National Researcher

The National Researcher – Hydrologist will be responsible for conducting a variety of surface and groundwater hydrological modeling and studying extreme events such as floods and droughts in the irrigated Indus Basin of Pakistan under the FCDO-funded Water Resources Accountability Programme (WRAP) .

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

Duties:

• Conduct relevant research and provide expertise in hydrological modeling to national programs in the assessment of climate, surface water, and groundwater resources and their efficient use.
• Pre/post-process the primary data in different image processing software (QGIS, GDAL) and analyze the datasets for watershed characteristics.
• Demonstrate excellent command in carrying out data review, planning regional investigations, and interpretation of aquifer parameters from aquifer tests, use of Geographic Information System (GIS) applications to develop and review model inputs and outputs for the Indus and Non-Indus basin study areas.
• Ensure that the most suitable and most resilient water management practices are implemented based on the specificities of the project sites and communities.
• Plan, conceive, contribute to, and lead various project activities, which may include the development of hydrological models for water/river basins and irrigation systems across spatial scales under changing climate scenarios, and matching water management interventions to biophysical and social conditions.
• Develop a coordinated approach for modeling surface water and groundwater resources for sustainable water resources management practices.
• Assist in setting up and installing state-of-the-art water management instruments to gather information on various hydrological variables in the study area.
• Assist in collecting and compiling earth land surface datasets including rainfall, digital elevation model (DEM), watershed characteristics, soil characteristics, and land use/land cover data from various satellite remote sensing archives.
• Build institutional networks promoting IWMI’s position and establish IWMI as a center of expertise on significant policy issues; identify water management program synergies with collaborating partners and establish collaborative frameworks of engagement in the water and climate sectors.
• Communicate outcomes of project interventions with the wider research and development community.
• Contribute to building positive relationships with the government, civil society, and other stakeholders.
• Provide support in organizing meetings, dialogues, and workshops for the project.
• Assist in preparing high-quality project reports according to project timelines.
• Provide support in preparing project-specific communication materials.
• Perform other related duties as required.

Requirements:

Essential/:

• PhD in agricultural engineering, civil engineering, water resources engineering, or closely related discipline coupled with at least 3 years of relevant work experience OR;
• Master’s degree in aforementioned fields coupled with at least 08 years of relevant work experience.
• Proven experience in designing and implementing approaches for the development of hydrological and hydraulic models in data-scarce environments.
• A good record of peer-reviewed publications on relevant subjects in well-reputed international journals.
• Demonstrated experience in data-driven and process-based hydrological modeling.
• Demonstrated experience with regional/global data or navigating data-poor environments, and proven numerical and statistical analysis skills.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS & ABILITIES:

Essential:

• Proficiency in programming (e.g., R, Python) related to handling large datasets and machine learning methods.
• Ability to use climatic and remote sensing datasets, Geographic Information Systems (GIS) tools, and hydrological modeling approaches for multiple-scale assessments.
• Knowledge of cloud computing environments (e.g., OpenEO, Google Earth Engine).
• Proven knowledge of surface-ground hydrological modeling tools and flood/drought forecasting methodologies. Setup, calibration, and running of hydrological models using historical data, forecasts, and projections.
• Demonstrated original thinking, creativity, and innovation skills applied to the relevant disciplines.
• Strong ability to analyze, manipulate, and present data and model results.
• Good management and leadership skills, with a good understanding of relevant cross-cultural issues and an emphasis on establishing a balance between strategic guidance and team empowerment.
• Demonstrated attention to detail, ability to follow procedures, meet deadlines, and work independently and cooperatively with team members.
• Excellent oral and written language skills in English, including effective listening and strong verbal and written communication abilities.

Source: https://apply.workable.com/international-water-management-institute/j/1A5AC83A77/