Agriculture Information Specialist (Geographic Information Systems and Earth Observation)

Job Posting Organization:
The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations that leads international efforts to defeat hunger. Established in 1945, FAO's mission is to eliminate hunger, food insecurity, and malnutrition; make agriculture, forestry, and fisheries more productive and sustainable; reduce rural poverty; and enable inclusive and efficient agricultural and food systems. FAO operates in over 130 countries and has a workforce of approximately 12,000 employees worldwide. The organization is committed to achieving security" style="border-bottom: 1px dotted #007bff !important;">security" style="border-bottom: 1px dotted #007bff !important;">food security for all and ensuring that people have regular access to enough high-quality food to lead active, healthy lives. The FAO office in Zimbabwe focuses on supporting government efforts through various programs aimed at enhancing food security and sustainable agricultural practices.

Job Overview:
The Agriculture Information Specialist will play a crucial role in the operational deployment of a Sen4CAP pilot project in Zimbabwe, which aims to integrate Earth Observation (EO) data with farmer registry information to enhance agricultural productivity and sustainability. The position requires a strong technical focus on developing and configuring IT solutions, including mobile applications, to facilitate data collection and system interoperability. The specialist will also be responsible for creating an interactive GIS platform to monitor ecological health and biodiversity, thereby contributing to the broader goals of the FAO's initiatives in Zimbabwe. This role involves collaboration with national stakeholders, technical mentoring, and the delivery of policy-relevant outputs that align with national agricultural strategies and frameworks.

Duties and Responsibilities:
The specialist will support the implementation of the Sen4CAP operational pilot by engaging with key national stakeholders to confirm priority EO-derived indicators and use cases. Responsibilities include coordinating the ingestion and validation of farmer plot data, executing processing chains to generate EO-derived indicators, and packaging outputs for institutional use. The role also involves designing and developing mobile solutions for data collection, ensuring usability in low-connectivity environments, and supporting the onboarding of farmers. Additionally, the specialist will facilitate technical meetings, provide mentoring to national staff, and prepare technical reports summarizing project activities and outcomes. The position requires the design and configuration of a remote sensing/GIS dashboard to track biodiversity and ecological health, contributing to the Zimbabwe Resilience Building Fund initiative.

Required Qualifications:
Candidates must possess an advanced university degree in computer science, geospatial sciences, remote sensing, data science, or a related field. A minimum of five years of relevant professional experience in Earth Observation, geospatial analysis, or related technical fields is required. The candidate must also have a working knowledge of English at level C and must be a national of Zimbabwe. Additionally, candidates should demonstrate practical experience with EO data, machine learning techniques, and proficiency in geospatial processing environments such as QGIS, Python, or R. Experience with agricultural datasets and collaboration with government institutions is considered an asset.

Educational Background:
The position requires an advanced university degree in a relevant field such as computer science, geospatial sciences, remote sensing, or data science. Candidates must have their educational qualifications recognized by the World Higher Education Database (WHED), ensuring that their degrees are from accredited institutions.

Experience:
Candidates should have at least five years of professional experience in fields related to Earth Observation, geospatial analysis, or GeoAI. This experience should include practical applications of EO data and familiarity with machine learning techniques, as well as experience working with agricultural or land-related datasets. Experience in collaborating with government institutions or development partners is also beneficial.

Languages:
A working knowledge of English at level C is mandatory for this position. Proficiency in additional languages may be advantageous but is not specified as a requirement.

Additional Notes:
The FAO does not charge any fees during the recruitment process, and applications received after the closing date will not be accepted. Candidates must be medically fit for appointment and meet any residency or visa requirements. The position is based in Harare, Zimbabwe, and is part of a collaborative effort with national institutions and international partners to enhance agricultural practices and food security in the region.