Job description
About UN University (UNU)
The United Nations University (UNU) is a global think tank and postgraduate teaching organization within the United Nations System. UNU engages in policy-relevant research, capacity development, and knowledge dissemination in furtherance of the purposes and principles of the United Nations. The work of UNU contributes to solving pressing global problems that are the concern of the United Nations and its Member States.
For the past five decades, UNU has been a source of impartial research on sustainability, human security, and economic development. With hundreds of researchers working at institutes in 12 countries, UNU's expertise spans the full breadth of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals, generating policy-relevant knowledge to effect positive global change. UNU collaborates closely with other UN entities and leading research institutions across the globe. For more information, please visit http://unu.edu
United Nations University Institute for Integrated Management of Material Fluxes and of Resources (UNU Resource Nexus)
UNU Resource Nexus is one of 13 research and training Institutes that comprise the think tanks in the UNU system. UNU Resource Nexus develops strategies to resolve pressing issues in the sustainable use and integrated management of environmental resources through the Resource Nexus - a holistic framework addressing interconnections and trade-offs among environmental resources such as water, soil, material, biota, climate, and space, as well as food, waste, and energy, on land and on sea, that are of concern to the United Nations and its Member States, particularly in developing and emerging economies. Based in Dresden, Germany, the Institute engages in research, capacity development, postgraduate teaching, advanced training, and knowledge dissemination to advance the Resource Nexus. For more information, please visit UNU Resource Nexus | United Nations University.
Project background
The Construction Genome for Circular Systems from the House of No Waste (HØW-GENIUS) project develops a data-driven framework to systematically identify and classify circular construction strategies using the global House of No Waste (HØW) dataset. Through interdisciplinary coding, comparative analysis, and clustering, the project identifies recurring construction features and their combinations to derive circular archetypes and a “construction genome”. These archetypes are mapped onto the Research Areas of the Cluster of Excellence CARE – Climate-Neutral and Resource-Efficient Construction, connecting global design intelligence with materials, construction systems, and spatial design. The resulting taxonomy and reproducible analytical framework will inform CARE projects and demonstrators, future research on implementation and acceptance, a scientific publication, and a policy brief.
Responsibilities
Under the overall authority of the Director of UNU Resource Nexus and the direct supervision of the Advisor Strategic Initiatives, the Contractor will provide support to UNU Resource Nexus by performing the following tasks to support the HØW-GENIUS project:
1. Research and Innovation Development
Support the curation and structuring of the HØW dataset, including organisation of textual, visual, and metadata from the 225 eligible HØW submissions;
Conduct a literature review on circular construction, construction/design taxonomies, archetypes, urban/construction genome approaches, and relevant classification methods;
Support development and documentation of the HØW-GENIUS codebook, including definitions, inclusion/exclusion criteria, coding rules and examples;
Pilot the coding framework and document ambiguities or emerging categories for discussion with the project team;
Conduct systematic coding of the selected HØW projects under supervision;
Support data cleaning, quality assurance, coding consistency checks and preparation of the dataset for quantitative analysis;
Support the interpretation of clusters and the development of the resulting circular construction archetypes;
Assist in mapping identified features and archetypes against CARE Research Areas, documenting overlaps, gaps and cross-cutting relationships
Prepare research documentation to ensure transparency and reproducibility; and
Support the preparation of figures, tables, supplementary materials and references for the planned scientific publication.
2. Education and Capacity Development
Support preparation of materials for internal CARE seminars, workshops or other academic exchange formats.
3. Advocacy, Communication and Impact
Assist with the preparation of the project's policy brief; and
Support the dissemination of project results through HØW and CARE channels.
4. Governance and Administration
Maintain orderly research files, datasets, coding records, references and version control; and
Support scheduling and preparation of meetings
5. Perform other duties as assigned by supervisor.
Competencies
Values:
Inclusion — take action to create an environment of dignity and respect for all, regardless of age, culture, disability, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, gender expression, geography, grade, language, nationality, racial identity, religion, sex, sex characteristics, sexual orientation, social origin or any other aspect of identity
Integrity — act ethically, demonstrating the standards of conduct of the United Nations and taking prompt action in case of witnessing unprofessional or unethical behaviour, or any other breach of UN standards
Humility — demonstrate self-awareness and willingness to learn from others
Humanity — act according to the purposes of the United Nations: peace, dignity and equality on a healthy planet
Behaviours:
Connect and collaborate — build positive relationships with others to advance the work of the United Nations and work coherently as One UN
Analyse and plan — seek out and use data from a wide range of sources to understand problems, inform decision-making, propose evidence-based solutions and plan action
Deliver results with positive impact — hold oneself and others accountable for delivering results and making a positive difference to the people and causes that the United Nations serves
Learn and develop — pursue own learning and development and contribute to the learning and development of others
Adapt and innovate — demonstrate flexibility, agility and the ability to think and act in novel ways
Qualifications
1) Education and certification
Be enrolled in a Master’s degree programme at a recognised university in: Architecture/Architectural design, Civil or structural engineering, Construction engineering/building science, Environmental science/sustainability science, Urban planning/urban studies, Circular economy or any other relevant field;
2) Required skills and experience
Experience working with structured datasets, in qualitative content analysis, and/or data visualisation would be considered an asset;
Strong communication and writing skills;
Strong planning, organization, and time management skills, with a professional and conscientious attitude and the ability to independently prioritise; and
An excellent team player with strong interpersonal skills, as demonstrated by the ability to work in a multicultural, multi-ethnic environment with sensitivity and respect for diversity.
3) Language Requirements
Professional level fluency in English is required;
Knowledge of German is an asset; and
Knowledge of another UN official working language is an asset.
Duration
The successful candidate will be retained under a Consultant Contract (CTC). Consultants engaged by UNU may not provide services for more than twenty-four (24) months in a thirty-six (36) month period.
UNU is not liable for any taxes that may be levied on the remuneration you receive under this contract. Payment of any such taxes remains the sole responsibility of CTC holders.
Remuneration
Remuneration will be commensurate with experience and based on an hourly rate, payable upon submission of signed and approved timesheets, certified by the supervisor.
This contract carries no entitlement to paid annual leave nor sick leave.
Travel considerations
Should “mission travel” be required, UNU will pay for travel. However, this will be subject to the following prerequisites: Medical Clearance, Security Clearance through the Travel Request Information Process (TRIP) system, completion of the BSAFE online course, travel Visa, and liability waiver. Trip prerequisites will be met at the expense of the consultant.
Travel cost will be calculated based on economy class travel, regardless of the length of travel. Costs for accommodation, meals and incidentals must not exceed applicable daily subsistence allowance (DSA) rates, as promulgated by the International Civil Service Commission (ICSC at http://icsc.un.org).
Expected start date
Immediate.
How to Apply
To apply to UNU, you will not need an account. Instead, we ask that you:
Apply via the apply link;
fill out the UNU P11 Form (please avoid using similar forms provided by other United Nations organisations);
provide copy of Document(s) confirming your education status (e.g. proof of enrolment) as indicated in the P11;
provide copies of educational credentials listed indicated in the P11;
provide a motivation statement (in the P11 form); and
answer a few questions that are tailored to the position.
You may wish to refer to the UN Values and Behaviours Framework for more information.
Application Deadline
08 October 2026
Submissions must be received by 11;59 CEST on the deadline; late entries will not be accepted.
Assessment
Evaluation of qualified candidates may include a desk review and/or a competency-based interview, background checks and references.
Special notice
UNU does not sponsor a working visa for this position. Consultants do not hold international civil servant status, nor are they considered a “staff member” as defined in the United Nations Staff Rules and Regulations. UNU is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities to apply. Applications from developing countries, and from women are strongly encouraged. UNU has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNU, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. If you have supervisory function, you need to have awareness on gender related issues.
Information about UNU rosters
UNU reserves the right to select one or more candidates from this vacancy announcement. We may also retain applications and consider candidates applying to this post for other similar positions with UNU.
Scam warning
UNU does not charge any application, processing, training, interviewing, testing or other fee in connection with the application or recruitment process. Should you receive a solicitation for the payment of a fee, please disregard it. Furthermore, please note that emblems, logos, names and addresses are easily copied and reproduced. Therefore, you are advised to apply particular care when submitting personal information on the web.
Enrolled in a Master's degree in architecture, civil/structural engineering, construction engineering, environmental science, urban planning, circular economy or related field; strong communication, planning, and teamwork skills; professional English fluency.
Key Responsibilities
- curating datasets
- conducting literature reviews
- coding projects
Job Details
- Category: Research and Development (R&D)
- Seniority: No Prior Experience Required
- Commitment: Contract, Internship
- Workplace: Remote — Dresden, Saxony, Germany
- Languages: English
About United Nations University
A global think tank and postgraduate teaching organization within the United Nations System, conducting policy-relevant research and knowledge dissemination. — Industry: Education