AI Geospatial Data Science Advisor (Cadastral Modernisation)

Established in 2020, the UNOPS Office in Albania supports national efforts to improve economic and social conditions in the wake of the November 2019 earthquake. Through its flagship initiatives, UNOPS is contributing to the rehabilitation of cultural heritage sites and the digital transformation of the justice sector. By combining project management, infrastructure development, and technical expertise, UNOPS aims to strengthen Albania’s resilience, enhance public services, and promote sustainable development. The Albania office also plays a role in fostering connectivity and advancing healthcare standards across the country.

The European Union-funded EU for Property Rights (EU4PR) project, implemented by UNOPS, supports the State Cadastre Agency and the Agency for Agriculture and Rural Development in strengthening land administration and property rights systems in Albania. Key project activities include the digitisation of cadastral records and maps, first-time property registration, data enhancement, and support to the development of an EU-compatible Land Parcel Identification System (LPIS), which contribute to improved transparency, efficiency, and alignment with EU accession requirements.

The project further supports the modernisation of institutional processes and systems through digital transformation, interoperability, and institutional capacity strengthening, contributing to sustainable land governance and alignment with EU standards and practices. Within this context, the AI Specialist will serve as a key technical expert supporting the application of Artificial Intelligence (AI) as an enabling tool for the Business Process Review (BPR), cadastral map digitisation, first-time property registration, and LPIS-related activities. The role will include researching, proposing, and adapting AI technologies, methodologies, and innovative approaches to address the specific operational project needs, and institutional needs of the State Cadastre Agency, and the Agency for Agriculture and Rural Development.

The AI Specialist will provide expert technical guidance and support in the application of AI technologies to enhance the efficiency, accuracy, and transparency of land administration processes within the EU4PropertyRights project. The specialist will research, propose and adapt AI solutions to address specific challenges in cadastral data management, property registration workflow, and the development of a Land Parcel Information System (LPIS). AI application will be aligned with the BPR framework, supporting evidence-based data analysis and process optimisation, subject to data availability and system readiness. The Expert will work in close coordination with other experts and national counterparts throughout the assignment. In addition to the delivery of the specific tasks under this ToR, the Expert is expected to contribute with relevant technical knowledge, practical experience, and lessons learned from the implementation of similar projects and international best practices, with the aim of supporting high-quality and sustainable project outcomes. 

1. AI Strategy and Implementation

The expert will  provide recommendations on the application of AI tools and technologies to enhance land administration processes and service delivery. Review and propose improvements to the existing AI models and algorithms to address specific challenges in the Albanian context, such as inconsistent cadastral data, incomplete first registration, interoperability limitations, legacy records digitisation, and data quality improvement across cadastral zones,legal inconsistencies while supporting the strengthening of Spatial Data Infrastructure (SDI) interoperability and data harmonisation of datasets. Support, focusing on advising and demonstrating AI applications for data correction, verification, and validation,  processes within the cadastral system.

More specifically, the expert will provide recommendations in the following aspects:

Intelligent Document Processing

• Legacy Digitization: convert historical handwritten deeds and paper archives into structured, searchable digital data.
• Information Extraction: build models to automatically extract legal names, parcel numbers, boundaries, and transaction history from unstructured notary acts.
• Cross-Registry Validation: develop search tools to automatically verify consistency between notary documents and the live cadastral database.

Geospatial AI & Automated Mapping

• Feature Extraction: automatically detect building footprint and parcel boundary from other sources or imagery (satellite, drone)
• Discrepancy Resolution: automatically flag overlaps, gaps, and structural anomalies between historical maps and modern GIS data.
• Data Harmonization: standardize geospatial datasets to achieve full compliance with national, international and EU spatial data standards.

Fraud Prevention & Process Automation

• Risk Modeling: Design predictive risk-scoring models to detect suspicious transaction patterns, unauthorized alterations, or fraudulent claims.
• Smart Workflow Routing: Implement machine learning algorithms to automatically approve low-risk standardized applications while routing complex legal disputes to human experts.
• Automated Valuation: developing Automated Valuation Models driven by spatial and market data trends.
• Support the development of a Land Parcel Information System (LPIS), leveraging AI for land use monitoring and subsidy allocation.

2. Technical Guidance and Support

• Provide technical guidance to the State Cadastre Agency (SCA) and other relevant institutions on the integration of AI technologies into their existing systems and workflows.
• Conduct training and capacity building sessions for SCA staff on the use of AI tools and techniques for land administration.
• Technical support to data-related services, Geographical Data, data extraction, and data quality improvement. Troubleshoot technical issues and provide ongoing support to ensure the effective implementation and operation of AI-driven solutions.
• Evaluate the performance of AI models and algorithms, and recommend improvements to enhance their accuracy and efficiency.

3. Project Management and Reporting

• Manage assigned tasks and deliverables within the EU4PropertyRights project, ensuring timely completion and adherence to project objectives.
• Prepare detailed reports, analyses, and presentations on the progress and impact of AI initiatives within the project.
• Collaborate with project stakeholders to identify opportunities for leveraging AI to further enhance land administration processes.
• Contribute to the development of project plans, budgets, and resource allocation strategies related to AI implementation.

Required

• Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) preferably in Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence, Data Science, Geographic Information Systems, or a related field with 9 years of relevant experience.
  

• Master’s degree (or equivalent) preferably in Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence, Data Science, Geographic Information Systems, or a related field with 7 years of relevant experience.
  
  

Desired

• Certifications in AI, Machine Learning, or related technologies.

Required

• Minimum of 7 years of experience (9 years of experience with a Bachelor’s degree) in applying AI technologies to solve real-world problems.
• Proven experience in developing and implementing AI-driven solutions for data analysis, automation, and decision support

Desired

• Experience working with land administration systems or cadastral data.
• Experience working on international development projects.
• Experience in capacity building and training.

• UNOPS does not accept unsolicited resumes. 
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• Applications to vacancies must be received before midnight Copenhagen time (CET) on the closing date of the announcement. Applications received after the closing date will not be considered. 
• Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and invited to proceed to the next stage of the selection process, which may include various assessments. 
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