Individual Contractor - Web Scraper

Job Advertisement

Position Title: Individual Contractor - Web Scraper
Location: Beirut
Country: Lebanon
Deadline Date:

Job Details

Job Posting Organization:
The United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) is a regional arm of the United Nations established in 197

• Its mission is to promote economic and social development in the Arab region through regional cooperation and integration. ESCWA aims to support member states in achieving sustainable development goals and addressing the challenges posed by the Fourth Industrial Revolution. The organization operates in multiple countries across the Arab region, focusing on various sectors including economic development, social justice, and environmental sustainability. ESCWA employs a diverse team of professionals dedicated to fostering collaboration among member states and providing technical assistance and policy advice.

Job Overview:
The position of Individual Contractor - Web Scraper is designed to support the Information and Communication Technology Services (ICTS) team at ESCWA. The primary objective is to enhance the existing data scraping capabilities by fixing current scrapers and developing new ones to ensure a robust data pipeline. This role is crucial in addressing the challenges posed by the Fourth Industrial Revolution, particularly in monitoring labor market dynamics and aligning educational outcomes with market demands. The contractor will work under the supervision of the Team Leader of the Future of Work Project, contributing to the development of innovative solutions for data collection and analysis. The position requires a proactive approach to learning and applying web scraping techniques, with a focus on ethical practices and compliance with legal standards.

Duties and Responsibilities:
The Individual Contractor will be responsible for a variety of tasks aimed at enhancing the web scraping capabilities of the ESCWA team. Key responsibilities include:

• Identifying relevant job and employment-related websites suitable for data scraping, guided by the team leader.
• Gaining a foundational understanding of ethical guidelines and legal boundaries in web scraping, ensuring compliance with the terms of service and privacy laws of targeted websites.
• Developing basic algorithms for extracting data such as job listings and company information from identified websites.
• Utilizing web scraping tools and technologies, particularly Python libraries like BeautifulSoup and Scrapy, while learning under the supervision of experienced team members.
• Monitoring and updating scraped data to maintain its relevance and accuracy, understanding the significance of this data in the context of labor market analysis.
• Identifying and troubleshooting basic issues encountered during the web scraping process, seeking assistance from more experienced colleagues as needed.

Required Qualifications:
Candidates must possess a Bachelor’s degree in computer science, data science, or a related field. A strong understanding of web scraping techniques and ethical considerations is essential. Familiarity with machine learning concepts is also required. Proficiency in programming languages such as Python or R is necessary for developing scraping algorithms and processing data. Candidates must submit a copy of their educational degree as part of the application process, and incomplete applications will not be considered.

Educational Background:
A Bachelor’s degree in computer science, data science, or a closely related field is mandatory for this position. This educational background provides the foundational knowledge necessary for understanding data structures, algorithms, and programming principles that are critical for effective web scraping and data analysis.

Experience:
This position does not require previous professional experience, making it suitable for recent graduates or individuals looking to gain practical experience in web scraping and data analysis. However, candidates should demonstrate a strong understanding of web scraping concepts and relevant programming skills, as well as a willingness to learn and adapt to new technologies and methodologies.

Languages:
Fluency in English and Arabic is required for this position, as these are the working languages of ESCWA. Fluency is defined as a rating of 'fluent' in all four areas: speaking, reading, writing, and understanding. Knowledge of French is considered an asset, as it is one of the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat, but it is not mandatory for this role.

Additional Notes:
This recruitment is conducted on a local basis, meaning that candidates must have the legal right to live and work in Lebanon. The position is expected to last for a duration of six months. It is important to note that the United Nations does not charge any fees at any stage of the recruitment process, including application, interview, or training. Additionally, the organization does not request information regarding applicants' bank accounts.