Research associate

UNU mission

The UNU is an international community of scholars, engaged in research, postgraduate training and dissemination of knowledge in furthering the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations.

UNU Institute for Environment and Human Security (UNU-EHS)

The United Nations Univerisity Institute for Environment and Human Security in Bonn has been conceived and created to assess the vulnerability and coping capacity of societies facing natural and human-induced hazards in a changing environment. Within the scope of this mandate, UNU-EHS is engaged in policy relevant research and capacity building.

Responsibilites

Under the authority of the Director of UNU-EHS and the Head of Section on Vulnerability and Risk Assessment and Adaptive Planning, the successful candidate will be entrusted with the following tasks within the framework of the externally funded project KIBEX (Verwundbarkeitsassessment von Kritischen Infrastrukturen und Bevölkerung gegenüber klimawandelbedingten Extremwetterereignissen):
-Development and testing of methodologies to assess the vulnerability of critical infrastructures to climate change related hazards
-Analysis of the interdependencies and links between the vulnerability of critical infrastructure and its services on the one hand and different vulnerable social groups on the other
-Development of criteria and indicators for assessing and evaluating the vulnerability of critical infrastructures. This also involves the application of qualitative and quantitative methodologies.
-Formulation of key elements for a strategy on how civil protection (Bevölkerungsschutz) could address the issue of the vulnerability of critical infrastructures towards climate change and selected hazards
-Support for the management of the project and the interaction with the other institutions involved in the project
-Organization of round table discussions with key stakeholders in the framework of the KIBEX project
-Strengthening of the co-operation with the academic community (also including non- Anglophone groups) worldwide.

Requirements

-Master or diploma in geography, spatial planning, engineering or environmental sciences
-Excellent academic credentials
-Proven expertise in at least two of the following fields: natural hazards research, critical infrastructure, vulnerability assessment, environmental planning and quantitative as well as qualitative methodologies
-Fluency in english and german
-Further UN languages an asset
-Team spirit and ability to work in an interdisciplinary environment
-Ability to effectively support project management, organize co-operation and to communicate between different research partners, including the establishment of effective working relationships in a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic environment with
sensitivity and respect for diversity.
-Proven computer skills (e.g. word, excel, SPSS, GIS) particularly in terms of the analysis of statistical data as well as for the mapping of specific elements of critical infrastructures are an advantage.