Data Specialist

Organizational Context

The Statistics Division (ESS) is responsible for developing and promoting methodologies and standards for collecting, validating, processing, and analyzing food and agriculture statistics. It plays a crucial role in compiling, processing, and disseminating internationally comparable data, offering capacity-building support to member countries. The Division publishes various reports and yearbooks on agricultural and food security statistics. ESS manages large-scale projects to enhance statistical methodologies and best practices for data management. The Food and Agricultural Microdata (FAM) Catalogue, launched in 2019, serves as a central repository for agricultural microdata, disseminating datasets relevant to FAO's mandate.

Job Purpose

The Data Specialist will be instrumental in ensuring the quality of metadata and microdata submitted to the FAM catalogue for dissemination. This role requires the application of technical and analytical expertise to conduct thorough statistical risk assessments. Furthermore, the incumbent will be responsible for implementing statistical disclosure control techniques to safeguard the integrity and confidentiality of microdata. This position supports the broader mission of the Statistics Division in managing and disseminating valuable agricultural data, ensuring its accessibility and reliability for various stakeholders and contributing to informed decision-making in food security and agriculture.

Responsibilities

The incumbent will contribute to and/or take responsibility for reviewing submitted studies and drafting DDI-compliant metadata. This includes assessing disclosure risks, implementing appropriate anonymization methods, and organizing microdata files from external providers and FAO units for publication in the FAM catalogue. The role involves providing analytical and technical support to stakeholders on metadata documentation, disclosure risk, and anonymization. Responsibilities also extend to identifying and integrating relevant datasets from external catalogues into the FAM catalogue, and responding to user requests for licensed datasets. The incumbent will manage the internal archive according to FAO standards, support the development of automated routines for citation identification, and contribute to FAM advocacy through articles and newsletters. Representing FAO in external webinars, leading projects for automated citation integration, and supporting user consultations to enhance data collections are also key duties.

Work Experience

A minimum of one year of relevant professional experience is required in collecting, manipulating, analyzing, and disseminating statistical data. For Consultants with a Bachelor's degree, two additional years of relevant professional experience beyond the degree are necessary.

Skills

Proficiency in statistical data management and dissemination is essential. Demonstrated experience with at least one data analysis tool such as R or Python is required. Strong knowledge and experience in statistical microdata anonymization and dissemination are necessary. The ability to conduct data analysis effectively and work independently with minimal supervision is crucial. Core competencies include Results Focus, Teamwork, Communication, Building Effective Relationships, and Knowledge Sharing and Continuous Improvement.

Explore related opportunities