National Expert On Groundwater

OVERVIEW **Parent Sector**: Natural Sciences Unit, UNESCO Country Office in Viet Nam **Duty Station**: Hanoi, Viet Nam **Type of contract**: Non-staff **Recruitment open to**: Vietnamese National only **Application Deadline (Midnight Duty Station Time)**: 06 JUNE 2025 **UNESCO Core Values**: Commitment to the Organization, Integrity, Respect for Diversity, Professionalism DESCRIPTION OF THE POST I. BACKGROUND The lower section of the Mekong River Basin is underlain by a major transboundary aquifer system, shared by Cambodia and Viet Nam, the Cambodia-Mekong River Delta Aquifer (CMDA). This transboundary aquifer connects two ecosystems of global environmental significance and socio-economic importance, namely the Tonle Sap area and the Mekong Delta, and includes major urban areas, including the cities of Phnom Penh and Ho Chi Minh. Around 35 million people live in the CMDA recharge zone, and the vast majority of households depend on groundwater for drinking or for irrigation. However, groundwater management is hindered by over-extraction, loss of recharge zones, climate change, pollution, salinity intrusion and land subsidence. In this context, transboundary solutions are paramount to address the mounting challenges. UNESCO is an Executing Agency for the project "Enhancing sustainability of the Transboundary Cambodia-Mekong River Delta Aquifer", funded by the Global Environmental Facility (GEF), implemented by The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). Within the umbrella of the project, and as defined in the UN to UN Agreement, UNESCO's activities expect to contribute to the following outcomes: 1) Consensus among countries on key transboundary and national concerns affecting the aquifer, reached through joint fact finding, opening pathways to concerted remedial actions; 3) Agreed improvements of transboundary cooperation improve aquifer transboundary governance; 4) Commitment reached among countries on implementing priority legal, institutional and policy reforms and investments for the protection and equitable utilization of the shared aquifer and its' dependent ecosystem; and 5) Implementation of project mechanisms for monitoring, improved stakeholder consultation, gender mainstreaming, dissemination, coordination and monitoring progress enhance long-term sustainability of achievements. Long Description The activities proposed herewith are a direct contribution to the achievement of such outcomes, mostly through the UNESCO-led Component 1 "Joint science-based diagnostic for groundwater dynamics (recharge and extraction) and effects on ecosystems (e.g. fish, wetlands) and livelihoods", and Component 3 "Transboundary cooperation mechanisms". Under component 1, UNESCO-IHP is tasked to perform a joint transboundary assessment of the hydrological state of groundwater resources, recharge and extraction dynamics ( Output 1.1 ). These scientific assessment activities will constitute the basis for the agreed Transboundary Diagnostic Analysis (TDA) between the two beneficiary countries of Viet Nam and Cambodia. Such activities shall be developed in close collaboration with selected National Experts from the two beneficiary countries, and with the support of UNESCO National Offices in Hanoi and Phnom Penh. UNESCO is looking for National expert on Groundwater (Hydrogeology) to undertake the assignmen t below II. OBJECTIVE OF THE CONSULTANCY Within the framework of the UNESCO-led component 1 on ″Joint science-based diagnostic for groundwater dynamics (recharge and extraction and effects on ecosystems (e.g. fish, wetlands) and livelihoods″ of the CMDA project, the Consultant will provide technical support for the following output: **Output 1.1**: Assessment of current state of groundwater resources, recharge and extraction dynamics. Under the overall responsibility of the Head of the UNESCO Hanoi Office, the technical supervision of CMDA regional coordinator with technical guidance and support from UNESCO Headquarters, the direct supervision of the Chief of the Natural Sciences Unit of UNESCO Hanoi Office, the consultant will perform the following tasks related to Viet Nam. The consultant shall work in close cooperation with other Vietnamese and Cambodian national experts and institutions, international experts and scientific partners participating in the project. Long Description III. TASKS Compile and analyze available up-to-date data and information on the Vietnamese side of the CMDA on (i) hydrogeology, (ii) mapping of recharge and discharge areas, (iii) current water-table levels, hydraulic heads, and (iv) groundwater quality (incl. arsenic and salinization), (v) exploitation and recharge dynamics, and identify trends for main drivers for groundwater exploitation and recharge (e.g. land use change, wetland management, agricultural water use). Identify data gaps in all these areas. Compile and analyze available up-to-date data on land surface subsidence and salinity distribution in the study area on the Vietnames