The International Water Management Institute (IWMI), a CGIAR Research Center is seeking an innovative & multi skilled candidate to join its proposed office in Chakwal, Pakistan, as a Senior Researcher Officer – Water Management.

This successful candidate will initially be based in Lahore but will be relocated to Chakwal** once the proposed office has been established.

The Senior Research Officer – Water Management will be responsible for carrying out water management studies for monitoring, managing, and protecting water and water resources in different hydrological and environmental settings. The incumbent will develop, calibrate, and validate models, including sensitivity analysis, and document various modeling applications at different spatial scales under the FCDO funded Water Resources Accountability Programme (WRAP).

The successful candidate will contribute to the research activities, including literature reviews, field data collection, analytical work, policy analysis, and coordination with stakeholders and project partners in the water and climate sectors. The candidate will also be responsible for organizing project-related events, workshops, training, and fieldwork involving various stakeholders. Additionally, the candidate will contribute to writing donor reports and research publications.

DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Assist in collecting hydrological and hydrogeological variables from national and international data archives.
• Work with specifically designed computer modeling packages to assess the most effective methods of managing available water in a river basin.
• Process meteorological, snow, and hydrologic data to analyze changes in water flows resulting from changes in land use, environmental factors, and crop irrigation.
• Pre-process primary data in different image processing software to calculate and audit the water resources system.
• Assist in parameterizing hydrological models to enable the development of flood forecasting and drought management strategies.
• Assist in calibrating and validating various hydrological models for different land use and climate change scenarios.
• Analyze collected datasets to compute changes in water storage on different spatiotemporal bases.
• Assist in deploying instrumentation, field observations, and measurements analysis related to soil water and carbon components to provide valuable insights for decision-making processes.
• Assist in the development of data and methodologies to map basin-wide water productivity assessments across different agroecological zones within designated study areas.
• Assess the relationship between rainfall, runoff, soil, and plants to map systematic changes in water demand and supply, considering climate shifts from catchment to basin scale.
• Assist in determining the amount of water that can be allocated for domestic, agricultural, industrial, and environmental purposes to sustain the ecosystem.
• Be part of the research team during fieldwork, participating in interdisciplinary research activities, including data collection, processing, and analysis, focusing on thematic issues such as policy, institutions, water governance, and water management.
• Coordinate with stakeholders and project partners in the water and climate sectors to gather insights, exchange knowledge, and foster collaboration.
• Organize project-related events, workshops, training sessions, and fieldwork involving various stakeholders to promote capacity building and knowledge sharing.
• Assist in preparing high-quality project reports and communication materials according to project timelines.
• Perform other related duties as determined by the project leader.

Requirements

EDUCATIONAL QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE:

Essential,

• Master’s degree in water management, hydrology, meteorology, hydrometeorology, environmental sciences, agricultural engineering, or closely related fields.
• Minimum of 07 years of experience working on the development of hydrological models and relevant experience in water management, such as conducting water budgets in the Indus or a similar basin.
• Demonstrated experience in conducting water management studies, including modeling, analysis, and publications in well-reputed international journals.
• Proven experience in utilizing advanced spatial analysis and Geographic Information Systems tools, as well as hydrological modeling approaches, for multiple scale assessments.

Desirable,

• Prior experience working with international organizations.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS & ABILITIES:

Essential,

• Excellent communication skills with the ability to explain development challenges and complex interdisciplinary water, environment, and climate sectors.
• Considerable depth of scientific knowledge and specialized expertise in water resources management working with the farming communities in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP).
• Good knowledge of instrumentation techniques and data logging systems for handling large datasets collected from field instruments.
• Independent and critical scientific thinking, including a solid understanding of the strengths and limitations of spatial tools for water resource assessments at various scales.
• Excellent spatial analysis skills using market-leading software such as ArcGIS, and statistical analysis software, including the ability to develop Python scripts.
• Experience in project coordination, event organization, as well as community and stakeholder engagement for donor-funded projects.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with individuals in a multicultural and multidisciplinary environment, with sensitivity and respect for diversity.
• Persuasive written and oral communication skills in English, including report development, writing, and editing, as well as strong presentation skills when addressing diverse audiences.

Desirable,

• Proficiency in Urdu and Punjabi language is advantageous.

Benefits

This is a nationally recruited position and only Pakistani nationals will be considered. IWMI offers a competitive salary and benefits package, inclusive of health insurance, life insurance, accidental death and dismemberment (AD&D) insurance, and long-term disability coverage. The duration of the contract will initially be for a period of three years with the possibility of extension.

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

**Note: The selected candidate will initially be based in the IWMI Lahore office for the first two months to undergo orientation, training, and familiarization with organizational procedures and project objectives. Subsequently, the candidate will be relocated to the IWMI field office location in Chakwal as the permanent duty station to carry out effective implementation of project activities. This transition aims to ensure seamless integration into project operations and facilitate direct engagement with stakeholders and project partners in the designated project area.

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.