National Consultant on Groundwater Dependent Ecosystems (GWDE) - Viet Nam

JOB DETAILS Type of contract : Consultant Contract Level : Level 3 - Senior Hiring Unit : Natural Sciences Sector (SC) Duty Station : Hanoi Work location : Remote Duration of contract : 7 months Hiring open to : External candidates Application deadline (Extension - Midnight Ha Noi UTC+7 Time) : 11/06/2026 UNESCO Core Values: Commitment to the Organization, Integrity, Respect for Diversity, ProfessionalismOVERVIEW The lower section of the Mekong River Basin is underlain by a major transboundary aquifer system, shared by Cambodia and Viet Nam, the Cambodia-Mekong River Delta Aquifer (CMDA). This transboundary aquifer connects two ecosystems of global environmental significance and socio-economic importance, namely the Tonle Sap area and the Mekong Delta, and includes major urban areas, including the cities of Phnom Penh and Ho Chi Minh. Around 35 million people live in the CMDA recharge zone, and the vast majority of households depend on groundwater for drinking or for irrigation. However, groundwater management is hindered by over-extraction, loss of recharge zones, climate change, pollution, salinity intrusion and land subsidence. In this context, transboundary solutions are paramount to address the mounting challenges. UNESCO is an Executing Agency for the project "Enhancing sustainability of the Transboundary Cambodia-Mekong River Delta Aquifer", funded by the Global Environmental Facility (GEF), implemented by The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). Within the umbrella of the project, and as defined in the UN to UN Transfer Agreement, UNESCO's activities expect to contribute to the following outcomes: 1.Consensus among countries on key transboundary and national concerns affecting the aquifer, reached through joint fact finding, opening pathways to concerted remedial actions; 2. Agreed improvements of transboundary cooperation improve aquifer transboundary governance; 3. Commitment reached among countries on implementing priority legal, institutional and policy reforms and investments for the protection and equitable utilization of the shared aquifer and its' dependent ecosystem; 5. Implementation of project mechanisms for monitoring, improved stakeholder consultation, gender mainstreaming, dissemination, coordination and monitoring progress enhance long-term sustainability of achievements.Long Description The activities proposed herewith are a direct contribution to the achievement of such outcomes, mostly through the UNESCO-led Component 1 "Joint science-based diagnostic for groundwater dynamics (recharge and extraction) and effects on ecosystems (e.g. fish, wetlands) and livelihoods", and Component 3 "Transboundary cooperation mechanisms". Under component 1, UNESCO-IHP is tasked to perform a joint transboundary assessment of the hydrological state of groundwater resources, recharge and extraction dynamics (Output 1.1). These scientific assessment activities will constitute the basis for the agreed Transboundary Diagnostic Analysis (TDA) between the two beneficiary countries of Viet Nam and Cambodia. Such activities shall be developed in close collaboration with selected National Experts from the two beneficiary countries, and with the support of UNESCO National Offices in Hanoi and Phnom Penh. UNESCO Country Office in Vietnam is looking for national expert to undertake the assignment as below OBJECTIVE OF THE CONSULTANCY Within the framework of the UNESCO-led component 1 on ″Joint science-based diagnostic for groundwater dynamics (recharge and extraction and effects on ecosystems (e.g. fish, wetlands) and livelihoods″ of the CMDA project, the Consultant will provide technical support for the following output: Output 1.2: Analysis of groundwater related dependencies of related ecosystems. Under the overall responsibility of the Head of the UNESCO Hanoi Office, the technical supervision of CMDA regional coordinator with technical guidance and support from UNESCO Headquarters, the direct supervision of the Chief of the