Asociado/a de Apoyo a la Gestión de Proyectos (Proyecto CRIACO)

Overview

The Asociado/a de Apoyo a la Gestión de Proyectos provides substantive support to project coordination, focusing on planning, coordination, and execution of project activities related to drugs, synthetic drugs, new psychoactive substances, chemical precursors, and forensic laboratories.

Key Responsibilities

• Support the Project Coordination in systematizing national and regional counterpart needs regarding documents and work outcomes in areas such as illicit drugs, synthetic drugs, new psychoactive substances, chemical precursors, chemicals of criminal interest, forensic laboratories, and early warning systems.
• Support the collection, validation, systematization, and use of information on illicit drugs, chemical substances, and precursors.
• Support the systematization and organization of work plans, timelines, activity matrices, concept notes, technical terms of reference, and other inputs necessary for activity implementation.
• Support the interdisciplinary team in systematizing and searching for training materials, guides, presentations, practical exercises, and pedagogical tools on natural and synthetic drugs, new psychoactive substances, essential chemicals, chemical precursors, analytical methodologies, biosafety, quality management, and technical information analysis.
• Participate and support the technical team in documenting and implementing training and institutional strengthening processes for forensic laboratories, security forces, customs, prosecutor's offices, judicial bodies, early warning systems, and other competent bodies.
• Provide input from research on methodologies for training activities related to identification, analysis, chemical characterization, profiling, quality control, methodology validation, and safe handling of chemical substances and illicit drugs.
• Support the processing of information collected in the field, workshops, meetings, procedures, training, and other project activities related to illicit manufacturing methods, trafficking, diversion of chemical substances, and drug markets.
• Maintain follow-up and coordination logistics with interdisciplinary counterparts to facilitate the implementation of training activities related to laboratories, chemical analysis, seized substances, chemical precursors, diverted or illicitly manufactured pharmaceutical products, and new psychoactive substances.
• Compile, debug, and systematize information related to illicit drugs, synthetic drugs, new psychoactive substances, chemical precursors, chemicals of criminal interest, illicit manufacturing methods, and drug markets.
• Develop and update matrices, databases, tracking spreadsheets, risk registers reported by the interdisciplinary team, documentary repositories, and other project monitoring tools.
• Contribute to the systematization of reports, statistical analyses, thematic documents, information notes, presentations, meeting minutes, and reports for Project Coordination, donors, counterparts, and institutional partners.
• Follow up on timelines, products, deliverables, and deadlines related to the project's technical activities, alerting promptly about delays, risks, or adjustment needs.
• Ensure that technical documentation generated or collected within the project framework is organized, verifiable, traceable, and accessible for monitoring, reporting, auditing, knowledge management, and decision-making purposes.
• Support the organization of meetings, workshops, training sessions, missions, working groups, and technical assistance activities related to forensic chemistry, chemical precursors, synthetic drugs, NPS, and laboratories.
• Contribute to the preparation of agendas, concept notes, participant lists, meeting inputs, reference documents, training materials, and reports derived from activities.
• Participate in missions, when appropriate, to support the collection and systematization of technical information, as well as articulation with national or regional counterparts.
• Provide input for procurement processes, contracting, or specification of services, supplies, equipment, training activities, or specialized consultancies related to laboratories, chemical analysis, or technical strengthening.
• Manage the organization of technical files, shared drives, and document management systems to ensure real-time monitoring, product traceability, and availability of specialized information.
• Support the organization and logistics of facilitating and delivering training, learning, and technical exchange sessions by the interdisciplinary team on forensic chemistry, toxicology, synthetic drugs, new psychoactive substances, chemical precursors, analytical methodologies, quality management, and forensic laboratories.
• Compile research and technical inputs on trends, illicit manufacturing methods, chemical characterization, emerging substances, precursors, adulterants, cutting agents, diverted or illicitly manufactured pharmaceutical products, and illicit markets.
• Contribute to the preparation of publications, documents, fact sheets, studies, thematic reports, executive summaries, and project knowledge products.
• Participate, when required, in information networks, meetings, forums, panels, communities of practice, and national, regional, or international spaces related to illicit drugs, chemical substances, forensic laboratories, and organized crime.
• Identify, document, and share best practices, lessons learned, and technical recommendations derived from the implementation of project activities.

Required Experience

• Required: Support experience in projects related to forensic chemistry, analytical chemistry, toxicology, analysis of substances of forensic interest, illicit drugs, synthetic drugs, new psychoactive substances, chemical precursors, or related areas. Experience in compiling/systematizing reports, data, specialized documents, studies, or knowledge products related to illicit drugs, chemical precursors, or substances of forensic interest. Experience in supporting training activities, institutional strengthening, knowledge transfer, or development of pedagogical tools in chemistry, toxicology, drugs, precursors, or laboratories. Experience in using collaboration and productivity tools, including Microsoft Office, Google Workspace, or other equivalent tools, as well as web-based management systems.
• Desirable: Experience in knowledge or support of technical direction, coordination, or supervision of chemical, toxicological, forensic, or seized substance analysis laboratories. Experience in projects for the development, validation, implementation, or control of analytical methodologies applied to illicit drugs, psychotropic substances, synthetic drugs, chemical precursors, toxicology, or legal chemistry. Collaboration experience in instrumental technical areas such as FTIR, UV, GC-FID, GC-MS, LC-MS/MS, HPLC, or other analytical techniques applied to substances of forensic interest. Experience in implementing, evaluating, or auditing quality management systems in laboratories, including ISO 9001, ISO/IEC 17025, or other relevant standards. Experience in developing or participating in studies, research, or publications related to drug market dynamics, illicit manufacturing, chemical characterization, cutting agents, toxicology, drugs of abuse, or statistical analysis of forensic information. Work experience with law enforcement agencies, forensic laboratories, public prosecutor's offices, judicial bodies, control bodies, regulatory authorities, or international organizations. Experience in coordinating technical teams, project management, inter-institutional articulation, participation in technical networks, forums, or national, regional, or international meetings. Knowledge of the applicable national and international institutional and legal framework for drug control, chemical precursors, controlled chemical substances, forensic laboratories, and seized substance management.

Qualifications

• Required: Secondary education with 6 years of relevant experience OR a university degree or equivalent in Chemistry, Chemical Sciences, Biochemistry, Pharmacy, Toxicology, Forensic Sciences, Forensic Chemistry, or related fields, with at least two years of relevant experience.
• Desirable: Postgraduate studies, specialization, master's degree, diploma, or advanced training in toxicology, forensic chemistry, analytical chemistry, forensic sciences, scientific research methodology, psychopharmacology, quality management, validation of analytical methodologies, or related fields. Training or certification in quality management systems, ISO standards applicable to laboratories, validation of analytical methodologies, chromatography, mass spectrometry, or other chemical analysis instrumental techniques.

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