Project Assistant-Transport

The project assistant will work primarily at the ESCAP premises in Bangkok, Thailand, to support the delivery of project activities and outputs. The ultimate result of service will be the successful completion of relevant research analysis, report drafting and editing, and timely preparation of project outputs.

Bangkok

10Feb2026-9Nov2026

ESCAP supports its member States to develop efficient, environmentally sustainable, safe, and inclusive transport networks and services, in line with the Regional Action Programme on Sustainable Transport Development in Asia and the Pacific (2022-2026). As part of this mandate, ESCAP delivers comprehensive capacity development and technical assistance programmes on sustainable urban mobility and low carbon transport, among others. To this end, ESCAP is implementing the project "Accelerating the Transition to Electric Mobility for Public Transport in Asia and the Pacific (Phase II)" over the period 2024-2026. The project comprises focused activities aimed at launching pilot electric bus systems in four target countries: Lao PDR, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, and Tajikistan. These activities will deliver tailored support to each country, empowering them to implement low-carbon transport systems while also demonstrating the feasibility of various financing mechanisms for transitioning to electric buses, such as loans, grants, and green funds. These outputs will be disseminated through the Asia-Pacific Initiative on Electric Mobility to support peer learning and good practices for other countries in the region, where limited access to finance often poses difficulties in overcoming the high upfront costs and long-term viability of electric buses. Amendment of contract: In addition, ESCAP is implementing a United Nations Development Account (UNDA) project on Moving towards efficient, resilient, low carbon and accessible port cities in Asia-Pacific Small Island Developing States (SIDS) to achieve better transport connectivity and accessibility for all (hereinafter UNDA Project). The project aims to directly contribute to the implementation of the main activities under Thematic Area 2 “Maritime and interregional transport connectivity” and Thematic Area 7 “Inclusive transport and mobility” of the Regional Action Program for Sustainable Transport Development in Asia and the Pacific (2022-2026). This includes promoting sustainable and resilient transport development and strengthening the connectivity and accessibility requests from small island developing States (SIDS), specifically Fiji, Kiribati, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, and Timor Leste. The project will develop and apply sustainable and inclusive urban transport assessment framework in the form of an extended set of indicators on inclusive transport that will complement the existing ESCAP Sustainable Urban Transport Index (SUTI) as SUTI Plus (+), which will also build upon previous ESCAP work on the enhancement of social inclusion and innovations in transport systems and the ESCAP EPIC framework. ESCAP Transport Division seeks a project assistant to support the implementation of both projects. Building on the technical and infrastructure feasibility studies, national transport assessments conducted, as well as data collected and indicators developed for the target countries, which are being finalized by ESCAP, the project assistant will draft, edit, format, and design relevant project outputs, including reports and other associated documents. Duties and Responsibilities Over the course of the implementation of the project, the project assistant is expected to support the project team by contributing to the finalization of project outputs, including reports and other associated documents. Under the guidance and overall supervision of the project officer, the project assistant will undertake the following tasks. a) Provide required data and policy analyses b) Draft relevant research inputs c) Edit, format and design project reports as necessary d) Assist the preparation of the “Review of Developments in Transport in Asia and the Pacific 2026” report, especially sections that are related to low carbon and resilient transport

University degree in transport, civil engineering, urban planning, economics, international relations, or related discipline. Required: (i) Experience on transport-related topics in Asia and the Pacific, preferably with involvement in coordinating multi-stakeholder projects or organizing national-level workshops in collaboration with government counterparts (ii) Demonstrated ability in drafting and editing materials on transport and/or international development issues, preferably in Asia-Pacific (iii) Familiarity with the Sustainable Development Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals and indicators Desirable: (i) Experience in the UN secretariat or other UN common system entity; (ii) Experience or familiarity with the UN editorial manual.

Fluency in written and oral English is required.

Not available.