National Expert on Seaweed Farming

Job Posting: 17/Dec/2025Closure Date: 04/Jan/2026, 4:59:00 PMOrganizational Unit: FAINS - FAO Representation in IndonesiaJob Type: Non-staff opportunitiesType of Requisition: PSA (Personal Services Agreement)Grade Level: N/APrimary Location: Home-BasedDuration: 6 monthsPost Number: N/AIMPORTANT NOTICE: Please note that Closure Date and Time displayed above are based on date and time settings of your personal deviceFAO 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 cultureQualified female applicants, qualified nationals of non-and under-represented Members and person with disabilities are encouraged to applyEveryone who works for FAO is required to adhere to the highest standards of integrity and professional conduct, and to uphold FAO's valuesFAO, 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 discriminationAll selected candidates will undergo rigorous reference and background checksAll applications will be treated with the strictest confidentialityFAO staff are subject to the authority of the Director-General, who may assign them to any of the activities or offices of the anizational SettingIndonesia produced almost 10 million tonnes of seaweed in 2023. This contributed around 30 percent of the global production. Despite Indonesia being the largest global producer of tropical seaweed, the sector has seen a steady decline in production since its peak in 2015. This decline is primarily due to deteriorating seed stock quality, climate change-induced sea-surface temperature rise, immature processing technologies, and volatile seaweed prices. Under the TCP/INS/4003, FAO and the Coordinating Ministry for Food Affairs are working together to address the critical gaps in the ongoing efforts to revitalize the Indonesian seaweed sector through the various project outputs including production and value chain aspects.Reporting LinesUnder the overall supervision of FAOR-Indonesia and direct supervision of the Assistant FAO Representative (A-FAOR Programme), technical supervision of Lead Technical Officer of the FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific (RAP) and FAO HQ Technical Officer as well as close collaboration with the national authorities,Technical Focusthe Expert will lead the technical implementation and support of pilot seaweed farming initiatives, especially the cultivation of alternative seaweed species in Lombok, and contribute to capacity building among farmers under the TCP/INS/4003 project.Tasks and responsibilitiesProvide technical support to identify an alternative seaweed species suitable for pilot farming in Lombok (Activity 3.1).Collect related information and date throughout the production cycle of the demonstration plot of seaweed farming (Activity 3.1).Facilitate technology and knowledge transfer for innovative seaweed farming practices (Activity 3.2).Conduct trainings for related stakeholders including farmers on farming techniques of the alternative seaweed species identified (Activity 3.3).Support scaling-up of the seaweed farming best practices (Activity 3.1 and Activity 3.3)Provide input into the documentation-related materials for the seaweed farming activities (e.g. brochure, video) (Activity 4.4)Participate in the final workshop of the project (Activity 4.5.)Prepare related reports including training reports, Back-to-Office-Report and End-of-Assignment-Report under her/his responsibility (cross cutting outputs).Undertake any other tasks as required by FAO-Indonesia.CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWINGMinimum Requirements Advanced university degree in aquaculture/fisheries related subjectsAt least 5 years working experiences in seaweed aquaculture, particularly in the cultivation of tropical species such as Ulva or other species in addition to the traditionally farmed Kappaphycus alvarezii and Eucheuma denticulatumWorking knowledge of English and Bahasa IndonesiaNational of Indonesia or resident of the country with a valid work permitFAO Core CompetenciesResults FocusTeamworkCommunicationBuilding Effective RelationshipsKnowledge Sharing and Continuous ImprovementTechnical/Functional SkillsSubstantial hands-on experience in designing and managing seaweed farming systems (other than Kappaphycus and Eucheuma), preferably in coastal areas of Eastern Indonesia.Solid background in field facilitation, farmer engagement, and participatory training is essential to support the establishment of pilot farms and build local farming capacity for alternative seaweed species.Excellent social, communication and organizational skills with national and sub-national government, international experts and local communities.Demonstrated ability to open-up to new approaches and new practices on the relevant pprogramme development.Demonstrated commitment to participatory and bottom-up approaches.Strong analytical skills.Demonstrated detail orientation, proactive attention to outcomes and expectations, and the ability to understand and effectively use information and dataPlease note that all candidates should adhere to FAO Values of Commitment to FAO, Respect for All and Integrity and Transparency.ADDITIONAL INFORMATIONFAO does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process (application, interview meeting, processing)Applications received after the closing date will not be acceptedPlease note that FAO only considers higher educational qualifications obtained from an institution accredited/recognized in the World Higher Education Database (WHED), a list updated by the International Association of Universities (IAU) / United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The list can be accessed at For additional employment opportunities visit the FAO employment website: 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 APPLYTo 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 skillsCandidates are requested to attach a letter of motivation to the online profileOnce your profile is completed, please apply, and submit your applicationCandidates 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 qualificationsIncomplete applications will not be consideredPersonal 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 applicationOnly applications received through the FAO recruitment portal will be consideredYour application will be screened based on the information provided in your online profileWe 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: IS A NON-SMOKING ENVIRONMENT

Created: 2026-01-05