Auxiliar Técnico (a) de Protección Ambiental

UNDP • Panama City, FL

6d • Hybrid

About The Position

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is the leading United Nations organization in the fight to end the injustice of poverty, inequality, and climate change. Working with our broad network of experts and partners in 170 countries, we help nations build integrated and lasting solutions for people and the planet. UNDP works in more than 170 countries and territories, providing assistance to develop policies, leadership and partnership skills, institutional capacities and resilience building, fostering sustainable human development. In Panama, it works at the national, municipal, and regional levels. UNDP is part of the United Nations Agencies, Funds, and Programmes in Panama, contributing to the achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF). The UNDP Country Programme Document 2021-2025 seeks to support the efforts of the government of Panama by 2025 to become a resilient country, with public policies implemented for climate change adaptation and mitigation, land degradation neutrality, biodiversity protection, integrated environmental management, and disaster risk reduction and health crises, with a territorial, intercultural, human rights, gender, and life course approach. UNDP contributes to this outcome through 3 outputs: P3.1. Government institutions and municipalities have improved institutional and legal frameworks and capacity to respond to climate change and ensure resilience to environmental vulnerabilities and emergencies. P3.2. Integrated water and coastal zone management includes climate resilience and good practices in ecological supply chains. P3.3. National capacities have been improved to develop nature-based solutions and climate change adaptation mechanisms that generate sustainable livelihoods. It also mainstream the human rights approach, the gender equality and women's empowerment approach, and the leave no one behind approach. In its role as a development partner and facilitator for the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), we provide technical assistance to accelerate the achievement of the SDGs as catalysts for all people to live better in harmony with the planet. At the programmatic level, UNDP Panama is organized into 3 Clusters and 1 Portfolio: the Cluster for Environment, Climate Change, and Risk Management for Sustainable Development; the Cluster for Social Inclusion and Equity; and the Cluster for Governance, Peace, and Human Rights. The portfolio is for social cohesion in Panama. In the area of Environment, Climate Change, and Risk Management (where other clusters and portfolios converge), integrated watershed management is one of the tools to achieve the best or optimal allocation of water use/human activities and territory to ensure long-term water resources, ecosystem health, and prosperity for people. In line with its constitutional mandate, the Panama Canal Authority (ACP) through the Environmental Policy and Protection Division, for almost 20 years, has undertaken actions for the conservation of water resources in quality and quantity, through integrated watershed management. This management has been developed jointly with strategic alliances between the actors interacting in the territory, building an unprecedented watershed management model in the country. Integrated management in the Panama Canal Watershed (CHCP) is the result of a participatory process based on interdisciplinary research observed from the perspective of different knowledge and experiences and the type of interaction that occurred between the population and its environment. The knowledge acquired provided evidence to implement programs based on the dimensions of sustainability that would influence the transformation of development models that traditionally occurred in the watershed. Project 01001674 “Integrated Management of the Panama Canal Watershed as a Proven Model for Sustainable Development” is designed for the environmental sustainability of the Watershed, perfecting the integrated watershed management model, and improving the quality of life of the inhabitants, which translates into empowered people and citizens to conserve the watershed and ensure that it remains in healthy conditions to meet current and future demands for water, fertile soils, biodiversity, among others. One of the project's assumptions is that if total access to drinking water and environmental sanitation is promoted in the watershed communities, and awareness is raised about its importance for health, the inhabitants of the Watershed will adopt good environmental practices to care for it and will have better sanitary conditions. The project is part of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which places human beings at the center of its actions and is based, among other things, on the principles of universality and integrality, and contributes to the strategic lines of the National Water Security Plan 2015-2050. Project Objective: The Canal watershed plays a preponderant role in the conservation of its water resources. The natural wealth of these, today the conservation of protected areas, and therefore of its water resources, is highly threatened by economic activities, increased urbanization, the development of highly intrusive activities such as mining, among others. Institutions responsible for managing these natural spaces face a series of technical and administrative limitations that prevent them from fulfilling their obligations regarding the management of natural heritage and the effective application of policies and programs that prevent, or in a second stage, appropriately sanction situations of regulatory non-compliance. Addressing this situation, this project proposes the joint establishment of an environmental management program, with a view to establishing joint programs with other institutions for monitoring and control, and that promote cultural changes in land management, fostering the sustainable development of its communities. Similarly, it is planned to develop programs for the prevention, evaluation, and environmental monitoring of the Panama Canal in the Panama Canal Watershed, regarding the productive activities that take place in the territory, and those that generate environmental aspects and impacts that increase pressure on the quality and quantity of the territory's water resources. Special attention is required for the Transisthmian Corridor, where the greatest concentration and diversity of economic activities are located, which require framing in a systematic environmental monitoring program, to promote the implementation of good environmental practices aimed at preventing environmental pollution. Within the framework of this management and with a view to establishing a systematic surveillance and control system in the areas of responsibility of the Panama Canal, this project is being executed, and as part of the initial activities, it includes the hiring of trained personnel to perform various technical tasks. Among these professionals is the Environmental Protection Technical Assistant. Work Scope: The Environmental Protection Technical Assistant will perform tasks aimed at promoting compliance with applicable standards, procedures, and regulations for various economic activities, as well as regarding the implementation of good environmental practices. They will be responsible for formulating and implementing environmental monitoring, surveillance, and control programs for areas or productive sectors of interest to the Panama Canal Authority. Technical Responsibilities: • Maintain a registry system of economic, productive, and other activities carried out in the Panama Canal Watershed (CHCP) and/or by third parties in areas of Canal responsibility. • Maintain monitoring systems regarding significant environmental aspects and impacts of activities carried out in the CHCP and areas of Canal responsibility. • Support the development and establishment of norms, guides, and guidelines that promote good environmental practices and environmental compliance of activities carried out in the CHCP and areas of Canal responsibility. • Collaborate in the design and implementation of instructions, procedures, and protocols for the environmental monitoring and follow-up of third-party activities and projects in the CHCP and areas of responsibility. • Support field evaluations and verifications related to the occupation and/or development of activities by third parties in areas of Canal responsibility. • Provide support in the implementation of environmental monitoring, surveillance, and control programs for activities in the watershed, as well as in areas of responsibility. • Collaborate in the preparation of evaluations and reports on actions in the territory that affect the conservation of natural resources, and particularly water resources, of the Canal watershed. • Support the follow-up of the implementation of environmental prevention, mitigation, or compensation measures for activities carried out in the CHCP and heritage areas. • Support evaluations and reports on the state of conservation of natural resources in the CHCP and areas of responsibility. • Provide support in the implementation of awareness programs aimed at different actors (public, private, community, others) in the CHCP and areas of responsibility regarding socio-environmental management of activities carried out in the territory. • Assist in coordination and participate in meetings and events with institutions, communities, local authorities, and other key actors in the project's areas of interest, as well as conduct field visits to attend to project-specific tasks. The incumbent performs other functions within their functional profile that are considered necessary for the efficient operation of the Office and the Organization. Impact of Results: Improve environmental performance and management of activities in the territory through the establishment of adequate evaluation, surveillance, monitoring, and environmental control systems. Institutional Arrangement: The Environmental Protection Technical Assistant will be under the administrative supervision of the Project Coordinator. Technical supervision will be provided by the ACP Environmental Protection Specialist, in close coordination with the Management of the Environmental Compliance Unit (HI-C) – ACP. The Headquarters office is in Panama City, Environmental Compliance Unit, Building 761, Balboa; the Panama Canal Watershed (CHCP), located between the provinces of Colón, Coclé, Panama, and Panama Oeste; and other contiguous areas and/or areas of interest for the operation and functioning of the Panama Canal and the conservation of water resources. The regular working hours will be Monday to Friday; given the nature of field activities and project requirements, it may be necessary to work extended hours, weekends, and holidays, as well as participate in trips that involve travel and temporary stays (overnight) in the intervention areas. Extraordinary expenses for mobilization and lodging arising exclusively from these activities will be covered by the project, in accordance with the established planning and procedures. The hired person must have a valid driver's license and proven experience in handling 4x4 vehicles, with the ability to travel safely in complex terrain and conditions typical of fieldwork. Likewise, the ability to swim is required because work assignments involve being near water. Availability for work in areas of difficult access, where walking, horseback riding, and traveling by canoe or outboard motor is required to perform the work.

Requirements

• High school diploma is required.
• Minimum of four (4) years of proven experience (with a complete high school education) or one (1) year (with a complete bachelor's degree) in matters related to environmental inspections and audits.
• Experience in preparing technical reports related to the conservation and/or protection of natural resources or environmental management and/or watershed management.
• Experience in analyzing and interpreting environmental regulations and policies.
• Experience working with interdisciplinary teams.
• Experience in managing Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Teams, and PowerPoint) programs, Zoom, OneDrive, SharePoint, among others.
• Fluency in Spanish is required.
• Professional certification: Suitability is required for those with university degrees in careers for which it is required for their practice in the Republic of Panama.

Nice To Haves

• University studies (bachelor's degree or completed Engineering degree) in Environmental Sciences, Biological Sciences, Chemistry, Natural Resource Management, Agronomy Engineering, or related fields will be considered favorably, but are not a requirement.
• Experience in activities related to the formulation, development, or implementation of environmental surveillance and enforcement programs.
• Experience in environmental evaluation and monitoring.
• Experience supporting diagnoses, monitoring, and/or evaluation of environmental impacts.
• Experience in preparing environmental technical reports.

Responsibilities

• Maintain a registry system of economic, productive, and other activities carried out in the Panama Canal Watershed (CHCP) and/or by third parties in areas of Canal responsibility.
• Maintain monitoring systems regarding significant environmental aspects and impacts of activities carried out in the CHCP and areas of Canal responsibility.
• Support the development and establishment of norms, guides, and guidelines that promote good environmental practices and environmental compliance of activities carried out in the CHCP and areas of Canal responsibility.
• Collaborate in the design and implementation of instructions, procedures, and protocols for the environmental monitoring and follow-up of third-party activities and projects in the CHCP and areas of responsibility.
• Support field evaluations and verifications related to the occupation and/or development of activities by third parties in areas of Canal responsibility.
• Provide support in the implementation of environmental monitoring, surveillance, and control programs for activities in the watershed, as well as in areas of responsibility.
• Collaborate in the preparation of evaluations and reports on actions in the territory that affect the conservation of natural resources, and particularly water resources, of the Canal watershed.
• Support the follow-up of the implementation of environmental prevention, mitigation, or compensation measures for activities carried out in the CHCP and heritage areas.
• Support evaluations and reports on the state of conservation of natural resources in the CHCP and areas of responsibility.
• Provide support in the implementation of awareness programs aimed at different actors (public, private, community, others) in the CHCP and areas of responsibility regarding socio-environmental management of activities carried out in the territory.
• Assist in coordination and participate in meetings and events with institutions, communities, local authorities, and other key actors in the project's areas of interest, as well as conduct field visits to attend to project-specific tasks.

Benefits

• Project covers extraordinary expenses for mobilization and lodging derived exclusively from field activities, in accordance with planning and established procedures.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: High school or GED