supports all thematic areas of focus of ADPC to achieve their goals, mainly through:

• Increased accessibility and technical capacity to develop, maintain, and use geospatial information including disaster and climate risk maps, forecasted and real-time disaster data for early warning, and damage data for post-disaster assessment and recovery planning,
• Increased awareness by decision makers on applications of geospatial information in disaster risk management and climate resilience decision making, and
• Geospatial solutions, such as maps, tools, models, and data, customized to the demands of stakeholders SERVIR-Southeast Asia (SERVIR-SEA) is a 5-year project, co-created by USAID, NASA, and ADPC, to address disaster and climate resilience as well as environmental issues in Southeast Asia. 

SERVIR-SEA’s objective is Expanded and Scaled Climate Actions by using Satellite Data and Geospatial Information in Decision Making, which will be achieved through the following outcomes:

1. Regional platform(s) strengthened and/or established for accelerating, scaling, and/or sustaining adoption of data and information
2. Increased investment from diversified partnership with stakeholders to support the development and use of data and information
3. Increased accessibility of data and information
4. Strengthened capacity of Stakeholders to use data and information.

Through the cooperation with USAID’s Mission to Myanmar and Cambodia, ADPC will conduct analyses related to uses of satellite data and geospatial information to (1) study land cover change of forest and crop areas to support sustainable landscape management, REDD+ activities and enhance forest governance in SEA region, (2) map areas of various crop types (3) estimate yields and assess crop conditions in Myanmar and Cambodia. ADPC seeks qualified technical consultants to perform remote sensing data processing using machine learning for land cover, crop types mapping, and land cover change analysis assessment in Myanmar, Cambodia and the Southeast Asia region.

Expected Outputs

The following outputs are expected from the assignment:

1. Seasonal satellite image composite for South East Asia region (included Planet, Sentinel 1, Sentinel 2, Landsat 8 and Landsat 9)
2. Upgrade the Regional Land Cover Monitoring System (RLCMS) to South East Asia region using machine learning model.
3. Develop dataset for training and validate the time series crop mapping in Myanmar and Cambodia include: - Annual crop map in Cambodia for rice, cassava, rubber, cashew nut, mango and pepper. - Seasonal crop map in Myanmar for rice, maize, beans and pulse.
4. Time series seasonal crop maps at region/state level in Myanmar
5. Annual maps for six crop types in Cambodia
6. Accuracy assessment and estimate area of crops and land cover change with uncertainty assessment
7. Time series forest and land cover change assessment

Responsibilities and Tasks

1. Analyze time series data of climate variables which are related to the crop growing conditions in Myanmar and Cambodia
2. Collect training data and build model in Google Earth Engine for mapping rice and other crops
3. Update the regional satellite composites and the primitives of the SERVIR’s Regional Land Cover Monitoring System (RLCMS) for the Southeast Asia region
4. Collect validation data and conduct accuracy assessments for the crop maps and land cover products
5. Estimate areas of rice and crops with uncertainty assessments
6. Analyze the time series land cover and crop cover changes to assess the drivers to deforestation and support REDD+ activities in Cambodia
7. Contribute to the biomass and carbon mapping work in the Southeast Asia region
8. Review and provide technical input for all the reports 9. Participate and deliver Google Earth Engine training for partners in the region

Working Principles

The consultant will report to the SERVIR-SEA Land Cover and Ecosystems Thematic Lead. The contract will be managed by the Geospatial Information Department of ADPC. Qualifications: The consultant is expected to possess the following qualifications.

1. At least Bachelor degree in Geosciences, environmental management, agriculture development or related
2. At least 3 years experiences working with application of remote sensing for land cover, forest cover mapping or natural resource management related field.
3. Strong programming skills, experience working with Google Earth Engine
4. Fluent English writing and communications skills
5. Knowledge of the development context of SEA region considered a plus
6. Enthusiastic for research, good team work and a good collaborator.

Duty Station: Home-based

Duration: This assignment will be for 12 months, from 1 June 2023 to 31 May 2024

Condition of payment: Payment will be made monthly, as agreed by the consultant and ADPC.

How to apply

Interested Candidates can submit the completed ADPC application form, (downloadable from www.adpc.net), resume, copy of degrees/certificate(s) together with a cover letter, to adpcjobs@adpc.net

Female candidates are especially encouraged to apply.

ADPC encourage diversity in its workplace and support an inclusive work environment.

Note: Applicant who submits incomplete documents required as listed above will not be considered.