Research Associate/Senior Research Associate – applied research on risks in mountains (PSA-3/4)

United Nations University (UNU)

UNU is an international community of scholars engaged in policy-oriented research, capacity development and dissemination of knowledge in furthering the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations. The mission of UNU is to contribute, through research and capacity building, to efforts to resolve the pressing global problems that are the concern of the United Nations and its Member States.

For the past four decades, UNU has been a go-to think tank for impartial research on human survival, conflict prevention, sustainable development, and welfare. With more than 400 researchers in 12 countries, UNU's work spans the 17 Sustainable Development Goals' full breadth, generating policy-relevant knowledge to effect positive global change. UNU maintains more than 200 collaborations with UN agencies and leading universities and research institutions across the globe.

UNU-EHS

UNU-EHS is one of 14 research and training Institutes that comprise the think tanks in the UNU system.

UNU-EHS, established in December 2003, is part of the UNU system, a worldwide network of Research and Training Institutes. Its mission is to advance human security through knowledge-based approaches to reducing vulnerability and environmental risks. For more information, please visit www.ehs.unu.edu.

Eurac Research

Eurac is a private, non-profit, interdisciplinary research center in Northern Italy established in 1992. With 11 research institutes, 6 cross-cutting centers and 700+ staff , Eurac Research provides expertise and develops practical solutions in the fields of environment, migration, minority rights, medicine, energy, and innovative technologies. Eurac contributes to healthy societies, fostering in particular the development of mountain regions as well as the livelihood of their communities, and supports the management of social, cultural and ecological diversity. The Eurac premises are located in the Autonomous Province of Bolzano in the heart of the Alps and close to the Dolomites.

Global Mountain Safeguard Research (GLOMOS) Division

In 2019 UNU-EHS and Eurac Research initiated a new joint research programme. The Global Mountain Safeguard Research (GLOMOS) programme combines the scientific profiles and capacities of both institutions. It seeks to increase the resilience of mountain communities towards natural and man-made hazards and disaster risks, to protect the wealth of biological and cultural diversity, and to support the sustainable development of these highly sensitive social-ecological systems. The GLOMOS mission is to turn science into action by strengthening solution-oriented and innovative management of disaster risks in mountains through an integrative approach fostering transdisciplinary research and technology transfer. The GLOMOS programme provides a bridge between science and global conventions: the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (SFDRR), the Paris Climate Agreement, the New Urban Agenda, and the Sustainable Development Goals. GLOMOS activities comprise research for and in mountain regions worldwide – from the global to the local level – as well as the campaigning work for a larger recognition of mountain issues in global policies, initiatives and finance schemes. The GLOMOS programme has two offices, one at UNU-EHS at the UN Campus in Bonn / Germany and one in the premises of Eurac Research in Bolzano Italy. The duty station for the here announced position is the latter one.

Responsibilities

Under the authority of the Vice-Rector/Director of UNU-EHS and the direct co-supervision of the Head of the GLOMOS Bolzano office, the successful candidate will be entrusted with the following tasks:

1. Science and research

• Develop and design research questions for the scientific work in GLOMOS
• Sharpen the scientific profile of the GLOMOS programme
• Conduct research activities within the fields of the Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR), Climate Change Adaptation (CCA) and the sustainable development and management of social-ecological systems in mountain regions
• Develop and publish scientific papers in international journals

2. Project acquisition and management

• Identify funding sources for research projects
• Carry out project acquisition activities for the GLOMOS programme
• Assist in monitoring financial and project budgetary status of projects and provide officers responsible with information as required
• Supporting ongoing scientific project activities in management tasks

3. GLOMOS programme development

• Support the planning, organization and documentation of GLOMOS events, conferences, and strategic meetings
• Engage with the development of GLOMOS work in the two mountain regions of the Andes and the Maloti Drakensberge in Southern Africa – leading one and supporting the other

4. GLOMOS visibility

• Support the communication and dissemination of GLOMOS activities and project results
• Support the establishment, maintenance and documentation of networks and relationships with other international actors and institutions active in the area of mountain research

5. Perform other duties as assigned by supervisor

Key Performance Indicators

• Timely and quality delivery of research results and respective publications
• Quality of innovative research design for the acquisition of GLOMOS scientific projects
• Timely and quality support for reporting and management of the GLOMOS Bolzano office
• Quality and level of engagement with project team, consortium partners and stakeholders

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