Information and Evidence Officer (TJO)

UN Secretariat; Damascus (MD); On-site; USD 90,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

The UN Secretariat seeks an Information and Evidence Officer in Damascus to design, establish and maintain robust evidence management infrastructures aligned with international standards. You will advise on collection, processing, preserving, and analyzing information and evidence, ensuring forensic integrity and chain of custody.

You will structure complex datasets, guide data model and metadata schema development, and facilitate system interoperability while ensuring data protection.

Qualifications

• Master's degree or higher in information science, systems, computer science, archival, law or related field.
• First-level degree with additional qualifying experience can substitute for the advanced degree.

Responsibilities

• Provide technical and advisory support for evidence management infrastructures, ensuring forensic integrity and chain of custody.
• Structure complex datasets and guide data model and metadata schema development.
• Develop and support eDiscovery workflows and tools, and prepare technical documents.

Skills

eDiscovery

Data analysis

EDRM

Legal technology

Search strategies

Scripting

Agile methodologies

Teamwork

Planning & organizing

Communication

Education

Master's degree in information science, systems, computer science, archival, law or related field

First-level university degree with two additional years of qualifying experience

Tools

SQL

Python

R

Job description

Organizational context

This position is within the International, Impartial and Independent Mechanism (IIIM) investigating serious crimes in Syria. The incumbent reports to the Chief of the Information Systems Management Section and is based in Damascus. The role may involve providing technical advisory and capacity-building support to Syrian transitional justice and criminal justice institutions.

Job purpose

The Information and Evidence Officer provides critical technical and advisory support for the design, establishment, and maintenance of robust evidence management infrastructures aligned with international standards. This involves advising on processes, methodologies, and tools for collecting, processing, preserving, and analyzing information and evidence, ensuring forensic integrity and chain of custody. The role supports the structuring of complex datasets for efficient retrieval and analysis, guides the development of data models and metadata schemas, and facilitates system interoperability while ensuring data protection. Additionally, the officer designs and delivers training programs, develops policy documents, and coordinates with headquarters to prepare evidence for judicial processes.

Responsibilities

The Information and Evidence Officer provides technical and advisory support for evidence management infrastructures, advising on collection, processing, preservation, and analysis methods to ensure forensic integrity and chain of custody. Responsibilities include structuring complex datasets, guiding data model and metadata schema development, and facilitating system interoperability while maintaining data protection. The role involves performing evidence handling and custodial duties, ensuring secure storage and chain of custody for collected materials, managing data ingestion and indexing, and developing eDiscovery requirements and workflows. The officer also manages operational aspects of system design, evaluation, and application support, contributing to eDiscovery protocols, preparing technical documents, and providing training on eDiscovery tools.

Education

An advanced university degree (Master's or equivalent) in information science, systems, computer science, archival, law, or a related field is required. A first-level university degree with two additional years of qualifying experience may substitute for the advanced degree.

Work experience

A minimum of five years of progressive experience in information management or a related field is required. Essential experience includes analyzing information using e-discovery and data analysis software. Desirable experience includes data modeling, advanced information retrieval, database management, programming languages (SQL, Python, R), managing large datasets, and working within criminal investigations or international accountability mechanisms.

Skills

Professionalism (eDiscovery, data analysis, EDRM, legal technology, search strategies, scripting, Agile methodologies), Teamwork, Planning & Organizing, Communication (written and verbal).

Required languages

Arabic, English, French