Research Associate in Emerging Technology and Innovation

Position description

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-EGOV

The United Nations University Operating Unit on Policy-Driven Electronic Governance (UNU-EGOV), based in the city of Guimarães, north of Portugal, is one of 14 research and training Institutes and Units that comprise the UNU system. The mission of UNU-EGOV is to support the Member States of the United Nations in transforming the mechanisms of governance and building effective governance capabilities through strategic applications of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) to contribute to sustainable development, social inclusion and active citizenship. As a think tank and research unit, UNU-GOV combines both classical research and consultancy projects.

In fulfillment of its purpose UNU-EGOV:

• Carries out policy-relevant research;
• Translates research findings into relevant policy instruments;
• Builds capacity in localizing and applying such instruments within and among governments clients and partners within the un system, academic and other relevant organizations;
• Builds and maintains research and policy networks to share the lessons learnt, foster mutual learning, and bridge research and policy worlds; and
• Monitors, evaluates and disseminates the latest developments in the area.

For more information, please visit http://egov.unu.edu.

Responsibilities

Under the overall guidance and supervision of the Research Line Coordinator, the Research Associate in Emerging Technology and Innovation ensures the execution of the following attributions:

1. Conduct multi-disciplinary desk and field research and publish research results in a leading journal and conference series focusing on the achievement of the following tasks:

• Carrying out literature reviews.
• Collecting, organizing and analysing empirical data.
• Planning and conducting interviews.
• Designing, applying and analysing questionnaires.
• Document case studies.
• Drafting, reviewing and submitting articles in leading journals and submitting papers in leading conferences.

2. Participate actively in project development, focusing on the achievement of the following tasks:

• Collaborating in the draft of project proposals and developing project activities.
• Writing a project report summarizes a project’s key aspects.
• Reviewing project outputs and Present project results.

3. Participate actively in capacity-building programmes and in UNU-EGOV events focusing on the achievement of the following tasks:

• Organizing and developing building capacity-building programmes in line with the UNU-EGOV capacity-building planning.
• Delivering teaching/training activities on behalf of UNU-EGOV.
• Organizing and developing UNU-EGOV conferences, workshops, expert group meetings, and other relevant events.
• Intervening as a speaker in UNU-EGOV events.

4. Mentor research assistants, student researchers/interns if applicable, and fellows in the context of the Government Fellowships Programme focusing on the achievement of the following tasks:

• Promoting the research/academic and social integration of the members in the UNU-EGOV context, by facilitating engagement in team discussions and networking.
• Planning and guiding the execution of research/academic activities in coordination with the mentees.
• Monitoring the accomplishment of planned results through regular meetings with the mentees.

5. Contribute to outreach activities and further development of UNU-EGOV focusing on the achievement of the following tasks:

• Communicating research accomplishments at academic conferences and other high-level international venues.
• Supporting the UNU-EGOV Communications Team in providing outputs for social media and platforms.
• Conducting networking contacts and identifying opportunities for joint collaborations with high-reputed academic and governmental institutions as well as other think tanks, NGOs, and international organizations.

6. Perform other tasks as assigned by the supervisor or the Director of UNU-EGOV.

Key Performance Indicators

• Quality of scientific and policy-oriented research produced.
• Publication record.
• Timely and quality development and implementation of projects.
• Quality and level of engagement with all partners, including a strong commitment level to contribute for UNU-EGOV being perceived as a reliable and trustworthy partner by research partners, governments, donors, and civil society.

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

Qualifications

1) Education and certification

• Informatics, Information Systems, Public Administration, Public Policy, Development Management, Economics, Communication Sciences, Sustainability, Sociology, Law or a related discipline.

2) Required skills and experience

Mandatory

• Secondary education with 6 years of experience, bachelor’s degree with 4 years of experience or Master’s degree and 2 years of experience related to Digital governance, Emerging technologies, Artificial intelligence, Data, Innovation and Smart cities or related fields.

Desirable

• Knowledge in digital governance, digital transformation, modernization and innovation of governments and public institutions, sustainable development or strategic planning.
• Experience in drafting and presenting reports, communications, and presentations.
• A proven ability to work flexibly on a range of assignments, adjust to changes in schedule and priorities and juggle concurrent tasks effectively and efficiently.
• Excellent team player with strong interpersonal skills and ability to work harmoniously in multi-cultural and multi-ethnic environment.
• Other desirable skills: Initiative, strong conceptual abilities, sound judgment, resilience, teamwork, excellent oral and written communication skills.

3) Language Requirements:

• Fluency in English (written and spoken) is essential.
• Knowledge of Portuguese or other UN official working languages is an asset.

Remuneration

The successful candidate will be employed under a PSA contract. UNU offers an attractive compensation package including an annual net salary in the range of EUR 25536 – EUR 30648, commensurate with the experience and qualifications of the candidate, recognised and evaluated by the recruitment committee and the Hiring Manager. Benefits include 30 days annual leave and a health insurance scheme.

UNU is not liable for any taxes that may be levied on the remuneration you receive under this contract. Payment of any such taxes remains the sole responsibility of PSA holders.

Duration of contract

The duration of the initial contract is one year. This is a Personnel Service Agreement (PSA) contract with UNU, with the possibility for renewal subject to requirements and satisfactory work performance. The combined duration of a PSA contract with UNU may not exceed six (6) years. The mandatory age of retirement for PSA holders is 65 years.

Starting date: As soon as possible.

Application instructions

Please be sure to indicate you saw this position on tendersglobal.net