The United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) is hiring a Fishery Officer (Climate Change) for its Fisheries and Aquaculture Division at headquarters in Rome, Italy. It is a rare, fully international fisheries-science post — a P-2 professional role working on climate resilience across marine and inland fisheries and aquaculture — and applications close on 13 November 2026. If you hold a Master’s in fisheries science or a related field and have at least three years of relevant experience, this is one of the strongest UN fisheries openings of the year.
The vacancy (Job ID 2602202, Post Number 0114219) was posted on 23 October 2026, and FAO’s own LinkedIn update of 7 November 2026 confirms it is still open, with the closure date listed as 13 November 2026. Because the window is short — five days from today — candidates should apply through the Jobs at FAO portal well before the deadline rather than waiting for the final day.
The Vacancy at a Glance
| Item | Detail (verified 8 November 2026) |
|---|---|
| Employer | Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) |
| Post | Fishery Officer (Climate Change) |
| Grade | P-2 (Professional) |
| Job ID / Post No. | 2602202 / 0114219 |
| Division | Fisheries and Aquaculture Division (NFI), Global Processes and Institutions Team (NFIPI) |
| Location | FAO headquarters, Rome, Italy |
| Duration | Fixed-term: two years, with possibility of extension |
| Posted | 23 October 2026 |
| Application deadline | 13 November 2026 |
| How to apply | Online only, through the Jobs at FAO recruitment portal |
What the Job Actually Involves
The post sits in the Global Processes and Institutions Team (NFIPI) of FAO’s Fisheries and Aquaculture Division, reporting to the Fishery Resources Officer who coordinates climate-change work across the Division. The core brief is to strengthen the climate resilience of the fisheries and aquaculture sector — integrating climate considerations into fisheries and aquaculture management, policy, programmes and projects at global, regional and national levels.
Day-to-day work spans technical assistance, policy analysis, knowledge products, project implementation and capacity development, drawing on an understanding of how climate change affects marine and inland fisheries, aquaculture and aquatic food systems — and the social, economic and environmental dimensions that come with those impacts.
Specific duties listed in the vacancy include:
- Supporting FAO’s contribution to implementing the FAO Strategy on Climate Change.
- Following up Committee on Fisheries (COFI) requests on climate change, including tools and guidance on adaptation and mitigation.
- Helping prepare FAO’s contribution to global climate events, in particular under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change — Conferences of the Parties (COP), the Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice, and the Ocean Dialogue.
- Assisting resource-mobilisation work by developing climate-change knowledge products for donors.
- Supporting fisheries and aquaculture field projects on climate change, including workshops, reporting and concept notes.
- Coordinating the NFI Working Group on climate change and maintaining the Division’s inventory of climate-change projects and publications.
This is not a field posting or a sea-going role. It is a headquarters policy-and-technical job at the centre of global fisheries governance — the kind of post where the work feeds directly into COFI decisions and UN climate negotiations. For a fisheries graduate who wants their science to shape international policy, there are few better entry points into the UN system.
Who Can Apply: Eligibility
| Requirement | What FAO asks for |
|---|---|
| Education | Advanced university degree (Master’s or equivalent) in biology, fishery science, marine ecology, economics, fisheries economics, fisheries management, ocean governance or another related field |
| Experience | Minimum 3 years of relevant experience in fishery and/or aquaculture research, science, management, trade, statistics and data, ocean governance or a related field |
| Languages | Working knowledge (proficiency — level C) of English AND intermediate knowledge (level B) of another FAO official language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) |
| Desirable | Work experience in more than one location or area of work, particularly field positions; experience in an international context; experience collecting and analysing technical information and data |
| Qualifications | Degrees must be from an institution accredited or recognised in the World Higher Education Database (WHED) |
Note the language bar carefully: English alone is not enough. You need intermediate proficiency in a second FAO official language as well — French or Spanish are the most common choices for Indian applicants, and FAO assesses this as part of the process. The three-year experience minimum is also a hard floor, not a preference; the vacancy lists it under minimum requirements.
FAO states explicitly that it encourages applications from qualified female candidates, nationals of non- and under-represented member countries, and persons with disabilities. Indian nationals are eligible — the vacancy carries no nationality restriction.
Pay and Benefits: What FAO Offers
The vacancy notice does not state a salary figure, and FAO salaries for professional posts are set under the UN common system rather than advertised per vacancy — so treat any salary number you see on aggregator sites with caution. What the official notice does confirm is a competitive compensation and benefits package, including:
- Dependency allowances, rental subsidy and an education grant for children, subject to eligibility.
- Home-leave travel.
- 30 working days of annual leave per year.
- Pension entitlements under the UN Joint Staff Pension Fund.
- International health insurance, with optional life insurance and disability protection.
- Family-friendly policies and flexible working arrangements.
Appointment is subject to medical fitness, accreditation, residency or visa requirements and security clearances. Extension of the fixed-term appointment depends on certification of performance and availability of funds, and FAO reserves the right not to make an appointment.
Why This Role Matters Right Now
Climate change is now the single biggest cross-cutting pressure on world fisheries. Warming waters are shifting fish distributions, ocean acidification and deoxygenation are stressing stocks and farms, and extreme weather is hitting fishing communities that are among the least equipped to adapt. FAO’s own State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture 2026 put global fisheries and aquaculture output at 235 million tonnes — a sector of that scale cannot be governed without climate expertise baked into every decision.
That is the context for this hire. The officer’s work — from COFI follow-up to the UNFCCC Ocean Dialogue — is where fisheries science meets climate diplomacy. It is also a career springboard: a P-2 post at FAO headquarters is a recognised entry route into the UN professional system, and the role’s international exposure, across member governments, regional bodies and UN processes, is exactly what later P-3 and P-4 fisheries posts ask for.
How to Apply: Step by Step
- Open the official vacancy. Go to the Jobs at FAO portal and search for Job ID 2602202 (“Fishery Officer (Climate Change)”). The direct listing is at jobs.fao.org — Job 2602202.
- Complete your online profile. FAO screens applications on the profile itself, so make it accurate and complete: employment records, academic qualifications and language skills. Incomplete applications are not considered.
- Attach a letter of motivation. FAO requests this with the online profile. Tailor it to climate resilience in fisheries and aquaculture, and cite concrete work — stock or aquaculture projects, policy analysis, data work — rather than generic enthusiasm.
- Check your degree’s recognition. FAO only considers higher-education qualifications from institutions in the World Higher Education Database (WHED). Verify your university is listed before you apply.
- Submit well before 13 November 2026. Only applications received through the FAO recruitment portal are considered. FAO itself advises applying well before the deadline date.
Do not apply by email or through any third-party site — the vacancy states plainly that only applications through the FAO portal count. If you need help with the portal, FAO’s client support team handles queries through a one-time registration at fao.service-now.com/csp.
Other FAO Fisheries Roles Open Now
This is not the only fisheries vacancy at FAO this month. FAO’s LinkedIn update of 7 November 2026 lists several more open roles in fisheries and aquaculture, including a Fishery Officer (Data Coordination) in Rome and a Fishing Technology and Operations Specialist — all advertised through the same Jobs at FAO portal. If the climate-change post is not the right fit, search the portal for “fishery” and filter by the Fisheries and Aquaculture Division; several close between 9 and 20 November 2026, so the same urgency applies.
For readers tracking international fisheries careers more broadly, two recent openings on this site are worth comparing: GIZ Liberia’s Technical Adviser for fisheries management and policy, closing 15 November 2026, and the Falkland Islands Government’s PhD-level Fisheries Scientist post for Patagonian toothfish, also closing 13 November. FAO’s Rome post is the most policy-facing of the three — and the only one inside the UN system.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this a permanent UN job?
No. It is a fixed-term staff position of two years, with the possibility of extension based on performance and funding. That is standard for FAO professional posts.
Can Indian nationals apply?
Yes. The vacancy carries no nationality restriction, and FAO actively encourages applications from nationals of non- and under-represented member countries.
Is a PhD required?
No — a Master’s degree (or equivalent) in a relevant field is the minimum. A PhD is not listed as a requirement, though relevant research experience counts toward the three-year minimum.
Do I need a second language?
Yes. Besides proficient English (level C), you need intermediate knowledge (level B) of another FAO official language — Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish.
What is the last date to apply?
13 November 2026, as listed on the official vacancy (Job ID 2602202) and confirmed in FAO’s LinkedIn update of 7 November 2026. Confirm the deadline on the Jobs at FAO portal on the day you apply, as listings can change.
Last updated: 8 November 2026. Deadline and requirements verified against the official FAO vacancy (Job ID 2602202) and FAO’s LinkedIn update of 7 November 2026. Salary is not stated in the official listing; no figure is given here. FAO has also recently adopted fish welfare rules for Mediterranean farms through the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean — a sign of how fast the governance landscape this post works in is moving.