UNIDO Seeks an Associate Industrial Research Expert for 2026 with Annual Salary of USD 85,227. Apply Now
The United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) — the UN’s specialized agency tasked with promoting inclusive and sustainable industrial development — has announced a vacancy for the position of Associate Industrial Research Expert at its headquarters in Vienna, Austria. The post is a full-time, fixed-term appointment with an indicative minimum net annual salary of USD 85,227. The application deadline is 12 December 2025.
This role is project-funded and tied specifically to the organization’s ongoing efforts to restore and transform industrial capacity in conflict-affected regions — reflecting UNIDO’s mission to foster sustainable, resilient, and inclusive industrial growth worldwide.
UNIDO Seeks an Associate Industrial Research Expert for 2026 with Annual Salary of USD 85,227. Apply Now
Context: UNIDO’s Mandate and the Project
UNIDO’s mandate focuses on industrialization for poverty reduction, inclusive globalization, and environmental sustainability. It supports the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 9, which emphasizes building resilient infrastructure, promoting inclusive and sustainable industrialization, and fostering innovation.
As UNIDO transitions into its 2026–2029 Medium-Term Programme Framework, priorities expand to include clean and renewable energy, climate action, circular economy practices, value addition in supply chains, technological innovation, digitalization, and sustainable industrialization across developing countries.
The current job opening is within the Division of Industrial Policy Research and Statistics (SPP/IPS), which handles UNIDO’s global research, statistics, and policy advisory work on industrial development. The division produces key publications, gathers industrial statistics worldwide, and supports policy advice for member states.
Specifically, the new role is part of the “Green Industrial Recovery Project for Ukraine through Technology Transfer and the Co-creation of New Businesses with Japan’s Private Industries.” Through this project, UNIDO aims to facilitate technology transfer, spur new business creation, and support post-conflict industrial recovery via collaboration between Japanese private industries and Ukrainian partners. The project covers sectors including agri-business, circular economy, ICT, energy, hydrogen, SME productivity, assistive equipment, and telemedicine.
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Responsibilities of the Associate Industrial Research Expert
The successful candidate will play a lead role in the research and policy analysis component of the project. Key responsibilities include:
- Producing a comprehensive research report analyzing factors that enable or hinder technology transfer, learning from Japanese industry experiences, and drawing policy implications for Ukraine.
- Developing three policy briefs that distill lessons from the Japanese model, focusing on enabling environments, innovation ecosystems, technology adoption, business creation, and sustainable recovery.
- Formulating and executing the research framework: reviewing theories and past cases, establishing benchmarks for success, and assessing demonstration project progress.
- Preparing inputs such as consultant terms of reference, training arrangements, and equipment specifications, and monitoring implementation both at headquarters and on-site missions.
- Reporting best practices and recommending strategies for scaling up beyond the demonstration phase in economically viable and sustainable ways.
- Supporting communication, advocacy, fund mobilization, global outreach, and dissemination through publications and forums.
- Contributing to ongoing Division work: conducting industrial development research, authoring technical papers, supporting the production of the Industrial Development Report, collecting firm-level data, and strengthening international research networks.
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Who Should Apply
Candidates must hold an advanced university degree (master’s or equivalent) in engineering, sciences, economics, business administration, international relations, or a related discipline, preferably with specialization in economic development, industrial policy, or innovation.
Applicants should have at least three years of relevant professional experience, ideally at the international level, involving research in developing countries. Experience working with cross-country datasets, firm-level industrial statistics, and technology-oriented research is highly desired. Prior experience leading research projects is a plus.
Fluency in English is required, and proficiency in other UN official languages or Ukrainian/Japanese is an asset. Candidates must embrace UNIDO’s core values — integrity, professionalism, and respect for diversity — and demonstrate competencies in collaboration, communication, innovation, and responsibility.
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Why This Role Matters
This position comes at a critical time, with global attention on rebuilding war-torn regions and transitioning toward greener, resilient industrial futures. The Green Industrial Recovery Project exemplifies how international cooperation and private-sector engagement can shape sustainable recovery.
For researchers, economists, or development professionals passionate about industrial policy, sustainability, innovation, and post-crisis recovery, this role offers a unique opportunity to influence industrial development and global policy while contributing to tangible, real-world interventions.
