Consultant - Agricultural Water Management - Drone-based Soil and Plant Sensing

Organizational Context

The Department of Nuclear Sciences and Applications, within the IAEA, focuses on "Nuclear Techniques for Development and Environmental Protection." It supports Member States in using nuclear and isotopic techniques for sustainable development, particularly in food and agriculture. The Joint FAO/IAEA Centre assists in improving food security and agriculture, with its Soil and Water Management and Crop Nutrition Section developing practices for sustainable intensification and resource conservation.

Job Purpose

This consultancy provides technical expertise to the Soil and Water Management and Crop Nutrition Laboratory for developing, testing, and applying drone-based sensing technologies. The role aims to enhance the laboratory's capabilities in monitoring soil fertility, soil moisture, and crop-soil interactions using proximal sensing and nuclear/isotopic techniques. The consultant will contribute to improved assessment of soil functions, water dynamics, and resource use efficiency in agricultural systems. Expertise in data acquisition, sensor integration, calibration, and interpretation will support coordinated research, technical cooperation, and knowledge transfer to Member States.

Responsibilities

The consultant will pilot drone-based sensing for soil moisture and fertility monitoring, providing guidance on platform and sensor selection, integration, and deployment. This includes designing and implementing a pilot field campaign with practical protocols. Responsibilities also cover calibrating drone-derived indicators using ground measurements and contributing to validation workflows that integrate soil sampling, lab analyses, and proximal sensing, potentially linking with isotopic measurements. The consultant will develop data processing workflows, demonstrate their integration into research and decision-support applications, and prepare knowledge transfer materials for staff and fellows. A final technical report summarizing findings, lessons learned, and recommendations for future development will be produced.

Work Experience

A minimum of five years of experience is required in agricultural research and drone-based environmental or agricultural monitoring, including sensor integration, field deployment, and data acquisition. Practical experience in field experimentation and applied research, preferably in soil and water management or land degradation monitoring, is essential. Additionally, at least two years of experience in geospatial data processing and interpretation, including image analysis and calibration of remote sensing data with ground measurements, is necessary. Experience in international research, training, or decision-support tool development is an asset.

Skills

Proficiency in drone-based sensing for soil moisture and fertility monitoring, sensor integration, calibration, and interpretation. Experience in geospatial data processing, image analysis, and calibration of remote sensing data. Ability to develop data processing workflows and prepare technical reports and knowledge transfer materials. Good oral and written command of English.

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