Job Description

Spatial Data Infrastructure Specialist

Organization

Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI)

Job posting date

Location

New Delhi, India

Grade and No. of position

Senior Specialist (1)

Salary and Benefits

Competitive

Contract

Fixed Term Contract (3 years), extendable for up to another 3 years, Full-Time, National/International Hire.

Applications Closing date

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, with priority given to early submissions during the shortlisting and selection process. The position will remain open until it is filled.

About CDRI

The Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI) is a partnership of national governments, UN agencies and programs, multilateral development banks and financing mechanisms, the private sector, and knowledge institutions that aims to promote the resilience of new and existing infrastructure systems to climate and disaster risks in support of sustainable development.

Mission

“To support countries to upgrade their systems to ensure disaster and climate resilience of existing and future infrastructure.”

Impact (that CDRI aims to achieve)

By 2050, over US$10 trillion of new and existing infrastructure investments and services are resilient to natural hazards and climate change through enhanced capacity, informed policy, planning, and management, leading to improved quality of environment, livelihood, and life of over 3 billion people.

CDRI Mandate & Value Proposition

CDRI has been envisioned and established as a global network to advance the agenda, support coordinated action among stakeholders, and focus on bringing voices from vulnerable geographies and populations to international policy forums. Internationally agreed-upon goals in the SFDRR, the SDGs, and the Paris Climate Agreement provide the foundational framework that guides the Coalition’s vision and mission.

As a global partnership, the Coalition aims to ensure that the investments of its members and partners are aligned and well-coordinated in support of the shared ambition of disaster and climate resilience of new and existing infrastructure. The two unique yet interconnected roles that CDRI shoulders in this direction are:

• A Strong Coalition Driving Collaborative DRI Action: In 2025, CDRI stands as a partnership of 46 national governments and seven international organizations. The Coalition enjoys robust political support, which propels its efforts to advance the interests of its members and partners.

• A Solution-Focused Centre of Excellence for DRI: As a Centre of Excellence for DRI, the Coalition strengthens the individual and collective capacities of its members and partners by aggregating and sharing knowledge, brokering need-based partnerships, and strengthening capacities through collaborative learning and action.

Strategic Work Plan 2023-2026

CDRI’s Strategic Work Plan 2023-26 describes the broad contours of its priority actions and planned initiatives in the next four years. The Strategic Work Plan sets out a clear direction for the Coalition to pursue a transformational agenda for DRI in response to a changing risk landscape and evolving on-ground realities of its members. In the next four years, the Coalition will continue to leverage the expertise of its Member Countries and partners to develop context-specific, innovative solutions for resilient infrastructure towards the achievement of national priorities and global commitments of its members.

With the strategic work plan for 2023 – 2026, CDRI has set out the following strategic outcomes.

Strategic Outcome 1: A strong Coalition that has the membership, resources, and global leadership to drive global, national, regional, and local DRI action.

Strategic Outcome 2: Global DRI research, Coalition-led peer engagement, and CDRI-curated and generated knowledge promote risk-informed policy and practice.

Strategic Outcome 3: Enhanced capacities of government, private enterprises, and communities to implement post-disaster recovery and DRI action at scale.

CDRI Headquarters (Secretariat)

The CDRI headquarters is established in New Delhi, India, to act as the Secretariat of the Coalition. The Secretariat functions under the direction of the International Governing Council and the Executive Committee to implement the programmes of CDRI.

Position

The position is open to candidates of all nationalities.

All nationals demonstrating 10 years of international work experience in at least 5 countries across 2 UN geographic regions (from Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean, North America, and Oceania) would be considered for international positions (international hire).

Objective of the position:

CDRI is establishing a Data and Technology team to enable its member countries to use earth observation, geospatial, and infrastructure risk data and models combined with relevant technologies for informed decision-making that strengthens the resilience of their existing and future infrastructure.

CDRI is looking for a Spatial Data Infrastructure Specialist to join this team and take responsibility for the various geospatial and risk data management and governance activities of this team.

Key Roles and Responsibilities:

• Work with CDRI’s IT department to design the framework of data policies, technologies, and standards to facilitate the collection, storage, access, sharing, and governance (data standards, QC procedures, metadata protocols, etc.) of geospatial and risk data across the organization.

• Work with CDRI’s IT department to develop and maintain CDRI’s spatial data infrastructure, including multi-user geodata repositories, CDRI-developed data assets, web services, and ETL data collection and distribution mechanisms as per the framework.

• Build and maintain searchable metadata catalogs to facilitate geospatial and risk data discovery and access across CDRI.

• Review and evaluate spatial data contracts supplied by consultants and third parties, recommending any necessary changes.

• Procure, store, manage, and serve data associated with CDRI-funded programs and projects using established geospatial and risk data formats and metadata standards.

• Work with a Geospatial analyst for e-packaging, story map creation, and other user-friendly visualization interfaces for spatial data.

Skills

• Familiarity with data governance, disaster risk management, or environmental systems.

• Strong knowledge of geospatial standards and interoperability frameworks.

• Proficiency in geospatial tools (open-source and commercial).

• Server programming and OS administration tasks.

• Knowledge of cloud-based geospatial services (e.g., AWS, Google Earth Engine).

• Programming skills using Python or R.

• Basic knowledge of the PHP framework Drupal for managing web content and applications is an advantage.

• Proven ability to work independently and collaboratively in multi-disciplinary and multi-cultural teams.

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.

• Analytical and strategic planning skills and the ability to handle multiple priorities.

Qualifications:

• Master’s in computer science, geoinformatics, remote sensing, or environmental sciences with good demonstrable experience in job topics. Candidates with international education are desirable.

• Strong understanding of various geospatial & remote sensing standards *ISO 19115 & 19124) as well as OGC web standards (WMS, WFS, WCS, WCS, WCS, and the OGC API family of standards).

Experience:

• 8- 10 years of relevant work experience.

• Experience in data governance.

• Experience using open-source software for geospatial – e.g., OSGeo suite, applications, such as GeoNetwork, GeoServer/MapServer, PostGIS.

• Experience with spatial database querying – PostgreSQL, MySQL, or others.

• Proven experience in implementing large-scale SDI or geospatial data platforms.

• Proficiency in using and administering open-source operating systems such as Linux.

• Cloud-based technologies such as AWS, Azure, and GCP.

• Programming skills using Python or R.

• Experience in developing Rest API and microservices architectures (preferably with Python).

• Experience in contributing to the development of innovative and interactive data experiences and visualizations.

• Experience working in an international organization and with a diverse number of partners comprising Governments, the UN, multi-lateral systems, industry, financial institutions, and knowledge and research institutions in multi-country locations.

Reporting Line:

• The incumbent will report to the concerned director or the appropriate role per the approved organizational structure.

Language Requirements:

• Fluency in English, both oral and written.

• Knowledge of any of the UN's official languages will be an asset.

How to apply

How to Apply:

If you have experience working in a similar capacity and want to make an active and lasting contribution to a global initiative spearheaded by India, please apply through the online application form only: https://app.cdri.world/career/public/.

CDRI is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality, and culture. Individuals with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with strict confidence.

CDRI has ZERO Tolerance for sexual exploitation and abuse, any kind of harassment, including sexual harassment and gender / racial discrimination. Any selection, therefore, will be subject to satisfactory reference and background checks.

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