Geospatial Standardization Specialist

Spektrum supports apex purchasers (NATO, UN, EU, and National Government and Defence) and their Tier 1 supplier ecosystem with a wide range of specialist services. We provide our clients with professional services, specialised aerospace and defence sales, delivery, and operational subject matter expertise. We are looking for personnel to join our team and support key client projects.

Who we are supporting 

The NATO Communication and Information Agency (NCIA) is responsible for providing secure and effective communications and information technology (IT) services to NATO's member countries and its partners. The agency was established in 2012 and is headquartered in Brussels, Belgium.

The NCIA provides a wide range of services, including:

• Cyber Security: The NCIA provides advanced cybersecurity solutions to protect NATO's communication networks and information systems against cyber threats.
• Command and Control Systems: The NCIA develops and maintains the systems used by NATO's military commanders to plan and execute operations.
• Satellite Communications: The NCIA provides satellite communications services to enable secure and reliable communications between NATO forces.
• Electronic Warfare: The NCIA provides electronic warfare services to support NATO's mission to detect, deny, and defeat threats to its communication networks.
• Information Management: The NCIA manages NATO's information technology infrastructure, including its databases, applications, and servers.

Overall, the NCIA plays a critical role in ensuring the security and effectiveness of NATO's communication and information technology capabilities.

The program

Assistance and Advisory Service (AAS)

The NATO Communications and Information Agency (NCI Agency) is NATO’s principal C3 capability deliverer and CIS service provider. It provides, maintains and defends the NATO enterprise-wide information technology infrastructure to enable Allies to consult together under Article IV, and, when required, stand together in the face of attack under Article V.

To provide these critical services, in the modern evolving dynamic environment the NCI Agency needs to build and maintain high performance-engaged workforce. The NCI Agency workforce strategically consists of three major categorise's: NATO International Civilians (NIC)'s, Military (Mil), and Interim Workforce Consultants (IWC)'s. The IWCs are a critical part of the overall NCI Agency workforce and make up approximately 15 percent of the total workforce.

Role ID – 2025-0139

Role Background

Numerous activities in the geospatial domain deal with standardisation (elaboration and reviews of Standardizaton Agreements - STANAG, Federated Mission Networking - FMN, NATO Interoperability Standards and Profiles -NISP etc.) Geospatial standardization activities play a crucial role in supporting NATO interoperability by ensuring that NATO Command Structure (NCS) and NATO Nations can effectively share and make the most of the geospatial information (GI). Geospatial standardization activities enhance NATO's ability to operate as a cohesive and effective Alliance, improving coordination, communication, and operational efficiency.

This request for support is part of a multi-year activity providing continuity in the area of geospatial standardisation. The NATO Allied Command Transformation (ACT) requires technical SME support, especially in the context of the Joint Geospatial Standards Working Group (JGSWG) and the FMN GeoMetoc syndicate activities, to contribute and harmonize geospatial standardisation work and to ensure that NATO-owned geospatial capabilities and geo-related standards are coherent and aligned with future operational needs and NATO Digital Transformation.

Role Duties and Responsibilities

• FMN and GeoMetoc syndicate: Provide technical expertise to the FMN GeoMetOc syndicate leader to ensure that FMN spiral instructions for Geospatial Information are in line with current and future GIS capabilities in NATO. Contribute to the improvement. and evolution of the FMN roadmap and the Procedures and Service Instructions (PI & SI) for Geospatial Information with a specific focus on the implementation of Data Centric Security principles. Track progress and gaps (PI & SI) regarding Federated Geospatial capabilities for currents ongoing spirals and contribute to future spirals specifications, in close coordination with the NCIA supporting activities to geospatial capability development, to capture standardisation and interoperability results into Geospatial capabilities.
• GeoPackage as a NATO Standard (6563): Standardization of the GeoPackage is planned by the JGSWG as a multi-year activity. A Standardization Proposal (SP) for the GeoPackage Standard has been submitted to the NSO in 2023. The SP builds on an existing GeoPackage Profile (DGIWG), the ACT/NCIA GeoPackage Study, and specific operational requirements provided by the NCS. The objective of this task is to provide technical subject matter expertise to the ACT Geospatial Officer to respond to questions raised by the JGSWG for the standardization of the GeoPackage technology, and to respond to technical questions raised in the context of the GeoPackage Standardization Proposal and the clarification of NCS requirements. This task also covers supporting the Custodian Team and ensure that the NCS / Core GIS requirements are represented in the standardization activities.
• NATO Geospatial Standards Architecture (NGSA): Participate as a member in the Custodian Team for the management level document NATO Geospatial Standards Architecture (NGSA) to establish a backbone of all geospatial STANAGS to improve the coherence of current standards and provide better guidance for the development of new ones.
• STANAGs (2586, 2592 and 6523): Provide technical subject matter expertise to the JGSWG for the reviews of STANAGS 2586, 2592 and 6523. Limited support to the Custodian Teams, mainly through documents review, to ensure that the NCS / Core GIS & GECS requirements are represented in the standardization activities.

Essential Skills and Experience

• Minimum 5 years of proven experience in the field of geospatial standardisation;
• Experience of working within NATO and/or National geospatial standardisation;
• Experience of working with geospatial processes and procedures in the NATO Command Structure.

Professional Qualifications

• Must have excellent spoken and written English communication and presentation skills, as demonstrated by recent experience (within the past 5 years);
• Must demonstrate the ability and self-motivation to work on his/her own but must also work well within groups as part of a team;
• Must demonstrate an ability and keen sense for problem-solving.
• Motivated, good communication skills, team player.
• Able to work independently with minimal supervision.

Desirable Skills and Experience

• Working experience with NATO Standardization bodies, such as JGSWG, and the standardization process in NATO
• Knowledge of OGC GeoPackage Encoding Standard, and related OGC Standards such as WMS, WMTS, WFS, WPS
• Proven experience in scientific writing and the creation of large scientific reports and documents.
• Working experience with the creation/review of NATO STANAGs.

Working Location

• Remote

Working Policy

• Off-Site

Travel

• Some travel to other NATO sites may be required

Security Clearance

• Valid National or NATO Secret personal security clearance