Are you a climate or disaster risk professional looking for a unique opportunity to elevate your career and make a meaningful impact? The World Bank Group has just announced the Disaster & Climate Risk Data Fellowship 2026, a prestigious and time-sensitive fellowship designed for experts from vulnerable countries to work directly with the World Bank and GFDRR on climate and disaster risk data projects. This is your final call to secure your spot in this impactful program, hurry, the deadline ends soon.
The Risk Data Fellows program is a highly selective, six-month work placement designed to empower climate and disaster risk professionals including data scientists, geospatial analysts, and similar experts from selected fragile, conflict, and violence-affected (FCV) countries. The fellowship offers a rare opportunity to collaborate with World Bank Operations teams, gain access to cutting-edge tools, methodologies, and datasets, and translate climate risk knowledge into actionable insights for vulnerable communities. Supported by the Swiss Re Foundation and executed by the Digital Earth team at the Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery (GFDRR), this fellowship bridges the critical knowledge gap in disaster and climate risk by building local capacity in risk data generation, analysis, and communication. This second cohort targets professionals from the following FCV countries across Africa, Europe, and the Middle East:
Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Chad, Comoros, Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Guinea-Bissau, Iraq, Kosovo, Lebanon, Mali, Mozambique, Niger, Nigeria, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syrian Arab Republic, São Tomé and Príncipe, Republic of Zimbabwe.
The fellowship will run for 75 days total, spread between November 2025 and April 2026. This flexible duration allows fellows to contribute meaningfully while balancing other commitments. Although specific stipend details are not publicly disclosed, fellowships of this nature typically offer a competitive remuneration package to support living and professional expenses during the placement period. This is an instant chance to gain unparalleled experience while earning from your expertise.
This program is not just a fellowship; it’s a fast-track to becoming a leading climate and disaster risk professional in your country and beyond. Here’s what you gain:
Access to World Bank data, tools, and global risk models.
Hands-on experience applying geo-spatial and data science technologies to real-world problems.
Educational Background: Hold a Master’s or Ph.D. degree in climate change, disaster risk management, geo-spatial technologies, computer science, civil engineering, risk modeling, or other relevant fields. Current graduate students at the M.A. or Ph.D. level are also eligible to apply.
Technical Expertise: Demonstrated experience working with digital technologies applied to disaster risk management, including digital platforms, data handling, models, and standards.
Data Science or Geo-spatial Skills: Proven knowledge and hands-on skills in data science or geo-spatial analytics, with the ability to manipulate and interpret complex datasets.
Research & Policy Relevance: Capacity to conduct independent, policy-relevant research, translate theoretical knowledge into practical applications, and propose solutions to challenges related to climate change and disaster risk.
Self-Motivation & Multi-tasking: Ability to work independently with minimal supervision, multi-task efficiently, and persevere towards results under tight deadlines.
Communication Skills: Strong writing and advocacy skills to clearly and concisely communicate complex ideas to diverse audiences, including via social media and professional channels.
Interpersonal Abilities: Proven capacity to work effectively in multicultural teams and intercultural environments.
Language Proficiency: Fluency in English, with the ability to thrive in diverse cultural settings. If you tick all these boxes, act fast and don’t miss this urgent opportunity to boost your career and contribute to global resilience efforts.
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