Data Scientist

DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS

24 August 2026-23:59-GMT-04:00 Atlantic Standard Time (Barbados)

WFP celebrates and embraces diversity. It is committed to the principle of equal employment opportunity for all its employees and encourages qualified candidates to apply irrespective of race, colour, national origin, ethnic or social background, genetic information, gender, gender identity and/or expression, sexual orientation, religion or belief, HIV status or disability.

ABOUT WFP

The World Food Programme is the world’s largest humanitarian organization saving lives in emergencies and using food assistance to build a pathway to peace, stability and prosperity, for people recovering from conflict, disasters and the impact of climate change.

At WFP, people are at the heart of everything we do and the vision of the future WFP workforce is one of diverse, committed, skilled, and high performing teams, selected on merit, operating in a healthy and inclusive work environment, living WFP's values (Integrity, Collaboration, Commitment, Humanity, and Inclusion) and working with partners to save and change the lives of those WFP serves.

To learn more about WFP, visit our website: https://www.wfp.org and follow us on social media to keep up with our latest news: YouTube, LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, TikTok.

WHY JOIN WFP?

• WFP is a 2020 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate.

• WFP offers a highly inclusive, diverse, and multicultural working environment.

• WFP invests in the personal & professional development of its employees through a range of training, accreditation, coaching, mentorship, and other programs as well as through internal mobility opportunities.

• A career path in WFP provides an exciting opportunity to work across the various country, regional and global offices around the world, and with passionate colleagues who work tirelessly to ensure that effective humanitarian assistance reaches millions of people across the globe.

• We offer an attractive compensation package (please refer to the Terms and Conditions section of this vacancy announcement).

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE OF THE ASSIGNMENT:

The Multi-Country Office (MCO) Barbados supports 22 Caribbean countries and territories facing climate-related shocks, rising food insecurity, and increasing hazard exposure. To strengthen anticipatory action and data-driven decision-making, the office is scaling up its Early Warning, Food Security Monitoring, and GIS-based risk analysis capacities.

The consultant will support the MCO’s evolving data ecosystem by combining data science, basic geospatial analysis, and forecasting methods to enhance early warning products, food security insights, and climate-risk analytics. Working closely with the VAM team and reporting to the Head of RAM, the consultant will prototype analytical tools, support modelling workflows, and expand existing dashboards and GIS layers feeding into early warning bulletins and decision-making processes for governments, UN partners, and humanitarian actors across the Caribbean.

ACCOUNTABILITIES/RESPONSIBILITIES:

1. Early Warning & Food Security Analytics
Develop and maintain analytical models to monitor and forecast food security conditions in the Caribbean, integrating climate indicators, market trends, hazards, and vulnerability data. Support the production of impact-based early warning signals tied to seasonal hazards, including hurricanes, drought, flooding, and landslides. Contribute to monthly and quarterly situation analyses, food security updates, and risk briefs.

2. GIS & Spatial Analysis (Basic to Intermediate)
Produce and maintain geospatial layers for hazards, exposure, vulnerability, and food security indicators. Support spatial analyses such as exposure overlays, hotspot mapping, and impact estimation, and assist in maintaining geospatial datasets relevant to the MCO’s early warning and emergency preparedness workflows.

3. Data Pipeline Development & Integration
Support the design and implementation of production-ready data pipelines for automated ingestion from climate, market, satellite, and regional datasets. Ensure robust documentation of workflows, code, and data sources in line with WFP standards.

4. Stakeholder Engagement
Collaborate with Country Offices, including Barbados, OECS, Trinidad, Guyana, and Suriname, to gather feedback, refine analytical products, and ensure local relevance. Present analytical findings in clear and accessible formats to national stakeholders, technical teams, and humanitarian partners.

5. Compliance & Operational Support
Ensure alignment with WFP data privacy, security, and quality standards. Participate in field missions and regional coordination meetings as needed and support other analytical or GIS tasks as required.

DELIVERABLES AT THE END OF THE CONTRACT:

Technical contributions to the MCO’s Early Warning System, including code, data pipelines, metadata, and documented methodology; deployment-ready models integrated into the MCO’s analytical workflows; and an updated geospatial database with hazard, exposure, vulnerability, and food security layers.

Impact evaluation brief or technical note summarising model performance and operational added value, with clear documentation of analytical processes for internal knowledge sharing.

Participation in technical discussions, interagency coordination fora, dissemination events, and presentations to communicate findings and support uptake of early warning and food security analytics.

OTHER POST REQUIREMENTS:

WFP provides emergency response support to the 22 English and Dutch-speaking countries in the Caribbean as needed. In this role, the incumbent may be required to:

• Support the Unit's emergency response activities.
• Deploy to affected countries to assist with Unit operations as required.
• Work beyond regular working hours to support emergency response efforts.

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE REQUIRED:

Education:

Master’s degree in a quantitative field such as Data Science, GIS, Statistics, Economics, Computer Science, Environmental Science, or a related discipline.

Experience:

Minimum of 3–5 years of experience in a data-focused analytical role, preferably in humanitarian, climate, or development contexts.

Experience conducting basic GIS analysis using ArcGIS or QGIS is required. Experience with hazard monitoring, climate modelling, food security analysis, or early warning systems is an asset.

Knowledge & Skills:

Strong Python programming skills and experience with data science libraries such as pandas, NumPy, scikit-learn, and xarray. Basic to intermediate GIS capabilities, including spatial joins, raster/vector handling, and map production. Experience querying SQL databases, with familiarity with GIT and version control considered an asset.

Experience with forecasting and time-series analysis is an advantage. Strong communication skills and ability to translate analytics into operational guidance. Ability to work respectfully and effectively with multicultural teams and government partners.

Languages:

Excellent written and spoken English.

WFP LEADERSHIP FRAMEWORK

WFP Leadership Framework guides to the common standards of behavior that guide HOW we work together to accomplish our mission.

Click here to access WFP Leadership Framework

REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION

WFP is committed to supporting individuals with disabilities by providing reasonable accommodations throughout the recruitment process. If you require a reasonable accommodation, please contact: global.inclusion@wfp.org

NO FEE DISCLAIMER

The United Nations 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.

REMINDERS BEFORE YOU SUBMIT YOUR APPLICATION

• All applications must be submitted exclusively through our online recruiting system. We do not consider CVs or applications sent by email, LinkedIn, or any other channel.

• We strongly recommend that your Workday profile is accurate and complete, and that all sections are filled in, including your employment history, academic qualifications, language skills, and UN grade (if applicable). Once your profile is completed, please apply, and submit your application.

• If you experience technical issues while submitting your application, you may contact us at global.hrerecruitment@wfp.org. Please note that this email is only for technical issues with an application - unsolicited applications or documents sent to this inbox will not receive a reply.

• At the application stage, the only required documents are your CV and Cover Letter. Additional documents (passport, certificates, recommendation letters, etc.) may be requested later in the process.

• Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and invited to proceed to the next stage of the recruitment process.

All employment decisions are made on the basis of organizational needs, job requirements, merit, and individual qualifications. WFP is committed to providing an inclusive work environment free of sexual exploitation and abuse, all forms of discrimination, any kind of harassment, sexual harassment, and abuse of authority. Therefore, all selected candidates will undergo rigorous reference and background checks.

No appointment under any kind of contract will be offered to members of the UN Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ), International Civil Service Commission (ICSC), FAO Finance Committee, WFP External Auditor, WFP Audit Committee, Joint Inspection Unit (JIU) and other similar bodies within the United Nations system with oversight responsibilities over WFP, both during their service and within three years of ceasing that service.