The European Environment Agency is looking for a Project Manager for developing the marine component of the Water Information System for Europe (WISE-Marine)

The European Environment Agency is looking for a Project Manager for developing the marine component of the Water Information System for Europe (WISE-Marine).

Project Manager – WISE-Marine. Contract Agent (FG IV)

The European Environment Agency (EEA) is organising an open competition with a view to recruiting a contract agent to work as Project Manager in the field of climate change mitigation and further with a view to establishing a reserve list.

THE AGENCY:

The EEA is an Agency of the European Union (EU) and one of the decentralised EU bodies. The EEA aims to support sustainable development and to help achieve significant and measurable improvement inEurope’s environment, through the provision of timely, targeted, relevant and reliable information to policy-making agents and the public.

JOB DESCRIPTION:

The EEA is seeking to recruit an experienced marine analyst with expertise in developing information systems covering the marine environment as project manager for developing the marine component of the Water Information System for Europe (WISE-Marine), to support data analysis and GIS based modelling associated with EEAs assessments of the marine environment. Particular focus will be on developing the reference layers and data flows needed in support of marine assessments and will encompass observations made in the marine environment and associated indicators, maritime statistics, geographic information, and processed information such as that stemming from MS assessments.

As part of its mandate to develop policy relevant assessments, the EEA supports the implementation of the Marine Strategy framework Directive (MSFD). This Directive contains a legal obligation that data resulting from monitoring programmes and assessments to be made available to the EEA (MSFD, art 19.3), and EEA is engaged in numerous activities to develop a system that allows this to happen. The support activities include the development of a Marine information platform under WISE (WISE-Marine) based on the principles of the Shared Environmental Information System (SEIS) and INSPIRE, and which will encompass data, indicators and reported information stemming from the MSFD. The development of the platform is also linked to Copernicus, the European Marine Observation and Data Network (EMODNET) actions under Marine Knowledge 2020 and the Integrated Maritime Policy, and relevant research projects. In support of developing this platform, the Agency therefore seeks to reinforce its technical capacity in the marine data domain.

Under the responsibility of the Head of Group responsible for Marine Environment, reporting to the Head of Natural Systems and Vulnerability Programme, the Project Manager shall be responsible for developing a system for sharing and visualization of data made available from marine monitoring programmes and assessments under the MSFD, building on principles established under international agreements with Regional Sea Conventions and INSPIRE.

Suitable candidates should be familiar with the activities of the working group on Data, Information and Knowledge Exchange (WG-DIKE) and the Technical Group on Data (TG-DATA) under the Common Implementation Strategy of the MSFD, with SEIS and with INSPIRE, and well as one or more of the  EMODNET actions. Furthermore, technical capacities related to developing an information system and to handling GIS information will be requested. The system will be developed in collaboration with multiple stakeholders from the Eionet and EU Member States, the European Commission and International organisations, and will require networking with them.

The main tasks will involve developing technical requirements for the system with regards to sharing of data sets, indicators and maps relevant for regional and European Marine assessments, including visualisation and interpretation. While the main focus is on enabling the technical development of WISE-Marine, the post will require specific knowledge of the marine environment and pressures acting upon it, as well as considerable networking skills.

The position will entail the following tasks:

• Support the conceptual development and implementation of a marine information system under the umbrella of WISE (WISE-Marine) by supporting the delivery of data, indicators and reported information into the system;
• Provide support and contribute to the building and servicing of information as part of the Shared Environmental Information System (SEIS) by linking to other areas in EEA where data management represents a core activity (organisation, integration, processing, assimilation, analysis, quality control, and dissemination), gradually building on INSPIRE;
• Support EEA activities in MSFD WG-DIKE as well as in TG-DATA, e.g. by developing relevant ideas or working documents for meetings;
• Support EEA marine activities in the domain of INSPIRE implementation and assist EEA Member Countries in their INSPIRE activities when relevant, and collaborate with other areas within EEA on developing a spatial data infrastructure;
• Support contribution to EEA marine assessments and maritime sector reports and contribute to communication activities towards EEA clients and the general public, e.g. in the form of reports, briefings, web and oral presentations;
• Help countries improve their reporting obligations and data flows in response to national and international obligations;
• Support EEA in developing GIS products and implementing GIS based assessment tools;
• Steer contributions from the relevant European Topic Centre on Inland, Coastal and Marine Water to the above functions;
• Organise meetings and workshops with experts from across Europe (including the European topic centres), in particular linking achievements and data infrastructure from other European bodies and research organisations to the water data centre and ecosystem assessments in WISE-Marine;
• Initiate and maintain the necessary networks and partnerships with key external institutional partners, such as the European Commission (DGs MARE, ENV, JRC and Eurostat), ICES, the Regional Sea Conventions, UN bodies, as well as EEA member countries (Eionet) and stakeholders in the field of maritime policy and marine environment.

• Support and develop EEA data exchange mechanisms agreed with the Eionet or in the context of the MSFD.

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA:

Candidates applying must satisfy the following eligibility criteria on the closing date for the submission of applications:

a)   Successful completion of university studies attested by a degree relevant to the field concerned (e.g. marine biology, oceanography) of at least 3 years, plus 1 year of appropriate professional experience;

b)  A minimum of 3 years of relevant professional experience analysing the marine environment and developing information systems covering it after achieving the qualification set out above.

In addition, in order to be eligible a candidate must:

• Be a national of one of the member countries of the EEA (Member States of the European Union plusIceland,Liechtenstein,Norway,SwitzerlandandTurkey);
• Enjoy full rights as a citizen;
• Have fulfilled any obligations imposed by law concerning military service;
• Have a thorough knowledge of one of the languages of the EEA member countries and a satisfactory knowledge of another of these languages (corresponding to level B.2 of the Common European Framework of Reference for languages CEFR);
• Meet the character requirements for the duties involved;
• Be physically fit to perform the duties linked to the post.

Candidates should assess carefully and check before submitting their application whether they fulfil all the conditions for admission laid down in the vacancy notice, particularly in terms of qualifications and relevant professional experience.

Apply by 18 June 2014.