Cartographer Specialist

UNOPS; Kansas; Hybrid; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

UNOPS seeks a Cartographer Specialist to lead modernization of Albania's land administration, driving digital cadastre operations and quality control of spatial datasets. You will coordinate licensed surveyors and internal teams to improve parcel geometries and ensure compliance with national standards.

The role requires strong GIS and CAD skills, experience with geospatial data harmonization, and a track record of delivering complex, international development projects.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Geodesy, Cartography, Topography or related field with 5–7 years of relevant experience.
• Experience with geospatial data harmonization and NSDI/INSPIRE standards is required.
• Proven ability to manage complex cadastral projects and coordinate with surveyors.

Responsibilities

• Provide technical oversight for digital cadastre modernization and spatial updates.
• Coordinate surveyors and administrative teams to deliver on-time outputs.
• Review spatial data against registries and historical records to ensure accuracy.

Skills

Geospatial analysis

GIS proficiency

Spatial data harmonization

Cartography

Project coordination

Education

Geodesy/Geodetic Engineering/Cartography degree

Master’s in related field

Tools

ArcGIS

QGIS

CAD systems

Job description

Job Highlight

This is an exciting opportunity to contribute to the modernization of Albania's land administration system. The position offers a chance to work on a high-impact project to strengthen Albanian’s property rights, legal certainty, and economic development in Albania, while aligning with EU accession requirements.

About The Project Office

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.

Role Purpose

The Cartographer Specialist will provide expert technical guidance and support in the modernization and operational improvement of Albania's land administration systems. The role provides technical and strategic support for digital cadastre operations, including spatial updates, quality control, compliance with NSDI/INSPIRE standards, and resolution of historical geodetic discrepancies. It also involves coordinating surveyors and administrative teams, managing project deliverables and reporting, and supporting process improvements, planning and budgeting within the EU4PropertyRights project. 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.

Functions / Key Results Expected

• Strategy and Implementation
• Specifically, the functional responsibilities of the Cartographer Specialist will include:
• Digital System Operations: The expert will support the assessment and operation of the national digital cadastre database to process, register, and update spatial property records
• Advanced Spatial Drafting: The expert will interpret cartographic outputs, including certified map sheet fragments, property parcel boundary files, and detailed relevation plans based on formal cadastral standards.
• Priority Cadastral Process Management and Technical Support: The expert will review, analyse and provide technical support for the spatial components of priority cadastral services, including Sporadic First Registration, Property Division (Subdivision), Amalgamation (Merger), and Property Border Correction. This will include assessing the required cadastral documentation, spatial data, maps and survey inputs, supporting the processing and updating of the parcel geometries, and supporting the identification for opportunities to streamline and digitise these workflows.
• Technical Quality Control: The expert will review and advise on the current practice of cross-verifying spatial boundary submissions against existing property registries, reference books (Libri i Ngastrave), and historical paper-based (kartela) records to identify and resolve overlaps or technical discrepancies before final registration.
• Surveyor Coordination & Facilitation: The expert will serve as the technical interface and liaison for stakeholders, including licensed private surveyors involved in topographic and geodetic measurements, to ensure complete compliance with SCA technical regulations and the National Spatial Data Infrastructure (NSDI).
• Workflow Monitoring: The expert will assist with internal tracking of application timelines and compile daily technical statistics on completed property transactions, issued certificates, and map copies to assess and advise on improving organisational transparency.
• Provide technical oversight and monitoring of the Cadastral Data Improvement Contractor
• Provide feedback to the Contractor’s methodologies for data improvement to ensure alignment with national standards (KRGJSH-2010, Gauss-Krüger).
• Ensure that all technical processes for data improvement (field surveying, topological verification, and legal-technical integration), are executed in accordance with the standards defined in the project’s Terms of Reference, national cadastral laws, and ISO quality frameworks.
• Review and provide feedback to the Internal QC Reports produced by the Improvement Contractor for technical rigor.
• Conduct random "spot checks" of field measurement and map preparation
• Contribute reviewing "Lessons-Learned & Process Optimization Framework Paper," ensuring the findings reflect real-world technical implementation challenges.
• Technical Guidance and Support
• Technical Expertise in Digital Cadastre: Advanced knowledge of architecture, data-flow requirements, and digital workflows connected Albania public platforms.
• Spatial Quality Assurance: Outstanding eye for detail in validating geospatial datasets, with the ability to reconcile legal title narratives with physical land boundaries and orthophoto details.
• Interoperability & NSDI Compliance: familiarity with the National Spatial Data Infrastructure (NSDI), national geoportals, and European spatial data standards such as INSPIRE Directive principles.
• Problem-Solving & Analytical Thinking: Ability to systematically diagnose, map, and resolve complex overlapping property claims arising from legacy coordinate system integration.
• 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 further enhanced land administration processes.
• Contribute to the development of project plans, budgets, and resource allocation strategies.
• Communication and Coordination
• Effective Liaison Communication: Excellent communication skills to act as a bridge between the technical surveyors in the field and the administrative/legal back-office validation teams in local cadastre directorates.
• Coordinate systems: Knowledge of the spatial discrepancies and execute transformations between the historical coordinate reference system and the modern national geodetic reference system, including resolving the coordinate shift implemented to avoid digital-historical data conflicts.

Education Requirements

Required

• Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) preferably in Geodesy, Geodetic Engineering, Cartography, Topography or related fields with 7 years of relevant experience OR
• Master’s degree (or equivalent) preferably in any of the above or related fields with 5 years of relevant experience is required

Desired

• Certification in Geodetic Engineering, Surveying, or a related geospatial field is an asset

Experience Requirements

Required

• Proven experience in working with Geospatial Data Harmonization
• Proven experience in Collaborative Technical Work
• Proven experience in developing and implementing
• Proficiency in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) software (e.g., ArcGIS, QGIS) and Computer-Aided Design (CAD) systems.
• Solid understanding of Albanian land administration legislation, regarding technical and legal document specifications, and national geospatial guidelines.

Desired

• Experience working as a Cartographer, or GIS Specialist within or closely supporting the State Cadastre Agency (SCA) or similar public land registry environment.
• Demonstrated hands-on experience handling legacy spatial datasets, performing coordinate transformations, and resolving historical boundary inconsistencies.
• Experience coordinating technical projects directly with the Digital Cadastre Centre (DCC), and or the State Authority for Geospatial Information (ASIG).
• Experience working on international development projects.
• Knowledge of EU requirements and directives in land administration