Senior Researcher Officer

The Senior Research Officer – Geoinformatics will be responsible for leveraging geospatial information and technologies to analyze, model, and visualize data concerning water (surface and groundwater), land, and climate-related parameters. The incumbent will synthesize all spatial information, identify data gaps, acquire missing data using remote sensing approaches, and ultimately analyzing the data to facilitate informed decision-making on water consumption and allocations across sectors. By integrating geoinformatics with hydrological, environmental, and socio-economic data, the incumbent will contribute to informed decision-making and sustainable water resource management for the IWMI initiatives in the KPK region under the FCDO funded Water Resources Accountability Programme (WRAP).

The successful candidate will actively contribute to the research and capacity-building activities, analytical work, and stakeholder coordination related to the developed tools in the water and climate sectors. The candidate is also responsible for organizing project-related events, workshops, training sessions, and fieldwork involving diverse stakeholders and project partners. Additionally, the candidate will contribute to writing donor reports and research publications.

Duties & Responsibilities:

• Conduct spatial analysis using GIS software to understand the distribution, dynamics, and interactions of water resources, land use, and other relevant variables in KPK.
• Acquire, organize, and manage geospatial datasets, ensuring data integrity and quality for research and analysis purposes.
• Utilize remote sensing data and techniques to monitor changes in land cover, land use, and hydrological features, contributing to the assessment of water resources and environmental conditions.
• Develop and apply geospatial models to simulate hydrological processes, assess water availability, and predict future scenarios under different climatic and land use conditions.
• Assist in setting up and installing state-of-the-art instruments (e.g., automatic weather station, eddy covariance, automatic flow meters, water depth sensors, soil moisture probe, etc.) to get information on various hydrological variables in the pilot study districts.
• Pre-process primary data in different image processing software to calculate and audit the water resources system.
• Assist in designing and developing Spatial Decision Support Systems tools and applications to facilitate evidence-based decision-making for water resource management and planning.
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams of researchers, stakeholders, and partners to integrate geospatial information into interdisciplinary studies and projects.
• Provide training and technical assistance to project partners, government agencies, and local stakeholders on geoinformatics tools, methods, and applications.
• 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.
• 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 Geoinformatics, Geography, Environmental Science, Computer Science, Space Science, or closely related fields.
• Minimum of 07 years of relevant experience in geospatial analysis, remote sensing, and GIS applications, preferably in the context of agriculture, water, and natural resources management.
• Demonstrated experience in conducting water management studies, including modeling, analysis, and publications in well-reputed international journals.
• Proven experience in utilizing 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.

Source:  https://apply.workable.com/international-water-management-institute/j/B4990E71C0/