Consultant Contract

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Consultant Contract (Monitoring of UNESCO Recommendation on Science and Scientific Researchers)

JOB DETAILS

Type of contract : Consultant Contract

Level : Level 2 - Middle

Hiring Unit : Sciences Sector (SCS)

Duty Station : Paris

Duration of contract : 8 months

Hiring open to : External candidates

UNESCO Core Values: Commitment to the Organization, Integrity, Respect for Diversity, Professionalism

BACKGROUND

The Research, Governance and Diplomacy (RGD) Section within the Division of Ethics, Research and Technology (ERT), Sciences Sector of UNESCO supports global efforts to strengthen science, technology and innovation (STI) systems, science-policy interfaces, scientific cooperation, ethical governance of emerging technologies, open science, scientific literacy, the right to science, scientific freedom and public engagement with science.

As part of these efforts, the RGD section is coordinating the four-yearly monitoring of the 2017 UNESCO Recommendation on Science and Scientific Researchers (RS|SR). To support the monitoring of the Recommendation, the RGD Section is recruiting a Consultant to contribute to the creation of an online dashboard drawing on the 62 national reports on the implementation of the RS|SR submitted in 2025. The dashboards will present among others country profiles, comparisons (between countries and regions and against the 10 RS|SR key areas), data aggregation, and brief analysis, pointing to trends and common challenges. The dashboard will also include a global map and graphic presentations.

The RS|SR dashboard will build on the conceptual and technical approach developed for the UNESCO Open Science Dashboard, launched in 2026, with a view to ensuring coherence across UNESCO's science monitoring frameworks and facilitating comparative analyses where relevant. The dashboard may at a later stage be integrated into a revamped and redesigned UNESCO Global Observatory of Science, Technology and Innovation Policy Instruments (GO-SPIN) platform, thereby contributing to a consolidated ecosystem for monitoring and reporting on UNESCO normative instruments in the field of science.

ASSIGNMENTS

In accordance with the UNESCO Programme and Budget 2026-2027 (43 C/5), specifically under Major Programme II: Natural Sciences and Major Programme III: Social and Human Sciences, and in support of Output 3.1.SC ("Member States supported in strengthening Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) ecosystems and their access for all, including the most vulnerable populations, to advance open science, gender equality in science, evidence-based policymaking, and science literacy") and Intersectoral Output 5.3.SHS ("Capacity of Member States, key stakeholders, public awareness and public engagement enhanced on freedom and safety of scientists and scientific research, taking into account gender equality and emergency settings"), the consultant will contribute to the development of a dashboard architecture, data model, and visualization framework for reporting on the implementation of the 2017 Recommendation on Science and Scientific Researchers (RS|SR).

Under the overall authority of the Assistant Director-General for Sciences (ADG/SCS), the guidance of the Director of the Division for Ethics, Research and Technology (ERT), and the oversight of the Chief of Section, the consultant will report to the Programme Specialist responsible for the implementation of the UNESCO Recommendation on Science and Scientific Researchers.

Long Description

In this context, the consultant shall:

a) Analyse and validate quantitative and qualitative data from 62 Member State reports provided by UNESCO on the implementation of the RS|SR received in the context of the 2025 monitoring exercise, ensuring alignment with the survey against which national reports were prepared.

b) Prepare the datasets, metadata and country profiles (for all 62 countries), comparisons (between countries and regions and against the 10 RS|SR key areas), data aggregation, and brief analysis on trends and common challenges required to populate the RS|SR monitoring dashboards drawing on the Open Science Platform/open science dashboards.

c) Liaise with the dashboard developer (to be specified by UNESCO) to ensure the compatibility with the RS|SR data model, metadata and indicator structure; the Open Science Platform/open science dashboards (and, if applicable, the GO-SPIN platform), and validate dashboard outputs against analytical requirements.

d) Provide technical contribution on communication about the RS|SR dashboards through the production of appropriate communication tools (including powerpoint presentations, briefs, visuals, web content, etc.) and the convening of promotional workshops targeting