National Expert on Soil Science and Soil Surveying

Position details

• Vacancy number: 2601859
• Opportunity type: Non-staff opportunities
• Grade / contract type: PSA (Personal Services Agreement)
• Organizational unit: FASRL - FAO Representation in Sri Lanka
• Duration: 36 WAE days
• Application deadline: 15/Sep/2026, 11%5C:59%5C:00 PM

IMPORTANT NOTICE: Please note that Closure Date and Time displayed above are based on date and time settings of your personal device

FAO seeks gender, geographical and linguistic diversity in its staff and international consultants in order to best serve FAO Members in all regions.

• FAO is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality, background and culture
• Qualified female applicants, qualified nationals of non-and under-represented Members and person with disabilities are encouraged to apply
• Everyone who works for FAO is required to adhere to the highest standards of integrity and professional conduct, and to uphold FAO's values
• FAO, as a Specialized Agency of the United Nations, has a zero-tolerance policy for conduct that is incompatible with its status, objectives and mandate, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination　　
• All selected candidates will undergo rigorous reference and background checks
• All applications will be treated with the strictest confidentiality
• FAO staff are subject to the authority of the Director-General, who may assign them to any of the activities or offices of the Organization.

Organizational Setting and Context

The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations that leads international efforts to defeat hunger. FAO's goal is to achieve food security for all and ensure that people have regular access to enough high-quality food to lead active, healthy lives. With 195 members - 194 countries and the European Union, FAO works in over 130 countries worldwide and has started working in Sri Lanka since 1979 with its Representation (Country Office) opened in Colombo.  

The FAO contributes to the achievement of the 2030 Agenda through its Strategic Framework by supporting the transformation to more efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable agri-food systems, and through four Betters (Better production, Better nutrition, a Better environment and a Better life) - leaving no one behind.

Sri Lanka’s agriculture sector is increasingly affected by climate variability, land degradation, water scarcity, and inefficient land use, which have contributed to low productivity, wider yield gaps, and inappropriate crop selection in some areas. Existing agro-ecological zoning and crop suitability information require updating to reflect changing agro-climatic conditions, while soil profile information remains incomplete for several areas, limiting the availability of science-based information for land evaluation, crop planning, and climate-resilient agricultural decision-making.

Under TCP/SRL/4105, FAO is supporting the Department of Agriculture (DOA), through the Natural Resources Management Centre (NRMC), to update Sri Lanka’s Agro-Ecological Zone (AEZ) map and database, develop a Soil Profile Information System, and prepare digital crop suitability maps and advisories for major agricultural crops. The project will integrate climate, soil, vegetation, land-use, topographic, and crop-related data to strengthen evidence-based agricultural planning and support location-specific, climate-responsive crop recommendations.

To deliver the soil-related components of the project, particularly the development of the Soil Profile Information System and its integration into AEZ updating and crop suitability mapping, FAO requires a qualified National Expert on Soil Science and Soil Surveying. The consultant will provide technical leadership towards achievement of project outputs as outlined below;

The consultant will deliver the following key activities:

•    Support the development and updating of the national soil profile information system through field soil profiling, interpretation of laboratory data, database development, and integration of validated soil information into the national soil map.
•    Support the updating of AEZ maps and crop suitability assessments through the integration and field validation of soil, climate, terrain, and land-use information.
•    Capacity-building activities and the development of knowledge products.

Reporting Lines

The National Expert on Soil Science and Soil Surveying will work under the overall supervision of the FAO Representative for Sri Lanka and the Maldives, the direct supervision of the Assistant FAO Representative (Programme), and technical guidance of the Lead Technical Officer of the project.

Technical/Functional Skills

The objective of this assignment is to provide technical support and expertise for the planning, implementation, monitoring, evaluation, and validation of soil science and soil surveying activities. This includes supporting soil profile identification, field surveys, soil pit description, soil sampling, soil data interpretation, and development of soil profile information, contributing to the updating of the Agro-Ecological Zone map, Soil Profile Information System, and digital crop suitability maps under TCP/SRL/4105.

Tasks and responsibilities

•    Provide technical support to develop the agro-ecological region map and the agro-ecological database of Sri Lanka.
•    Provide technical support to update the soil profile information system, including the soil profile database, for the dry, Intermediate and the wet zone of Sri Lanka.
•    Provide technical support to classify the soil series map and database of Sri Lanka. 
•    Provide technical support to explore and map potential areas for the cultivation of annual Field Crops, vegetables, root & tuber crops, perennial fruit crops. Plantation crops and spices including cinnamon, clove, nutmeg and pepper.
•    Support to compile and submit the final deliverables, including crop suitability maps, soil profile information, agro-ecological maps and related databases.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements 
 

The candidate should meet the following minimum requirements:
•    A Postgraduate diploma in Soil Surveying or a closely related discipline. 
•    Minimum 10 years of professional experience in soil surveying, land suitability assessment, soil mapping, agro-ecological zoning, crop zoning, or natural resources management. 
•    Working knowledge of English (C1). Working knowledge of Sinhala and/or Tamil is required.
•    National of Sri Lanka or resident of the country with a valid work permit

FAO Core Competencies

•    Results Focus
•    Teamwork
•    Communication
•    Building Effective Relationships
•    Knowledge Sharing and Continuous Improvement

Please note that all candidates should adhere to FAO Values of Commitment to FAO, Respect for All and Integrity and Transparency.

 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

• FAO does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process (application, interview meeting, processing).
• Incomplete applications will not be considered. If you need help or have queries, please contact: Careers@fao.org
• Applications received after the closing date will not be accepted.
• Only language proficiency certificates from UN accredited external providers and/or FAO language official examinations (LPE, ILE, LRT) will be accepted as proof of the level of knowledge of languages indicated in the online applications.
• For other issues, visit the FAO employment website: http://www.fao.org/employment/home/en/
• Appointment will be subject to certification that the candidate is medically fit for appointment, accreditation, any residency or visa requirements, and security clearances. 

HOW TO APPLY

• To apply, visit the recruitment website at Jobs at FAO and complete your online profile. We strongly recommend that your profile is accurate, complete and includes your employment records, academic qualifications, and language skills
• Candidates are requested to attach a letter of motivation to the online profile
• Once your profile is completed, please apply, and submit your application
• Candidates may be requested to provide performance assessments and authorization to conduct verification checks of past and present work, character, education, military and police records to ascertain any and all information which may be pertinent to the employment qualifications
• Incomplete applications will not be considered
• Personal information provided on your application may be shared within FAO and with other companies acting on FAO’s behalf to provide employment support services such as pre-screening of applications, assessment tests, background checks and other related services. You will be asked to provide your consent before submitting your application. You may withdraw consent at any time, by withdrawing your application, in such case FAO will no longer be able to consider your application
• Only applications received through the FAO recruitment portal will be considered
• Your application will be screened based on the information provided in your online profile
•  We encourage applicants to submit the application well before the deadline date.

If you need help or have queries, please create a one-time registration with FAO’s client support team for further assistance: https://fao.service-now.com/csp

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