The International Water Management Institute (IWMI), a CGIAR Research Center is seeking a dynamic and innovative researcher to join its office in Lahore, Pakistan, as a Senior Regional Researcher - Water Systems Modelling.

This is a regionally recruited position; therefore, individuals with relevant abilities, from diverse locations in the Asian region are encouraged to apply.

The incumbent will be responsible for spearheading the design and implementation of research initiatives, analyzing data, and providing insights into sustainable water utilization practices, particularly focusing on Water System Modeling under FCDO’s funded Water Resources Accountability Programme (WRAP): Component 1 (Climate Resilient Solutions for Improving Water Governance (CRS-IWaG)) in Punjab and KP provinces.

The researcher will lead and work on various initiatives related to water budgeting, remote sensing applications, hydrological modeling, and water usage assessment within the regional framework. The person will contribute to the development of strategies, policies, and technologies aimed at optimizing water usage, enhancing agricultural water productivity, and ensuring environmental sustainability. The incumbent will be an integral part of a multidisciplinary team to successfully work with IWMI staff, consultants, partner organizations, and high-level government representatives with a focus on delivering actionable recommendations to improve the performance of key water institutions.

DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Lead the conceptualization and execution of development projects aimed at advancing sustainable water management practices, with a specific focus on water system modeling.
• Develop and implement hydrological modeling and water budgeting strategies at both basin and sub-basin levels for optimizing water resources to support the implementation of Punjab Water Act 2019.
• Drive the development and validation of remote sensing-based modeling of crop water demand and utilization outputs for different land surface settings at various spatial and temporal scales.
• Develop methodologies to map basin-wide water usage assessments across different agroecological zones within designated study areas to support the implementation of the KP Water Act 2020 and the Punjab Water Act 2019.
• Act as a Team Lead for Punjab for coordination of all technical activities undertaken and report to the Team Leader and Deputy Team Leader of the WRAP project.
• Oversee the production of water accounts and generate water budget reports to facilitate the formulation of water allocation plans for diverse sectors such as agriculture, industry, domestic use, and ecosystem services.
• Collaborate with government stakeholders to calibrate and validate various water budgeting frameworks and hydrological model outputs under varying land use and climate conditions.
• Lead in the deployment of state-of-the-art soil and water equipment to evaluate the impact of agricultural and water management practices on water, energy, and carbon cycles.
• Develop protocols for efficient data collection from field observations, measurements, and instrumentation to assess surface, groundwater, and environmental impacts on water management practices in the context of the WEFE nexus.
• Lead stakeholder engagements with relevant government departments and partners, promoting strategies, policies, and technological solutions aimed at optimizing water usage and improving agricultural water productivity.
• Facilitate knowledge exchange and capacity-building initiatives with policymakers, government agencies, and non-governmental organizations on best practices for water modeling, irrigation efficiency, and integrated water resource management.
• Support the management of other pertinent initiatives and projects under the One CG framework, as directed by the IWMI Country Representative.
• Collaborate closely with multidisciplinary teams comprising IWMI staff, consultants, partner organizations, and government representatives to deliver actionable recommendations for enhancing the performance of key water institutions.

Requirements

EDUCATIONAL QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE:

Essential,

• A PhD in hydrology, water resources engineering, agricultural engineering, or a closely related field coupled with a minimum of 04 years of relevant post-doctoral experience, OR; Master’s degree in aforementioned fields, or a closely related field, coupled with a minimum of 09 years of relevant experience.
• Experience working on research and development donor-funded projects that promote, plan, design, and implement water system modeling in the context of Water, Energy, Food Ecosystem (WEFE).
• Experience in organizing, developing, and delivering capacity-building workshops and training programs for diverse participants.
• Experience managing and navigating partner and stakeholder relationships with governmental, private sector, and community counterparts.

Desirable,

• Prior experience working with leading international development organizations.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS & ABILITIES:

Essential,

• Excellent spatial analysis skills using market-leading software such as ArcGIS, and statistical analysis software, including the ability to develop Python scripts.
• Strong expertise in developing spatial hydrological models across different river basins, complemented by proficiency in remote sensing and GIS tools.
• Proficiency in using a diverse set of hydrologic, water balance, and water allocation modeling tools at varying spatio-temporal scales.
• Excellent ability to interpret, summarize, synthesize, present, and utilize outputs of water system models to support planning and/or inform decision-making processes at the irrigation system and basin scale.
• Possesses strong analytical and numerical skills to process large datasets for modeling water systems and communicate the relevance of analyses to various audiences and stakeholders.
• Strong expertise in water budgeting assessment and the ability to engage effectively with diverse stakeholders, including government agencies, policymakers, and non-governmental organizations.
• Good understanding of instrumentation techniques, knowledge of data logging systems, and proficiency in handling large datasets collected from field instruments.
• Good management and leadership skills along with personal attributes, including high standards of conduct, respect, flexibility, diplomacy, and sound work ethics.
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to multitask effectively, prioritize work, manage time, and adapt to new procedures quickly.
• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with coworkers, managers, project partners, focal points, community members, and other stakeholders.
• Persuasive written and oral communication skills in English, including report development, writing, editing, and strong presentation skills for addressing diverse audiences.

Desirable,

• Experience in mentoring early career researchers.
• Proficiency in Urdu and Punjabi language is advantageous.

Benefits

This is a regionally recruited position with a competitive salary, an attractive retirement plan, comprehensive international health insurance, life insurance accidental death and dismemberment (AD&D) insurance, and long-term disability coverage. Regionally recruited staff who are employed at a duty station outside of their home base/country of nationality will also receive relocation assistance, a housing allowance, home-leave plane tickets for self and eligible dependents and education assistance for eligible dependents. The duration of the contract will initially be for a period of three years.

IWMI strongly values diversity; therefore, qualified women are highly encouraged to apply.

HOW TO APPLY: Apply for the position by following the application instructions at www.iwmi.org/jobs. We will be accepting applications through 24:00 (IST) on July 16, 2024 (applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis). Your application must include a CV, cover letter, and three (3) references, which may be contacted if you are shortlisted. Receipt of all applications will be acknowledged, but only short-listed candidates will be contacted.

IWMI believes that diversity powers our innovation, contributes to our excellence, and is critical for our mission. We offer a multi-cultural, multi-color, multi-generational and multi-disciplinary working environment. We are consciously creating an inclusive organization that reflects our global character and our commitment to gender equity. We, therefore, encourage applicants from all cultures, races, ethnicities, religions, sexes, national or regional origins, ages, disability status, sexual orientations, and gender identities.