Result of Service

The overall goal is to successfully assist Member States in developing model UAS and counter-UAS legislation by offering research-based guidance such as good practices and lessons learned, upon request.

Work Location

Home-based

Expected duration

6 months

Duties and Responsibilities

BACKGROUND AND RATIONALE:

The AROS Programme supports the United Nations Global Counter Terrorism Strategy (A/RES/60/288) and its reviews, including the 8th review wherein Member States have expressed concern over the potential misuse of new and emerging technologies, such as unmanned aircraft systems and the weaponization of commercial drones, and called upon all Member States to consider additional measures to counter the use of such technologies for terrorist purposes. The programme represents one of UNOCT’s contributions to the implementation of the Strategy by offering, as mandated, innovative capacity-building assistance to Member States in efforts to prevent and counter terrorism, upon request. The programme also directly contributes to key UN Security Council Resolutions 2309 (2016), 2341 (2017), 2370 (2017), 2396 (2017), to the Global Counter-Terrorism Forum (GCTF) 2019’s Berlin Memorandum on Good Practices for Countering Terrorist Use of Unmanned Aerial Systems and its 2023 operationalization initiative; and furthers Sustainable Development Goals 9 and 16.

The AROS Programme aims to 1) Raise awareness on and promote the exchange of good practices and guidance related to autonomous and/or remotely operated systems (AROS); 2) Enhance the capacity of Member States to counter terrorist threats related to AROS; and 3) Enhance the capacity of Member States to use autonomous and/or remotely operated systems including unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), for non-lethal/non-kinetic human rights-compliant purposes; and to enhance the preparedness of Member States to mitigate AROS-related threats, including UAS. Through AROS programme objectives, the United Nations Office for Counter-Terrorism supports Member States in developing priority frameworks, such as the protection and promotion of human rights, international humanitarian law, and gender mainstreaming, but will work closely with all partners to ensure that the implementation of counter-terrorism measures does not prevent the legitimate use of AROS or hinder economic and industry developments related to emerging technologies.
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
Under the overall supervision of the Chief of the Special Projects Section, Special Projects and Innovation Branch (SPIB), and the direct supervision of the AROS Programme Management Officer, the incumbent will perform the following functions:

• Conduct research to identify, analyze, and review existing international, regional, and national legislation on the use of UAS;
• Conduct research to identify, analyze, and review existing international, regional, and national legislation on countering the use of UAS;
• Identify and share good legislative and policy practices on UAS with the AROS Programme Management Team;
• Identify and share good legislative and policy practices on counter-UAS with the AROS Programme Management Team;
• Provide substantive advice to the AROS Programme Management Team on the design and/or development of model use of UAS legislation;
• Provide substantive advice to the AROS Programme Management Team on the design and/or development of model use of counter-UAS legislation;
• Provide advice on the operationalization of the AROS programme’s existing and upcoming initiatives to conduct assessments and offer institutional, legislative, and policy-making assistance to Member States;
• Provide substantive advice to SPIB on current and potential priorities, needs, and challenges at the international, national, and regional levels with regards to the creation and development of UAS and/or counter-UAS legislation with a focus on autonomous and remotely operated systems for counter-terrorism purposes and countering UAS-related threats;
• Provide substantive advice to SPIB during assessment missions to identify the priorities, needs, and challenges of selected Member States and/or intergovernmental organizations with regards to the creation and development of UAS and/or counter-UAS legislation for counter-terrorism purposes and countering UAS-related threats;
• Support outreach activities to new beneficiary countries to engage key Government interlocutors, academia and industry specifically, as well as other stakeholders on the scope, methodology and expected outcome of programmatic activities such as UAS and counter-UAS legislative assistance;
• Draft, review, and contribute to reports, researching relevant background documentation on counter-terrorism and UAS and/or counter-UAS legislation;
• Participate in briefings to a variety of stakeholders;
• Provide advice on the preparation of project documents, reports and other related written outputs;
• Participate in the preparation for and delivery of training courses;
• Participate in relevant technical events and other related activities; and
• Other relevant tasks identified by the Programme Management Officer.

Qualifications/special skills

A bachelor’s degree in law, political science or any related field is required.
Master’s degree in political science, law, defence, national security, or counter-terrorism is desirable
A minimum of 2 years’ experience in a relevant field is required. The following are desirable:
Experience in the elaboration of legal and/or political analyses.

2) Previous experience researching, identifying, analysing, and reviewing international, regional, and/or national legislation.
Previous experience working for an intergovernmental or regional organization.

Previous experience working on national security or counter-terrorism.

Languages

Proficiency in English is required; Proficiency in French is an advantage. Working knowledge of an additional UN language is desirable.

Additional Information

Supervisor: Leila Ezzarqui, Chief of External Partnerships Section
Contract Duration: 1 October 2023 to 31 January 2024
Work Arrangement: Homebased
Travel is not applicable

No Fee

THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.