ICEM Viet Nam is an award-winning, independent technical service centre that supports government, the private sector, and communities to develop and implement policies and actions for sustainable development.
ICEM focuses on climate change, biodiversity conservation, water resources management, strategic environmental assessment, disaster risk reduction, and environmental economics. ICEM’s mission is to advance ecologically sustainable development—improving quality of life now and for future generations while preserving the ecological systems that sustain life.
THE VN-ADAPT PROJECT
Viet Nam Nature-based Solutions for Adaptation in Agriculture through Private Sector Transformation (VN-ADAPT) is a national programme in Viet Nam to be implemented to 2028, with potential to extend to mid-2029. The programme is funded by the International Climate Initiative (IKI) of the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Climate Action, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMUKN). The Project has been approved by the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment (MAE) in January 2026.
VN-ADAPT focuses on two key climate-vulnerable landscapes in Viet Nam – the Central Highlands and Mekong Delta. The project aims to improve institutional capacity and strengthen partnerships to channel private innovation and investment towards accelerated adoption of nature-based solutions in the agriculture sector with a focus on these two regions of Vietnam.
This will be realised through four inter-related work packages, namely:
- Developing a coordination mechanism among relevant stakeholders to promote Nature-based Solutions for adaptation (NbSA) in Agriculture.
- Developing Draft Guidelines on NbSA in Agriculture.
- Promote Innovation of Agricultural Enterprises and Cooperatives and Mobilize Investment in NbSA in Agriculture.
- Communications, Knowledge Management and M&E.
VN-ADAPT is implemented by a consortium of the Netherlands Development Organisation (SNV, as the consortium lead), the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the ICEM Vietnam Company Ltd., with coordination and support from the Agricultural Projects Management Board (APMB) as the Project owner.
Under Work Package 1, the assignment aims to provide the scientific evidence base for natural and ecologically-based land use transitions in response to anticipated changes in climate and their associated impacts on key agroecological systems and agricultural sectors. The improved access to and analysis of downscaled climate information informs multi-stakeholder dialogues, raises awareness of the climate, including gender differentiated risks and vulnerabilities and the opportunities for adopting and scaling nature-based solutions (NbS) in agribusiness value chains and provides a basis for consensusbuilding for the necessary transformations in the two landscapes.
ECOLOGIST/ BIODIVERSITY SPECIALIST – CENTRAL HIGHLANDS
ICEM is now seeking to employ an Ecologist/ Biodiversity Specialist – Central Highlands, national, based in Vietnam for the VN – ADAPT project over the period from November 2026 to September 2027.
The expert will work within a team of specialists, led by the Spatial Planning and Climate Change Specialist/ Team Leader, to undertake the scope of work as described below.
1. General tasks
The assignment includes a baseline assessment of biophysical conditions in the project area, a climate vulnerability assessment and adaptation planning for key agricultural sectors, and development of a network of NbS for priority areas.
a) Baseline assessment
The baseline assessment will document trends, current status and drivers of change for biophysical parameters, such as land use/ land cover, water resources (surface water and groundwater), cropping regimes, agricultural production (main crops, aquaculture), forest and biodiversity status (Activity 1.2). The baseline assessments will mainly use existing datasets supplemented by stakeholder consultations’ feedback and GIS/spatial analysis.
Outputs/ Deliverables: Baseline assessment report for the Central Highlands
b) Climate vulnerability assessment
The climate vulnerability assessment will assess the risks and impacts of hazards and climate change on the main agricultural commodities (rice and shrimp in the Mekong Delta and coffee in the Central Highlands) and the stakeholders affected. Climate Smart Maps (CS Maps) will be updated to identify the production areas and communities most vulnerable to climate change (Activity 1.3). The assessment will apply the methodology stipulated in Circular 01/2022/TT-BTNMT.
Outputs/ Deliverables: Climate Vulnerability and Risk Assessments Report of main agricultural systems in the Central Highlands, including sets of CS Maps
c) Adaptation planning
For the priority areas identified in the vulnerability assessment, detailed adaptation planning will be conducted to support NbSA investment sub-projects of enterprises and cooperatives under Work Package 3, and a network of NbS will be developed to enable the landscape-scale ecologically-based land use transitions (Activity 1.4).
Outputs/ Deliverables: Adaptation Planning Report for prioritised areas in the Central Highlands
2. Specific tasks
The Ecologist/ Biodiversity Specialist – Central Highlands (national) will be responsible for the following tasks:
- Work in coordination with the GIS and Spatial Analysis Specialist to map and delineate environmentally sensitive areas and critical habitats in the Central Highlands (Activity 1.2);
- Identify key issues in, conduct trend analysis on, and update the regional baseline assessment of biodiversity, environmentally sensitive areas, and critical habitats in the Central Highlands using secondary data and literature review (Activity 1.2);
- Conduct an ecological assessment of critical habitats and biodiversity in selected priority areas in the Central Highlands, including impacts of existing land use activities, cropping regimes, agricultural production practices, and climate change on biodiversity. Field surveys are expected (Activity 1.3);
- Analyse required ecological considerations in defining and designing nature-based solutions for adaptation (NbSA) measures and other adaptation measures in selected priority areas in the Central Highlands (Activity 1.4);
- Assess potential effectiveness and impacts of NbSA on the ecology and biodiversity in selected priority areas in the Central Highlands (Activity 1.4).
3. Deliverables and tentative timeline
The outputs of the Ecologist/ Biodiversity Specialist – Central Highlands will be part of the deliverables produced by the team of specialists, both in English and Vietnamese, including:
|
No. |
Output/ deliverable |
Tentative timeline |
|
1 |
Final Baseline Assessment Report of the Mekong Delta (revised based on feedback from the technical departments and related agencies of Ministry of Agriculture and Environment – MAE) |
Within 1 month after receiving comments |
|
2 |
Draft Climate Vulnerability and Risk Assessments Report of main agricultural systems in the Central Highlands, including draft sets of CS Maps |
February 2026 |
|
3 |
Final Climate Vulnerability and Risk Assessments Report of main agricultural systems in the Central Highlands, including final sets of CS Maps (revised based on feedback from the technical departments and related agencies of MAE) |
Within 1 month after receiving comments (tentatively April, 2027) |
|
4 |
Draft Adaptation Planning Report of prioritized areas in the Central Highlands |
August 2027 |
|
5 |
Final Adaptation Planning Report of prioritized areas in the Central Highlands (revised based on feedback from the technical departments and related agencies of MAE) |
Within 1 month after receiving comments (tentatively September, 2027) |
4. Input
The total input of the Ecologist/ Biodiversity Specialist – Central Highlands (national) is 70 person-days (intermittent) from November 2026 to September 2027.
5. Qualifications and Experience
The Ecologist/ Biodiversity Specialist – Mekong Delta should have the following qualifications and experience:
- A post-graduate degree in ecology, conservation biology, biodiversity, agro-ecology, natural resources management, or a related field;
- A minimum of 10 years of professional experience in ecological agriculture, biodiversity conservation, ecosystem-based approach in Vietnam. Experience in the Central Highlands is required;
- A strong knowledge of ecosystem, biodiversity, protected area, key biodiversity area, and ecological conservation issues in the Central Highlands;
- Professional proficiency in written and spoken English is required.
How to apply:
To apply, please send a cover memo and updated CV with contact details of two references to Ms Nguyen Thi Luyen ([email protected]). For more information about ICEM, visit www.icem.com.au.
Applications close on 25 Oct 2026. Only short-listed candidates will be contacted.
ICEM is committed to an inclusive, equitable, and diverse workplace. We encourage applications from women and underrepresented groups, consider all qualified applicants without regard to gender, age, ethnicity, religion, or background, and support flexible, family-friendly work arrangements.
For more information about ICEM, please visit www.icem.com.au