Consultant – Geospacial Ukraine Response Surge – Remote

  • Contractor
  • , Remote
  • TBD USD / Year
  • Mercy Corps profile




  • Job applications may no longer being accepted for this opportunity.


Mercy Corps

Background:

Mercy Corps is a leading global organization powered by the belief that a better world is possible. In disaster, in hardship, in more than 40 countries around the world, we partner to put bold solutions into action — helping people triumph over adversity and build stronger communities from within.

Summary of Work:

The Data for Impact (D4I) team of Mercy Corps Technology for Development unit is working to build a cloud-based data science platform that supports various Mercy Corps teams in data access, analysis, and visualization. A major component of this effort is to develop geospatial data and analysis standards, cloud based workflows, and lead cross-departmental efforts to coordinate geospatial activity at Mercy Corps.

With the unfolding conflict in Ukraine, Mercy Corps is operationalizing emergency response teams for some immediate needs around cash transfers, refugee information, and support to those still in Ukraine. D4I is supporting the response team by gathering, organizing, analyzing and presenting data needed by the teams in Eastern Europe to be successful in their operations. This position is a 10-12 week engagement for geospatial and cartographic support for this Ukraine response that will focus on presenting, analyzing and visualizing the geospatial information most needed by the teams on the ground. The consultant will build new workflows for data collection, analysis, and visualization. This position will closely coordinate with the other members of the D4I team (Data Scientist and Senior Technical Program Manager).

Activities:

The Consultant will support in the following activities around Mercy Corps’ Technology for Development Team’s Ukraine response:
Identify, gather, manage, preprocess and store geospatial data sources that can be used in an Amazon Web Services platform.

  • Create static situational maps using data collected from the field and from 3rd party source. Note: Mercy Corps currently does not have ESRI products, so QGIS and open source tools will primarily need to be used. Some software may be able to be procured if needed.
  • Develop visualizations for T4D’s Ukraine Response dashboard primarily using Mapbox plugins into a PowerBI desktop.
  • Conduct preliminary remote sensing analysis and preparation of remotely sensed data for visualization specifically focusing on issues like agricultural harvests, land use/land cover analysis, the conflict impact and refugee migration. Data available may include premium high resolution imagery.
  • Create web maps for our response team using Mapbox Studio and Mapbox GL JS or another web mapping tool.
  • Attend coordination, scoping, and feedback meetings as needed to explain work products, solicit feedback and scope new activities.

Deliverables

The Consultant will deliver the following:

  • Maps, visualizations, and processed data according to the needs of Mercy Corps’ Ukraine response team
  • Documented workflows, project files, data, and/or code for handover at the end of the assignment

Timeframe / Schedule: 10 – 12 weeks
The Consultant will report to: Data Scientist, Data for Impact

The Consultant will work closely with:

This position will closely coordinate with the other members of the D4I team (Data Scientist and Senior Technical Program Manager).

Required Experience & Skills:

  • 5-10 years of experience in relevant technical field (required)
  • Excellent and demonstrated skills with geospatial analysis using GIS software such as QGIS or ArcGIS
  • Strong and demonstrated skills in data analysis and manipulation
  • Demonstrated experience with remote sensing analysis using desktop software (Esri, ERDAS) or through programming (Google Earth Engine or Python libraries)
  • Strong knowledge of geospatial data formats, projections, transformations, and structures
  • Knowledge and familiarity with common sources of humanitarian geospatial data (including OpenStreetMap, HDX, WorldPop, Facebook Data for Good, ACLED, etc.)

Desired Skills

  • Programming experience in Python, R or PostGIS (preferably Python in a Jupyter environment)
  • Proficiency with Mapbox Studio and Mapbox GL JS
  • Experience with remote sensing image classification using machine learning algorithms either in desktop software or programmatically
  • Experience and familiarity with the AWS cloud environment
  • Web development experience in e.g. HTML, CSS, JavaScript, Django frameworks, etc is optional but highly desirable

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Achieving our mission begins with how we build our team and work together. Through our commitment to enriching our organization with people of different origins, beliefs, backgrounds, and ways of thinking, we are better able to leverage the collective power of our teams and solve the world’s most complex challenges. We strive for a culture of trust and respect, where everyone contributes their perspectives and authentic selves, reaches their potential as individuals and teams, and collaborates to do the best work of their lives.

We recognize that diversity and inclusion is a journey, and we are committed to learning, listening and evolving to become more diverse, equitable and inclusive than we are today.

Equal Employment Opportunity We are committed to providing an environment of respect and psychological safety where equal employment opportunities are available to all. We do not engage in or tolerate discrimination on the basis of race, color, gender identity, gender expression, religion, age, sexual orientation, national or ethnic origin, disability (including HIV/AIDS status), marital status, military veteran status or any other protected group in the locations where we work.

Safeguarding & Ethics Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts toward accountability, specifically to our stakeholders and to international standards guiding international relief and development work, while actively engaging communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring and evaluation of our field projects. Team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner and respect local laws, customs and MC’s policies, procedures, and values at all times and in all in-country venues.

How to apply

To apply: http://app.jobvite.com/m?3xrelmwo


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