Consultant – Cultural Heritage Technical Expert

Result of Service The purpose of the consultancy is to provide UNITAD with satellite imagery and related technologies analysis reports on the destruction of Cultural Heritage sites by Da’esh/ISIL in Iraq, to determine the scale and scope of damages/destruction and support investigative analyses on related sites and to be used as evidentiary documentation.

The contract will be conducted through the completion of reports based on expert assessment and technical analysis of four locations in Iraq.

One report per site, as listed below, will be delivered, based on material identified, collected, analyzed, and made available to UNITAD:

- Tal Afar citadel - Prophet Jonah’s tomb - Al Tahira church - Mosul Museum

The reports will include, in particular, written description of the damages as well as visual support and technical drawings highlighting identification of precise location, timing and mechanisms of destruction.

The Consultant shall at all times maintain high-level expertise and professional methodology of work, including confidentiality of information obtained during the conduct of the assignment.

Work Location Home-Based

Expected duration 35 working days within 2 months effective as soon as possible.

Duties and Responsibilities Under the supervision of the Office of Field Investigations and in close cooperation with the Office of Evidence Management, the Consultant shall be responsible for delivering the respective reports on due time.

The Consultant will be undertaking the following activities:

A) Identification and collection of datasets (i) Research and identify pre-existing archives and various data (satellite imagery, photographs from archaeological public and/or private collections, plans, 3D models, orthoimages, etc.) on the four Iraqi Cultural Heritage sites listed below, from different phases of Da’esh/ISIL activities (shortly before/after ISIL, and possibly during Da’esh/ISIL occupation). - Tal Afar citadel - Prophet Jonah’s tomb - Al Tahira church - Mosul Museum

(ii) Collect technical data and archives based on preliminary mapping of technical ecosystem involved in Cultural Heritage and relevant datasets. (iii) Identify degrees of collaboration with relevant institutions and stakeholders (from simple sharing to data processing). (iv) Manage data of different types and formats and organize them chronologically in order to produce the "before and after".

B) Exploitation, comparison and analysis of datasets (ii) Identify a temporal change in the selected sites as well as the objects they might have hosted related to ISIL presence in the area. (iii) Define the different actions of destruction/timing through different types of data/resolutions. The technical analysis will allow the identification of specific destruction processes and production of hypothesis regarding the destruction processes and patterns, when permitted.

C) Reports Draft one report per site in English, comprehensive by a non-technical audience.

D) Assist UNITAD staff in the interpretation of data provided When needed, take part in meetings regarding the nature and interpretation of the data provided.

Qualifications/special skills Education:

A PhD in archaeology or anthropology is required.

Experience:

Experience in Geographic Information System (GIS)/ Aeronautical Reconnaissance Coverage Geographic Information System (ArcGIS) for Satellite imagery analysis is required. Experience in CAD (Computer Aided designed) technologies is required. Experience in photogrammetry (drones’ data, 3D model) is required. A minimum of 10 years of experience in research on the subject of Cultural Heritage is required. Experience in the field of satellite imagery and related data exploitation and analysis is required. Experience working with/for International or Regional Organizations and/or Governments is required. Publications, lectures, and experience delivering material at an international high level-setting is required. Experience in assessing destruction of Cultural Heritage during/due to conflicts and reporting on such for Governments and International Organizations is desired. Field assessment and experience working on destruction/damages to Cultural Heritage within the territory of Iraq is desired.

Special note:

Prior to selection and onboarding, the short-listed candidate will be required to provide the following: - Proof of university degrees - Proof of each employment listed in the Administrative Profile by the candidate. Please note that the proof must match the exact start and end dates of employment, functional titles and employers indicated by the candidate.

Languages English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this position, fluency in English is required. Knowledge of French and/or Arabic to interact with counterparts is desirable.

"Fluency" equals a rating of 'fluent' in all four areas (speak, read, write, and understand) and "Knowledge of" equals a rating of 'confident' in two of the four areas.

No Fee THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.