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National Hatchery and Nursery Specialist

FAO • United States • 3m ago

Job Posting: 11/Sep/2025

Closure Date: 25/Sep/2025, 4:59:00 PM

Organizational Unit: FAPHI - FAO Representation in The Philippines

Job Type: Non-staff opportunities

Type of Requisition: PSA (Personal Services Agreement)

Grade Level: N/A

Primary Location: Home-Based

Duration: 120 working days spread over 10 months

Post Number: N/A

IMPORTANT NOTICE: Please note that Closure Date and Time displayed above are based on date and time settings of your personal device

FAO seeks gender, geographical and linguistic diversity in its staff and international consultants in order to best serve FAO Members in all regions.

FAO is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality, background and culture
Qualified female applicants, qualified nationals of non-and under-represented Members and person with disabilities are encouraged to apply
Everyone who works for FAO is required to adhere to the highest standards of integrity and professional conduct, and to uphold FAO's values
FAO, as a Specialized Agency of the United Nations, has a zero-tolerance policy for conduct that is incompatible with its status, objectives and mandate, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination
All selected candidates will undergo rigorous reference and background checks
All applications will be treated with the strictest confidentiality
FAO staff are subject to the authority of the Director-General, who may assign them to any of the activities or offices of the Organization.

Organizational Setting

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) contributes to the achievement of the 2030 Agenda through the FAO Strategic Framework by supporting the transformation to MORE efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable agrifood systems, for better production, better nutrition, a better environment and a better life, leaving no one behind.

FAO is a specialized agency of the UN that leads international efforts to defeat hunger. FAO's goal is to achieve food security for all and ensure that people have regular access to enough high-quality food to lead active, healthy lives. With 195 Members (194 countries and the European Union), FAO works in over 130 countries worldwide.

FAO Country Offices, working under overall corporate guidance and in line with the Strategic Framework, offer policy advice and support to countries in the mandated areas of FAO, facilitated through partnerships, resources and an active country programme to provide technical assistance, develop capacities and deliver core services while fully observing international standards of accountability to establish leadership and strengthen impact at the country level.

The offices deliver on the programmatic priorities of each country as agreed in their respective Country Programming Frameworks (CPFs) aligned to the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF) and ensure effective and efficient operations with adequate human and financial resources.

Specifically, FAO Country Offices:

advocate, inform and support policies and investments in the areas of FAO’s mandate;
provide technical assistance and deliver core services;
assist and catalyse partnership and resource mobilization activities to support agrifood systems transformation;
position FAO as the specialized/authoritative technical agency in food and agriculture and agrifood systems transformation; and
ensure risk-smart and accountable operations and management.

For more than four decades, FAO has been working with the Government of the Philippines, civil society, community-based organizations, the academe and the private sector to address challenges in the agriculture, fisheries and forestry sector. Joint efforts have included increasing sustainability in agricultural production, promoting value-adding practices, mechanization and modernization through improving post-harvest management, enhancing productivity and increasing the resilience of agriculture-based livelihoods to natural disasters, climatic hazards and armed conflict.

FAO in cooperation with the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (MAFAR) in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) is implementing a Government Cooperative Programme funded by Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The project, Development of Sustainable Fishery Value Chains in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, aims to sustain and improve productivity and resilience of aquaculture/fisheries enterprises in the Bangsamoro region in Mindanao. Specifically, this project will focus on improving efficiency and sustainability of local aquatic food value chains and market linkages, increase capacity of small-scale producers to augment their income through entrepreneurship using alternative species and processing for value-addition, empower them and their organizations on improved and resilient aquaculture/fisheries technologies and appropriate postharvest processing, and enhance the knowledge and skills of MAFAR and LGU fishery personnel on monitoring and managing fish stock.

The National Hatchery and Nursery Specialist will provide technical expertise in hatchery planning, operations, broodstock management, and nursery systems. The consultant will specifically support the implementation of Output 1 of the project: Strengthened capacity for innovative aquaculture at the enterprise, farmer group, and government levels.

Reporting Lines

The National Hatchery and Nursery Specialist will report to the Assistant FAO Representative (Programme).

Technical Focus

The National Hatchery and Nursery Specialist will provide technical expertise in hatchery planning, operations, broodstock management, and nursery systems. The consultant will specifically support the implementation of Output 1 of the project: Strengthened capacity for innovative aquaculture at the enterprise, farmer group, and government levels.

Tasks and responsibilities

Participate in the planning, technical design, and site selection of hatchery and nursery facilities.
Assist in preparing technical specifications and layouts for hatcheries.
Guide broodstock management, spawning protocols, larval rearing, water quality management, and biosecurity.
Recommend SOPs for operations tailored to site conditions.
Conduct training for MAFAR staff, LGUs, and farmer groups.
Develop training modules and materials on GAqP, biosecurity, feed, and health protocols.
Assist in the startup operations of pilot hatcheries.
Provide onsite support and establish fry/fingerling production schedules.
Document and share best practices and lessons learned.
Assist in developing IEC materials.
Work with project consultants, MAFAR, and BARMM stakeholders.
Provide inputs for reports and visibility materials.
Submit inception, progress, and final reports as per FAO standards.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

University degree in aquaculture, fisheries science, marine biology, or related field.
At least 5 years of relevant experience in hatchery and nursery operations.
Working knowledge (level C) of English
A national of the Philippines or a legal resident with a valid work permit

FAO Core Competencies

Results Focus
Teamwork
Communication
Building Effective Relationships
Knowledge Sharing and Continuous Improvement

Technical/Functional Skills

Ability to work under pressure and adapt to an evolving and complex humanitarian context and within multidisciplinary and different cultural background teams
Excellent written and oral communication skills in English and Tagalog
General knowledge and skills in the use of standard software, such as MS Office (Word, Excel, Power Point)

Please note that all candidates should adhere to FAO Values of Commitment to FAO, Respect for All and Integrity and Transparency.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

FAO does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process (application, interview meeting, processing).
Incomplete applications will not be considered. If you need help or have queries, please contact: Careers@fao.org
Applications received after the closing date will not be accepted.
Only language proficiency certificates from UN accredited external providers and/or FAO language official examinations (LPE, ILE, LRT) will be accepted as proof of the level of knowledge of languages indicated in the online applications.
For other issues, visit the FAO employment website: http://www.fao.org/employment/home/en/
Appointment will be subject to certification that the candidate is medically fit for appointment, accreditation, any residency or visa requirements, and security clearances.

HOW TO APPLY

To apply, visit the recruitment website at Jobs at FAO and complete your online profile. We strongly recommend that your profile is accurate, complete and includes your employment records, academic qualifications, and language skills
Candidates are requested to attach a letter of motivation to the online profile
Once your profile is completed, please apply, and submit your application
Candidates may be requested to provide performance assessments and authorization to conduct verification checks of past and present work, character, education, military and police records to ascertain any and all information which may be pertinent to the employment qualifications
Incomplete applications will not be considered
Personal information provided on your application may be shared within FAO and with other companies acting on FAO’s behalf to provide employment support services such as pre-screening of applications, assessment tests, background checks and other related services. You will be asked to provide your consent before submitting your application. You may withdraw consent at any time, by withdrawing your application, in such case FAO will no longer be able to consider your application
Only applications received through the FAO recruitment portal will be considered
Your application will be screened based on the information provided in your online profile
We encourage applicants to submit the application well before the deadline date.

If you need help or have queries, please create a one-time registration with FAO’s client support team for further assistance: https://fao.service-now.com/csp

FAO IS A NON-SMOKING ENVIRONMENT