Information TechnologyConsultantSenior-level(6+ yrs)
Job Description
Role Overview
The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is seeking a Senior AI Systems Engineer (Consultant) for a six-month period. This role provides immediate operational support to maintain momentum in delivering tangible digital solutions under the Digital Transformations subprogramme. The consultant will provide leadership in AI systems development, contributing to the World Environment Situation Room and supporting the recruitment of permanent positions. The post is based in Nairobi with possibilities for remote arrangements and required travel to Nairobi.
Duties and Responsibilities
AI Use Case Implementation: Implement and enhance priority AI use cases aligned with Program of Work (PoW) 2026–2027 indicators 7.1 and 7.2.
Technical Architecture: Strengthen the shared technical architecture supporting integration into the World Environment Situation Room.
Operations and Monitoring: Establish operational monitoring, performance optimization, and governance safeguards for AI deployment.
Responsible AI Design: Support the assessment, design, and responsible deployment of AI tools in line with UNEP’s mandate for environmentally sustainable artificial intelligence practices.
Documentation and Training: Ensure comprehensive documentation and knowledge transfer to enable internal maintenance and scale-up.
Strategic Reporting: Report to the Chief Digital Officer and support measurable progress under the Digital Transformations subprogramme.
Qualifications and Experience
Education: An advanced university degree (Master’s or equivalent) in Data Science, Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Statistics, Engineering, Applied Mathematics, or a related quantitative field. A first-level degree with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced degree.
Experience: Minimum of seven (7) years of progressively responsible professional experience in data science, machine learning, or artificial intelligence.
Technical Proficiency: Experience in implementing LLM-based applications, including retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) architectures, document processing pipelines, and knowledge-based AI systems.
Platform Knowledge: Proven experience with Microsoft Azure (Azure ML, Azure OpenAI, Azure AI Search), data orchestration tools, and vector databases.
System Integration: Experience with API-based system integration, backend services, and production performance optimization.
Safety and Risk: Experience implementing safeguards to mitigate hallucinations, prompt injection, and other AI-related risks.
Sector Context: Experience with environmental, geospatial, or policy-related data is highly desirable. Prior experience within the United Nations or international organizations is preferred.
How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should apply via the United Nations careers portal by following the link below:
Interested and qualified candidates should apply online via the United Nations careers portal. Visit the following link to start your application: https://www.myjobmag.co.ke/apply-now/1203667. Ensure your profile is fully updated before submission.
