If you possess a PhD in Environmental Sciences or a related field, and have at least ten years’ experience in research on water quality and environmental issues related to agricultural water/soil management, have the ability to develop and implement research projects and strategies on assessing and mitigating water quality issues as they affect human and environmental health, in developing countries, then this could be the job for you. This position reports to the Theme Leader-Water Quality, Health and Environment. You will: • creatively lead and provide strategic direction on IWMI’s research on water quality, agriculture and ecosystems, and synthesize interdisciplinary research in environmental services in developing countries; • assess different scenarios of environmental and human health impacts of poor water quality in urban and rural Asia, Middle East and North Africa (MENA) and sub-Saharan Africa across scales, preferably based on QMRA, QCRA and GIS; • assess risk mitigation options for safeguarding human and environmental health in the developing country context, i.e., with and without conventional wastewater treatment; • assess options for using ecosystem services (e.g., wetlands) for water quality amelioration; • assess options for resource recovery from waste streams (nutrients, water and biogas) from a technical and/or (preferably) business perspective; • write project proposals commensurate with IWMI’s strategic objectives; • design and supervise field data collection and analysis; • translate environmental and health impacts of low water quality or wastewater irrigation into costs and benefits (in close collaboration with economists); • develop policy recommendations for assessing and mitigating negative externalities of low water quality in collaboration with FAO, UNEP and WHO; • prepare research reports, journal articles, seminar papers and other scientific manuscripts for the dissemination of research results; • integrate research findings into effective policy recommendations and disseminate information through relevant guidelines and policy briefs, etc.; and • liaise between IWMI research activities, projects and themes especially those in the CGIAR Research Program 5, in addition to partners, other institutes, governments and donors. You must possess: • PhD in environmental sciences or related field; • minimum of 10 years’ experience in research on water quality and environmental issues related to agricultural water/soil management; • experience of developing and leading research teams with multiple partners and multiple disciplines from advanced research institutes and developing countries; • previous experience of work in developing country contexts (Asia and/or Africa), including data-scarce environments; • the ability to develop fundable research proposals; • a solid publication record; • understanding of ecological principles, the concept of ecosystem services and links to water and agriculture; • understanding of the importance of institutional governance, economics and social issues as they impact water resources development and their actual use; • excellent communication skills in English, both written and oral; and • the ability to work as a member of a team, and work with researchers of other CGIAR centers, cultures and professional backgrounds.
Scholarship Application Deadline: 15th February 2011
