Data Engineer (Consultant)

Consultant IT & Telecom Information Management

Overview

Provide technical expertise in designing and optimizing data solutions.

You have:

• University degree in Data Engineering, Computer Science, Information Systems, or related fields is required.
• A minimum of 7 years of professional work experience in designing and deploying large-scale data systems, with demonstrated consultancy or technical leadership roles is required.
• Proven experience with Python, SQL, cloud environments (Azure, AWS, or GCP), container orchestration (Kubernetes), and DevOps automation is required.
• Strong familiarity with semantic modeling, knowledge graphs, and AI/ML integration for data systems is desirable.
• Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and communication skills is required.
• Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of Arabic is desirable.

Contract

This is a Consultancy contract. More about Consultancy contracts.

Result of Service

The objective of this consultancy is to provide technical expertise in the design, implementation, and optimization of data pipelines, cloud-based infrastructure, and knowledge graph frameworks that enable scalable and intelligent data products for high-level decision support.

Work Location

UN-House ESCWA

Expected duration

12 months

Duties and Responsibilities

Background: The Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) forms part of the United Nations Secretariat and, like the other regional commissions, operates under the supervision of the United Nations Economic and Social Council. ESCWA comprises 21 Arab countries in Western Asia and North Africa. ESCWA provides a framework for the formulation and harmonisation of sectoral policies for member countries, a platform for congress and coordination, a home for expertise and knowledge, and an information observatory. ESCWA activities are coordinated with the divisions and main offices of the Headquarters of the United Nations, specialised agencies, and international and regional organizations, including the League of Arab States and its subsidiary bodies, and the Gulf Cooperation Council. This position is located in the Data Science and Decision-Support Division. The Data Science and Decision-Support Division (DSDSD) is part of ESCWA’s broader modernization and innovation efforts, providing advanced analytics and decision-support services within ESCWA, other UN entities, and Member States. Aligned with the UN 2.0 agenda and grounded in strategic foresight, DSDS leverages data-driven insights, emerging technologies, and scenario-based planning to anticipate trends and proactively inform policymaking and operations. Its core functions include data integration and management; data quality assurance; advanced analytics and modeling; machine learning and artificial intelligence solutions; real-time dashboards and performance reporting; and data visualization and business intelligence and the design and development of specialized digital decision-support tools. Through these capabilities, DSDS empowers evidence-based decision-making, fosters organizational efficiency, and catalyzes strategic innovation across the region, supporting sustainable development outcomes regionally and globally. Under the supervision of the Chief of the Decision-Support and Data Science Division and in close collaboration with the data science and digital development teams, the Data Engineer (Consultant) will support the development and optimization of data systems and architectures to support strategic data initiatives. The Consultant will report to the Data Engineering & Operations Unit head, under the overall supervision of the Chief of the Decision-Support and Data Science Division and collaborate with cross-functional teams, including data scientists, digital product managers, and thematic experts. Performance will be reviewed monthly based on deliverables and milestones. Responsibilities: Within delegated authority, the Consultant will be responsible for independently performing the following: - Data Engineering Infrastructure - Implement robust and scalable ETL/ELT pipelines using Python, R, or Spark for processing structured and unstructured datasets across sectors. - Implement technical activities in support of the development of data lake architecture, integrating multiple sources into a unified data environment for analytics and AI workflows. - Develop guidelines for metadata-driven systems, ensuring lineage, traceability, and m semantic enrichment. - API Development & System Integration - Implement RESTful APIs and backend services using Python, C#, or Node.js to ensure secure, performant data access and integration with external and internal platforms. - Implement the integration of cloud services (Azure) with internal data systems and external partner APIs for real-time data exchange. - DevOps and CI/CD Enablement - Automate CI/CD pipelines using GitHub Actions, Docker, and Kubernetes, ensuring efficient delivery, testing, and deployment processes. - Implement DevOps best practices to support continuous innovation, scalability, and system monitoring. - Semantic Data Modeling & Graph Technologies - Implement knowledge graphs and ontologies using Neo4j or equivalent tools, embedding NLP pipelines and SDG classifications to power semantic search and policy simulations. - Develop custom ontologies and metadata standards tailored to thematic data domains relevant to the organization’s mandate. - Data Infrastructure Optimization - Optimization of databases (e.g., SQL Server, Redis, Solr) and data pipelines for enterprise- scale analytics and reporting. - Implement performance tuning and data partitioning strategies for high-throughput environments. - AI/ML Data Enablement and Technical Administration Support - Set up and maintain environments for interactive analytics and modeling (e.g., Jupyter, Zeppelin), supporting AI/ML experimentation and visualization pipelines. - Provide training and documentation to enhance the capacity of internal teams to leverage data pipelines and APIs effectively.

Qualifications/special skills

University degree in Data Engineering, Computer Science, Information Systems, or related fields is required. All candidates must submit a copy of the required educational degree. Incomplete applications will not be reviewed. - A minimum of 7 years of professional work experience in designing and deploying large-scale data systems, with demonstrated consultancy or technical leadership roles is required. - Proven experience with Python, SQL, cloud environments (Azure, AWS, or GCP), container orchestration (Kubernetes), and DevOps automation is required. - Strong familiarity with semantic modeling, knowledge graphs, and AI/ML integration for data systems is desirable. - Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and communication skills is required.

Languages

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat; and Arabic is a working language of ESCWA. For this position, fluency in English is required. Knowledge of Arabic is desirable. Note: “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.

Additional Information

Not available.

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.

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Added 1 year ago - Updated 1 year ago - Source: careers.un.org