Issue date: 28 February 2024

Pursuant to its contract for exploration for polymetallic nodules, signed with the International Seabed Authority (ISA) on 15 April 2016, Cook Islands Investment Corporation (CIIC) is offering one (1) expert deployment (physical oceanography) opportunity to a candidate from a developing State in 2024.

PURPOSE OF THE PROGRAMME

The ISA National Expert Deployment Programme aims to strengthen the technical capacity of national experts from ISA Member developing States in relation to activities undertaken in the Area. Such deployment, facilitated by ISA, provides the opportunity for officials from developing countries to be appointed on a special assignment in the ISA Secretariat for at least three months and gain hands-on experience on expert topics on the work of ISA to regulate and manage activities in the Area.

The main objectives of the Programme are to:

  • Respond to specific needs identified by ISA Members in one or more areas of the work of ISA.
  • Provide unique hands-on experience and technical skills to national experts deployed in highly specialized deep-seabed related disciplines and topics.
  • Enable the ISA Secretariat to benefit from the experience and knowledge of such experts to advance specific tasks to advance strategic directions identified by the ISA Secretariat in the Strategic Plan and High-Level Action Plan 2019-2025.
  • Build institutional capacities of national entities by transmitting enhanced expertise in deep-seabed related matters in a multilateral environment.

Participants are expected to be able to contribute to the work of ISA in fields such as the law of the sea, public international law, international environmental law, mining law, deep sea mining, oceanography, marine science, public information, publications and library science, and translation.

TASKS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Working under the direct supervision of the Environmental Coordinator (Office of Environmental Management and Mineral Resources), and in collaboration with relevant officers within the ISA Secretariat, the expert will be responsible for the following:

  1. Contribute to continued review of physical oceanography data contained in DeepData database, as well as compilation of other publicly available data from other global databases and published peer-reviewed literature.
  2. Assist in the analysis of the data for environmental assessment, such as those related to currents, sedimentation and other physical oceanography variables.

OBJECTIVE AND DELIVERABLES

The expert is expected to compile, synthesize and map physical oceanography data sets and information available in DeepData database, as well as data publicly available in other databases, and published peer-reviewed literature (last five years).

The expected outputs of this assignment include:

  1. Report on physical oceanography data analysis results, including the availability and quality of data contained in DeepData for the priority regions.
  2. Identify methodologies for the analysis of data for environmental assessment;
  3. Report on the results from data analysis.

DURATION

The deployment will be for at least three (3) months, commencing September or October 2024. The exact dates and duration of the Programme will be determined following discussions between ISA and the selected candidate.

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

To be considered for this Programme, candidates must meet the following requirements:

  • Profile: Must be a full-time employee of a releasing organization at the time of appointment and continue to receive salary and benefits during the secondment from that organization. Interns will not be considered. Preference will be given to Government Officials from developing countries, members of ISA.
  • Education: An advanced university degree in physical oceanography or a related field is required. A PhD degree is highly desirable, although a Master’s degree with a minimum of two years’ experience in collecting and analyzing physical oceanography data is also acceptable.
  • Language: Excellent written and oral communication skills (English) is required.
  • Skills: Familiarity with data analysis techniques and methodologies is required, such as experience with R and statistical analysis.

FINANCIAL COMMITMENT

CIIC will cover all relevant costs for the expert’s deployment which includes visa fee(s), flight, and a monthly living stipend for accommodation, food and other expenses. A salary will not be paid to the expert by ISA or CIIC. The expert’s releasing organization shall commit to continue to pay the expert’s salary/wages throughout the deployment period.

OTHER REQUIREMENTS

The expert will be required to sign the ISA Contractors’ Training Programme General Guidance and Code of Conduct for Trainees prior to the start of the programme. The expert will also be required to sign and return other relevant documents to include a deployment agreement.

On the last day of the training, the expert shall submit a deployment report to CIIC and ISA outlining, amongst other things, the training completed, the benefits of the training opportunity, the knowledge gained and how the training will advance their career.

Upon successful completion of the programme, the expert shall receive a certificate from ISA.

HOW TO APPLY:

All interested applicants are invited to register and submit their applications on the ISA CTP Application Portal, along with their supporting documents, including:

  • A coloured passport sized photo
  • A copy of their passport biographical page or national identification card.
  • Signed nomination form [doc/pdf] by the nominating entity.
  • Copy of degree and/or certificate
  • Curriculum Vitae (CV) or résumé
  • Proof of sufficient knowledge of English

Applicants must select the following options when applying for this training opportunity on the Application Portal:

Contractor Name:    Cook Islands Investment Corporation (CIIC)/PMN

Year:                            2024

Programme Name: Expert Deployment (Physical Oceanography)

 

Application Deadline: 30 April 2024. Late or incomplete applications will not be processed.

 

One of the Voluntary Commitments registered by ISA at the 2017 UN Ocean Conference (#OceanAction 40768) and reiterated in 2022 was ‘Enhancing the role of Women in Marine Scientific Research through Capacity Building’ – As partner of the Women in Deep-Sea Research project (WIDSR), CIIC has pledged to allocate 50% of its training opportunities to qualified women applicants.