Hydroponics Specialist

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• FAO is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality, background and culture.
• Qualified female applicants, qualified nationals of non-and under-represented Members and person with disabilities are encouraged to apply;
• Everyone who works for FAO is required to adhere to the highest standards of integrity and professional conduct, and to uphold FAO's values
• FAO, as a Specialized Agency of the United Nations, has a zero-tolerance policy for conduct that is incompatible with its status, objectives and mandate, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination
• All selected candidates will undergo rigorous reference and background checks
• All applications will be treated with the strictest confidentiality

FAO’s commitment to environmental sustainability is integral to our strategic objectives and operations.

Organizational Setting

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) contributes to the achievement of the 2030 Agenda through the FAO Strategic Framework by supporting the transformation to more efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable agrifood systems, for better production, better nutrition, a better environment, and a better life, leaving no one behind. The FAO Subregional Office for the Pacific Islands (SAP) was established in 1996 in Samoa to coordinate the FAO work in the Pacific and covers 14 - Cook Islands, Fiji, Federated States of Micronesia, Kiribati, Nauru, Niue, Palau, Republic of the Marshall Islands, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu, and Tokelau (one Associate Member). SAP is responsible for developing, implementing and overseeing programmes and projects to address food security, nutrition, agriculture, natural resources management, and rural development priorities, in which gender, climate change adaption, and anticipatory action are important cross-cutting issues. SAP develops and maintains relations with subregion wide institutions and entities.

Reporting Lines

The Hydroponics Specialist under the overall supervision of the FAO Subregional Coordinator (SRC) for the Pacific and will directly report to the project’s Lead Technical Officer (LTO) / Natural Resource Management Officer and the day-to-day supervision of the Technical Advisor. He/she will also liaise and work closely with project team.

Technical Focus

The Hydroponics Specialist will conduct a technical feasibility study, assess local growing conditions, and recommend
a sustainable, soilless agricultural system tailored to your specific project needs and regional climate.

Tasks and responsibilities

• Technical Study on soilless agriculture system
o Conduct a technical and feasibility study on soilless agriculture systems, including hydroponic, and assess the local growing conditions, and recommend a sustainable, soilless agricultural system tailored to Nauru’s specific circumstances, project needs, and future climate conditions.
o Site Assessment – evaluate environmental conditions, including temperature, humidity, sunlight, –land/space, water availability and quality, etc.
o System Recommendation – identify the most suitable and most cost-effective hydroponic system, including other appropriate systems where relevant. Recommend growing system, nutrient formulations, lighting and other technical specifications.
o Estimate sustainable water, energy, nutrient usage and identify potential risks – power outages, equipment failures, disease outbreaks, supply chain disruptions, and water shortages, and recommend mitigation and biosecurity measures.
o Conduct a cost benefit analysis for capital expenditure and operational expenditure.
o Assess local market demand for hydroponic produce.
• Stakeholder Engagement
o Engage stakeholders and communities to gauge their inputs and contribution to the technical study.
o Prepare presentations and briefing notes where required for the validation workshop.
• Technical Missions
o Join missions to Nauru where required for data collection and capacity building training where relevant.
• Co-design and visioning workshop
o Contribute to the co-design and visioning process, including the development of a concept note for Nauru.
o Draft Back-to-Office Reports (BTORs) and meeting / workshop proceedings.
• Other duties
o Perform other duties as required.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

• Advanced University degree from an institution recognized by the International Association of Universities (IAU)/UNESCO in horticulture, agriculture engineering, or closely related field.
• Minimum of 5 years of proven experience in designing, building, and managing commercial hydroponic systems
• Working Knowledge of (proficiency-Level C) English.

FAO Core Competencies

• Results Focus
• Teamwork
• Communication
• Building Effective Relationships
• Knowledge Sharing and Continuous Improvement

Technical/Functional Skills

• Extensive experience in nutrient management and chemistry.
• Extensive experience in system design and engineering.
• Extensive experience in environmental control.
• Extensive experience in crop and substrate management.
• Extensive experience in facility operation and data management.
• Experience working with international organizations and managing climate change and health projects, including proposal writing and reporting. Managing projects and developing proposals; developing capacity building materials; conducting health vulnerability and adaptation assessments; and working with communities to build resilience to climate-related health risks.
• Strong knowledge of water chemistry, plant nutrition, greenhouse climate control, and agribusiness modelling.
• Experience in environmental health, including a significant portion (at least 3 years) specifically focused on climate change and its health implications.
• Good knowledge of situation in Nauru and familiarity with Pacific Small Island Developing States.
• Experience working with a cross-section of stakeholders, including senior government officials in small and vulnerable states (SIDS and LDCs).
• Experience in working in Nauru or Pacific region will be an advantage.
• Strong writing skills and language proficiency.

Please note that all candidates should adhere to FAO Values of Commitment to FAO, Respect for All and Integrity and Transparency

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

• FAO does not charge any fee at any stage of the recruitment process (application, interview, processing)
• Please note that FAO will only consider academic credentials or degrees obtained from an educational institution recognized in the IAU/UNESCO list
• Please note that FAO only considers higher educational qualifications obtained from an institution accredited/recognized in the World Higher Education Database (WHED), a list updated by the International Association of Universities (IAU) / United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The list can be accessed at http://www.whed.net/
• For more information, visit the FAO employment website
• Appointment will be subject to certification that the candidate is medically fit for appointment, accreditation, any residency or visa requirements, and security clearances.

HOW TO APPLY

• To apply, visit the recruitment website at Jobs at FAO and complete your online profile. We strongly recommend that your profile is accurate, complete and includes your employment records, academic qualifications, and language skills
• Candidates are requested to attach a letter of motivation to the online profile
• Once your profile is completed, please apply, and submit your application

• Please note that FAO only considers higher educational qualifications obtained from an institution accredited/recognized in the World Higher Education Database (WHED), a list updated by the International Association of Universities (IAU) / United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The list can be accessed at http://www.whed.net/. These qualifications should be in alignment with the International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED) mappings.

• Candidates may be requested to provide performance assessments and authorization to conduct verification checks of past and present work, character, education, military and police records to ascertain any and all information which may be pertinent to the employment qualifications
• Incomplete applications will not be considered
• Personal information provided on your application may be shared within FAO and with other companies acting on FAO’s behalf to provide employment support services such as pre-screening of applications, assessment tests, background checks and other related services. You will be asked to provide your consent before submitting your application. You may withdraw consent at any time, by withdrawing your application, in such case FAO will no longer be able to consider your application
• Only applications received through the FAO recruitment portal will be considered
• Your application will be screened based on the information provided in your online profile
• We encourage applicants to submit the application well before the deadline date.

If you need help or have queries, please create a one-time registration with FAO’s client support team for further assistance: https://fao.service-now.com/csp

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