RSD Associate

February 20, 2026

A (least hardship)

FamilyFamily

GS6

General Service

Reason

Regular > Regular Assignment

2026-04-01

RSD Associate

Organizational Setting and Work Relationships
The RSD Associate is a member of the Refugee Status Determination (RSD) team. S/he is responsible for supporting all activities related to the processing of refugee claims in the Operation. The RSD Associate provides counselling to, and responds to queries from, asylum seekers and refugees regarding UNHCR's RSD procedures, their rights and obligations, including towards the host authorities, and the status of the processing of their claims. In discharging these responsibilities, the RSD Associate liaises closely with Registration, Community Services, Resettlement, and other Protection staff. The RSD Associate is responsible for conducting COI and other research related to RSD and maintaining the Operation's local repository of relevant information, guidelines and standards. S/he may also assist in drafting RSD Assessments. The RSD Associate assists in compiling and analysing information related to the RSD activities of the Operation, and in drafting related correspondence and reports. The RSD Associate may provide interpretation and/or translation services in cases for which s/he has the required language competencies.

All UNHCR staff members are accountable to perform their duties as reflected in their job description. They do so within their delegated authorities, in line with the regulatory framework of UNHCR which includes the UN Charter, UN Staff Regulations and Rules, UNHCR Policies and Administrative Instructions as well as relevant accountability frameworks. In addition, staff members are required to discharge their responsibilities in a manner consistent with the core, functional, cross-functional and managerial competencies and UNHCR's core values of professionalism, integrity and respect for diversity.

Duties
- Stay abreast of legal, political, security and other developments which impact on the protection environment, and in particular, on protection delivery through RSD.
- Assist in the development of the RSD strategy of the operation and in the annual planning exercise.
- Provide counselling to, and respond to queries from, asylum seekers and refugees, including in the context of the notification of negative RSD decisions.
- Maintain accurate and up-to date records and data related to all work on individual cases.
- Assist in preventing and identifying fraud in RSD through oversight, advice and guidance to UNHCR staff, partners and persons of concern.
- Systematically apply an age, gender and diversity (AGD) perspective in the performance of assigned functions.
- Conduct research on country of origin information (COI) and other issues related to RSD and maintain the Operation's local repository of relevant information, guidelines and standards accessible to RSD staff in the operation.
- Assist in monitoring RSD trends and in compiling and analysing RSD statistics related to RSD case processing.
- Assist in developing and maintaining processes to ensure that persons of concern, Government authorities and partners have accurate information on the RSD procedures, including UNHCR standards, policies and practice.
- Assist in initiatives to advocate with and support Government authorities and legal partners to establish and strengthen fair and efficient RSD procedures and RSD decision-making.
- Draft correspondence and reports relating to the RSD activities of the Operation.
- Refer individual cases to other functional units in the Operation and/or external partners for appropriate follow-up, in accordance with established criteria.
- Counsel individual asylum-seekers on the reasons for negative RSD decisions, in accordance with the RSD SOPs.

The desired candidate has extensive experience in Refugee Status Determination under UNHCR’s mandate and a strong understanding of international protection standards. The candidate would bring:
- Experience conducting RSD, including interviewing and processing complex and sensitive cases. Experience reviewing RSD Assessments would be an asset.
- Experience developing and delivering training or capacity-building activities for UNHCR staff and, where applicable, government counterparts and partners involved in asylum or refugee protection processes.
- Strong analytical and research skills, including the use of country-of-origin information (COI) and the ability to produce clear written and oral outputs.
- Ability to engage constructively with colleagues, partners, and government counterparts, with sound judgment and discretion.
- Strong organisational skills, with the ability to manage competing priorities in a dynamic operational environment.

Additional Information:

The position requires fluency in English and Malay languages.

Only short-listed candidates will be notified. The recruitment process might include a written test and/or oral interview for this job opening. No late applications will be accepted.

UNHCR does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process (application, interview meeting, processing, training, or any other fees).

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Operational context

Occupational Safety and Health Considerations:

To view occupational safety and health considerations for this duty station: https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel

Nature of Position:

The UNHCR Office in Kuala Lumpur continues to conduct Refugee Status Determination (RSD) under its mandate. In line with the Office’s strategic directions to enhance protection, expand asylum space as well as address protection and solutions needs, the case processing strategy for Registration, RSD, and Durable Solutions is based on prioritization of individuals with emergency and urgent protection needs and vulnerabilities. Within this framework, RSD is applied strategically, primarily to support access to durable solutions, to address serious protection risks, and to uphold the integrity of the asylum process.

 

In parallel, the Office is committed to supporting the Government in establishing a national asylum system that aligns with international protection standards and promotes an inclusive refugee policy. This includes enhancing capacity-sharing initiatives in line with the Government’s vision of a nationally owned Registration and RSD process.

 

The RSD Associate is a member of the Refugee Status Determination (RSD) team. S/he is responsible for supporting all activities related to the processing of refugee claims in the Operation. The RSD Associate provides counselling to, and responds to queries from, asylum seekers and refugees regarding UNHCR's RSD procedures, their rights and obligations, including towards the host authorities, and the status of the processing of their claims. In discharging these responsibilities, the RSD Associate liaises closely with Registration, Community-Based Protection, Resettlement, and other Protection staff.

The RSD Associate is responsible for conducting COI and other research related to RSD and maintaining the Operation's local repository of relevant information, guidelines, and standards. S/he may also conduct RSD interviews and draft RSD assessment,s recommending eligibility for international refugee protection.

The RSD Associate assists in compiling and analysing information related to the RSD activities of the Operation, and in drafting related correspondence and reports. The RSD Associate may provide interpretation and/or translation services in cases for which s/he has the required language competencies. The RSD Associate may support RSD quality assurance in line with applicable guidance and under the supervision of senior staff, and contribute to internal training and capacity-building activities. The RSD Associate may also contribute to capacity-sharing initiatives with government counterparts, including through the development and facilitation of training and learning activities related to RSD, supporting the Government in establishing a national asylum system that aligns with international protection standards and promotes an inclusive refugee policy. 

Living and Working Conditions:

 

Additional Qualifications

Skills

Certifications

Community Development/Social Work - Other, HCR Country of Origin Information Learning Program - UNHCR, HCR RSD Learning Program - UNHCR

Competencies

Accountability, Analytical thinking, Client & results orientation, Commitment to continuous learning, Communication, Judgement & decision making, Organizational awareness, Planning & organizing, Stakeholder management, Teamwork & collaboration

https://icsc.un.org/Home/SalaryScales

Compendium

Additional Information

This position doesn't require a functional clearance