Organizational Setting

The Land and Water Division aims at enhancing the agricultural productivity and advancing the sustainable use of land and water resources through their improved governance, development and management. It addresses the challenges member countries face in ensuring productive and efficient use of land and water resources in order to meet present and future demands for agricultural products, while ensuring the long-term sustainability of the land, soils and water quantity and quality. It promotes equitable access to these natural resources with a view to enhancing productivity, livelihoods and ecosystem services. It provides assistance to member nations in developing policies and programmes and adopting best practices and tools in the fields of irrigation and drainage, soil and water conservation, drought mitigation, water rights and access to natural resources.

In Central America and sub-Saharan Africa, the Soil Mapping for Resilient Agrifood Systems (SoilFER) project stands out as a unique framework aimed at unearthing valuable information from soils to guide policymaking and fertilizer recommendations both at national and field scale. The project’s emphasis on strengthening capacities as well as empowering stakeholders with full ownership and control over the data and tools underscore its long-term ambition to sustainably equip both participating governmental institutions and farmers.

The purpose of this call is to provide FAO’s Land and Water Division (NSL) with a list of qualified candidates for a number of profiles with different specializations to support the implementation of relevant projects and the work as indicated below:

•    Soil Spectroscopy and Proximal Sensing
•    Soil Laboratories (Wet Chemistry)
•    Soil Information and Data
•    Soil Fertility and Fertilizers

Contracts will be based in FAO HQs with required travel for field missions, where relevant.

Reporting Lines

The Consultant/PSA reports to the Land and Water Officer.

Technical Focus

Support the development effective implementation of FAO’s soil portfolio through the provision of expertise in relevant technical areas including project formulation and implementation to support member countries.

Tasks and responsibilities

Soil Spectroscopy and Proximal Sensing Specialist 

•    Support the implementation of activities in the Global Soil Laboratory Network’s initiative on soil spectroscopy (GLOSOLAN-Spec)
•    Provide technical support for the development of calibration model based on existing soil spectral (Vis-NIR-MIR) library for estimating soil properties
•    Support soil spectroscopy and proximal sensing related capacity development programme (Training sessions, training material)

Soil Laboratory Specialist

•    Oversee the processing of soil samples for wet and dry chemistry analysis.
•    Collaborate with project partners and laboratories to ensure accurate and timely soil analysis results.
•    Develop and implement quality assurance and quality control measures for soil analysis processes, including the establishment of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).
•    Participate in capacity-building activities, such as workshops and trainings, to enhance national capacities in soil analysis and data management.
•    Support the implementation of laboratory equipment procurement activities of the project.
•    Support the establishment and improvement of national soil laboratories and laboratory information management systems (LIMS).
•    Track progress and assess the quality of soil analysis and harmonization activities.
•    Provide input to project monitoring and reporting frameworks to ensure the effective implementation of soil analysis and harmonization efforts.
•    Contribute to regular progress reports on soil analysis and harmonization activities.
•    Communicate project outcomes and lessons learned related to soil analysis and harmonization to relevant audiences.
•    Establish and maintain relationships with project stakeholders, particularly national soil laboratories.
•    Facilitate collaboration and information sharing among project partners related to soil analysis and harmonization.
•    Support the implementation of activities in the Global Soil Laboratory Network (GLOSOLAN) work plan.

Soil Information and Data Specialist

•    Provide technical support on soil sampling, fieldwork, digital soil mapping, soil database management, spatial data infrastructure.
•    Support the SoilFER Capacity Development Programme (Training sessions, training material)
•    Support production of technical documents (Manuals, Guidelines, Reports)
•    Support the development of data products (e.g., soil maps, databases, data repositories)
•    Support the implementation of project activities related to soil sampling, soil data management, processing remote sensing data, and production of maps.

Soil and Fertilizer Management Specialist

•    Identify locally adapted soil management practices, including fertilizer use efficiency and formula fertilization.
•    Promote the adoption of identified practices at the national and local levels.
•    Collaborate with other project team members to develop and implement integrated soil fertility management strategies.
•    Support the establishment of field trials to test and validate prioritized soil management practices and fertilizer recommendations.
•    Contribute to the development of national decision support systems that incorporate soil management and fertility data.
•    Assist in creating farmer applications (mobile/desktop) for sustainable soil management and integrated soil fertility management at the farm scale.
•    Participate in capacity-building activities, such as workshops and trainings, to enhance national capacities in soil management and fertility.
•    Support the development of national capacities for fertilizer analysis, alternative nutrient sources and fertilizer use policy.
•    Track progress and assess the quality of soil management and fertility initiatives.
•    Provide input to project monitoring and evaluation frameworks to ensure the effective implementation of soil management and fertility practices.
•    Contribute to regular progress reports on soil management and fertility activities for funding agencies and stakeholders.
•    Communicate project outcomes and lessons learned related to soil management and fertility to relevant audiences.
•    Establish and maintain relationships with project stakeholders, including government agencies, international organizations, and local communities.
•    Facilitate collaboration and information sharing among project partners related to soil management and fertility.
•    Collaborate with local partners, including extension services, farmer organizations, and educational institutions.
•    Support the improvement of national extension services on soil fertility and fertilizer recommendation in the project target countries.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

•    Consultants: Master’s level degree in soil science, agriculture, environmental sciences, or a related field with specialization in soil science from an institution recognized on the International Association of Universities (IAU)/UNESCO list. A bachelor’s level degree and 2 years of relevant experience may be considered equivalent in certain circumstances
•    PSA: University degree in soil science, agriculture, environmental sciences, or a related field with specialization in soil science or specific technical specialization
•    One to four years of relevant experience for category C; five to nine years for category B; at least 10 years for category A relevant to sustainable soil management, soil fertility, laboratory analyses, soil information and data
•    Working knowledge (Level C) of English required and limited knowledge of one of French, Spanish, Arabic, Chinese, Russian is an asset

FAO Core Competencies

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

Technical/Functional Skills 

•    Demonstrated experience of work with member countries in terms of normative and technical work on soils;
•    Demonstrated ability to deliver results within deadlines;
•    Work experience in more than one location or area of work, particularly in field positions is desirable;
•    Understanding of FAO policies and programmes and familiarity with UN policy agendas;
•    Extent and relevance of experience or knowledge of issues related to soil laboratory functioning and soil sample analyses or statistical analyses or sustainable soil management and agriculture (including forestry) and natural resources management in developing countries and in particular in relation to climate change mitigation and adaptation, sustainable agriculture and forestry in developing countries;
•    Extent and relevance of experience in the formulation and implementation of projects related to sustainable soil management and knowledge of the Healthy Soils Facility will be an asset;
•    Extent and relevance of experience in the preparation of technical and policy reports and capacity development materials;
•    Extent of experience in organizing medium to large scale international technical meetings and conferences;
•    Experience in the establishment and facilitation of technical networks;
•    Experience in the development of teaching materials is an asset.