Research Associate - Community of Practice

Host entity: ESCAP India

Volunteer type: National

Areas of expertise: Climate change, environment, Energy, Information technology and telecommunications

Application deadline: 15/10/2026

Mission and objectives

The United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific: Subregional Office for South and South-West Asia (ESCAP-SSWA) is the subregional platform to promote regional cooperation for inclusive and sustainable economic and social development in South and South-West Asia.

The SSWA Office bridges the developing and developed countries in the subregion and works with ten member States in the subregion, namely Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Islamic Republic of Iran, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Turkey.

Asian and Pacific Centre for Transfer of Technology (APCTT) is a regional institution of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) servicing the Asia-Pacific region. APCTT promotes an enabling environment for innovation, transfer and commercialization of technologies in 53 member states and 9 associate members of UNESCAP. All member states and associate members of UNESCAP are de facto members of APCTT.

Assignment context

Asian and Pacific Centre for Transfer of Technology (APCTT) is a specialized regional institution of the UNESCAP. It is committed to fostering sustainable development through the promotion of technology transfer and innovation. In the context of increasing climate challenges, APCTT is focusing on the potential of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and remote sensing applications to address climate change impacts in the Asia-Pacific region. By leveraging these advanced technologies, APCTT aims to support member states in enhancing climate resilience, improving environmental monitoring, and facilitating data-driven decision-making processes for sustainable development. This internship aligns with APCTT's mission to bridge technology gaps and promote cutting-edge solutions for the region's pressing environmental issues.

Task description

Under the direct supervision of Programme Management Officer, the UN Associate Volunteer will support the management and knowledge activities of the Community of Practice (CoP) on Climate, with a focus on research, knowledge generation, documentation and analytical support. The UN Associate Volunteer will:

• Support in conducting desk research and literature reviews.
• Assist in identifying and analyzing emerging technologies, innovations, policies, good practices and institutional approaches.
• Support in mapping of relevant stakeholders, experts, institutions and initiatives across the Asia-Pacific region.
• Contribute to the preparation of research briefs, knowledge products, case studies, presentations, background papers and other analytical materials to support knowledge exchange and informed dialogue within the CoP
• Support the identification, organization and dissemination of relevant knowledge and resources.
• Facilitate the documentation of discussions and lessons learned.

Skills and experience

• Demonstrated interest in science, technology and innovation, renewable energy, climate change, artificial intelligence, remote sensing;
• Demonstrated interest in research, literature reviews, data gathering, analysis and prepara-tion of analytical reports;
• Familiarity with emerging technologies, innovation ecosystems, technology development.
• Strong writing, editing, synthesising and presentation skills, with the ability to communicate complex technical information clearly to diverse audiences;
• Proficiency in online research tools, Microsoft Office, Google Workspace, AI tools and knowledge-management or collaboration platforms;
• Previous experience as a volunteer and/or experience of another culture, (i.e. stud-ies, volunteer work, internship) would be highly regarded.

Competencies and values

•Adaptability and Flexibility
•Commitment and Motivation
•Commitment to Continuous Learning
•Working in Teams Working in Teams

Living conditions

New Delhi and the surrounding National Capital Region is a large and bustling metropolis of some 14 million people undergoing rapid changes. The capital city is an administrative, cultural and commercial center with modern amenities and well connected by air. It is a safe place with large expatriate community drawn from embassies, UN agencies, MNCs and foreign businesses. It has short moderate winter and long hot summer.

As this is a national UN Volunteer assignment, the UN Volunteer will be responsible for arranging his/her own housing and other living essentials. This position is based in New Delhi. National UN Volunteers are part of the malicious insurance plan. National UN Volunteers are expected to be culturally sensitive and adjust to the prevailing culture and traditions.

You can check full entitlements at https://app.unv.org/calculator .

For information specific to your assignment, please see below:

• Monthly Voluntary Living Allowance (VLA): INR 56,126.74
• Entry lump sum (one-time payment): USD 350 (equivalent in INR)
• Relocation costs: $175 at the beginning and end of the assignment if the duty station is outside of commuting distance (as determined by UNV)
• Exit allowance (paid on successful completion of the assignment): $120 for each month served, paid on completion of contract
• Insurance: Comprehensive coverage for health, life, and malicious acts
• Annual leave: 2.5 days per month
• Learning: Access to UNV's learning and career development resources.

Full eligibility requirements, conditions of service and application instructions are available on the official UNV platform.