Program Overview

WRI Indonesia seeks to support the government, private sector, and communities in Indonesia to reduce its GHG emission through better management of its forest and land use, business operation, and livelihoods. We utilize new technology, multi-stakeholder approach, and research to provide the most up-to-date, accurate, and reliable tools, methodology, and data so that key stakeholders can take part in sustainable development. To advance this cause, WRI Indonesia is championing an ambitious program to transform land use planning and management to be more inclusive and sustainable through several projects.

Within our Food, Land, and Water (FLW) Program, we envision critical ecosystem such as forest and peatland across Indonesia to be governed fairly and sustainability. We believe sustainable land use management is key for Indonesia to meet its climate goal, in line with keeping the goal climate target below the 1.5 degress celcius warming threshold, while providing sustainable livelihoods to forest-dependent communities and conserve biodiversity in the landscape. We intend to achieve this through safeguarding the remaining forest and peatland from deforestation, degradation, and fragmentation; maintaining forests and peatland quality through sound stewardship; and restoring degraded ecosystem to improve its productivity, conservation value, and ecosystem services.

To effectively eliminate deforestation from key commodities production and provide robust stewardship for the remaining forest and peatland, we work together with various level of government, private sector, and civil society to mainstream the ethical supply chain principles, and support forest-dependent communities to secure their land rights. We aims to achieve this through research, policy advocacy, and creation of a community of practice to mainstream sustainable land use management.

New Provinces Pathway

This program will focus on supporting the new provinces government in ensuring key objectives in the preparation of the regional spatial plan, which include: (a) provide a strong recommendation that the regional spatial plan is critical to adopting a commitment to maintain 80% forest cover in Tanah Papua; (b) ensure that mapped customary territories form the participatory mapping process are verified and adopted in the regional spatial plan; (c) support positive engagement and collective commitment from local government towards sustainable and low carbon development in every province in the Tanah Papua. Through these initiatives, we aimed to build movement government agencies, companies, NGOs, communities and society to enhance sustainable and equitable forest and land use management in Indonesian Papua.

Job Highlight

The GIS Research Assistant role will provide essential support for the team in delivering high-quality, impactful work in spatial analysis. The consultant will assist in advancing landscape research, development of regional spatial plan, conduct spatial and baseline research. Additionally, this position is expected to be actively involved in engagement efforts with diverse stakeholders and communities across provinces.

The GIS Research Assistant will report directly to the Research and GID Analyst while working closely and collaboratively with other Tanah Papua regional team. This position will be based in Sorong, Southwest Papua, with office-flex working arrangement and travel requirement as needed. In support of WRI's DEI commitment, you are responsible for actively participating in these collaborative efforts by integrating equity into your work, our workplace, and the organizational culture.

What You Will Do

Research (60%)

Research Framework and Baseline

• Support research and GIS analysis on Papua’s forest and land use, focusing on new provinces’ pathway (participatory mapping, Indigenous Territories, land suitability, supply chain, land use change model), natural resource management (spatial planning, environmental justices, conflict, water, biodiversity), and equitable society (indigenous people, local community, gender)
• Provide support to strengthen the quality of various mapping layout, data sharing mechanism, and integrated database across workstream (spatial, social, economy, and policy analysis) between WRI Indonesia research;
• Actively support the local development of dashboard of Regional Papua team;
• Support data acquisition and extraction, data analysis (quantitative and qualitative), data presentation, GIS mapping, reporting and presentations;
• Work with the other research team in authoring or co-authoring knowledge products and other communication documents (e.g., reports, briefs, data products, tools, blog).

Data Collection and Analysis

• Support in analyzing collected data by employing the agreed methods by referring to the research design, particularly for landscape analysis;
• Manage data repository and archive system for the project and the Papua team.

Stakeholder Engagement and Outreach (40%)

• Build and maintain good relationships with various stakeholders such as universities, local governments, regional partner institutions, and local communities who work on issues of forestry, environment, and natural resources in West Papua and Southwest Papua Provinces.
• Participate in discussions, meetings, and conferences;
• Identify potential stakeholders to expand engagement work whenever necessary.

What You Will Need

• Bachelor's degree in geography, forestry, remote sensing, environmental studies, or a related field is required.
• Minimum of 2 (two) years of professional experience in environmental research, spatial analysis, and natural resources.
• Proficiency in GIS software, preferably in QGIS.
• Ability and experience in spatial data analysis with programming languages, notably using Google Earth Engine (GEE) and RStudio are main advantages.
• Understanding of using and training experiences in using forest monitoring platform, notably the Global Forest Watch and Forest Watcher.
• Experience with research frameworks, baseline studies, and data collection methods relevant to environmental and landscape ecology.
• Experience in working with rural communities, local government, and/or other relevant stakeholders in a conservation or development context
• Demonstrated experience engaging with diverse stakeholders in Tanah Papua, with a strong understanding of local cultures and indigenous communities.
• Knowledge of operating Microsoft Office applications
• Good verbal and written communication skills in Indonesia, motivated to learn professional English is highly encouraged.
• Strong problem-solving skills to address challenges in research, data collection, and stakeholder engagement
• Ability and willingness to travel frequently to project sites and remote areas.
• Willing to be based in Sorong (Southwest Papua). Indigenous Papuans (Orang Asli Papua) and local people are highly encouraged to apply.
• Legally able to work in Indonesia

Deliverables

Comprehensive monthly report that consists of achievement, work progress, and lessons learned, including but not limited to the following works:

1. High-quality, reproducible maps and comprehensive assessment reports of landscape ecology and natural resources in Papua based on robust spatial analysis;
2. Comprehensive landscape analysis of the New Provinces Pathways of Tanah Papua;
3. Analysis of interrelationship between landscape and Indigenous Papuans across provinces in addressing environmental justices;
4. Field data collection;
5. Outreach and engagement activities.

Duration

1 June 2025 – 31 December 2025

Terms of Payment

Daily rate-based consultant with a maximum of 126 (one hundred twenty-six) working days for the whole contract period or 18 (eighteen) working days per month on average.

Contract Arrangement

Individual consultancy contract (Part-time, limited term)

What we offer

• Consultant rate that is commensurate with experience and skills
• Travel insurance for both domestic and international for any travel duty as assigned by WRI Indonesia
• Access to the WRI global network
• A workplace that strives to put diversity and inclusion at the heart of our work

Must have authorization to work in Indonesia to be eligible for this position.

Final candidates might be required to take a writing test and to produce two writing samples when needed.

How to apply: In order to be formally considered, please submit an updated resume and cover letter through WRI career portal. 

Application close: 1700 (DKI Jakarta local time), 28 May 2025. We will close the advert earlier when the best candidates are identified at earlier dates. 

This is a locally engaged position; Indonesian nationals are encouraged to apply.

About Us

Founded in 1982, World Resources Institute (WRI) is an independent, nonprofit global research organization that turns big ideas into action at the nexus of environment, economic opportunity, and human well-being. We are working to address seven critical challenges that the world must overcome this decade to secure a sustainable future for people and the planet: climate change, energy, food, forests, water, sustainable cities, and the ocean. WRI has a global staff of over 1,800 people with work spanning 60 countries. We have offices in Africa, Brazil, China, Europe, India, Indonesia, Mexico, Colombia and the United States, as well as a growing presence in other countries and regions.

The foundation of our work is delivering high-quality research, data, maps, and analysis to solve the world’s greatest environment and international development challenges and improve people’s lives. We work with leaders in government, business, and civil society to drive ambitious action and create change on the ground. Equally important, we bring together partners to develop breakthrough ideas and scale-up solutions for far-reaching, enduring impact.

Our mission and values:

WRI’s mission is to move human society to live in ways that protect Earth’s environment and its capacity to provide for the needs and aspirations of current and future generations.

Our values are shared ideals that bind us together: Integrity, Innovation, Urgency, Independence, Respect.

Our culture:

WRI is committed to advancing gender and social equity for human well-being in our mission and applies this principle to our organizational and programmatic practices. We are committed to providing equal opportunities in employment, we embrace all diversity and encourage women, gender diverse communities, persons with disabilities, Afro-descendants, and Indigenous people to apply. Recognizing our strong commitment to gender equality, WRI has also been awarded EDGE certification.

WRI Indonesia is national entity (Yayasan) associated with the World Resources Institute (WRI), a global environmental research organization that turns big ideas into action at the nexus of environment, economic opportunity, and human well-being. WRI work with various stakeholders in the natural resources sector to support policy and management that are both profitable and sustainable. WRI work with leaders in more than 50 countries for more than 30 years, with offices in Brazil, China, Europe, India, Indonesia, Mexico, and the United States.

Launched in early 2014, WRI Indonesia builds on WRI’s 10-year history in the country, and strengthens our impact on the ground. In the short-to-medium term, WRI Indonesia aims to expand its presence and portfolio to include projects in the climate, energy, as well,