Senior Researcher

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The International Water Management Institute (IWMI), a CGIAR Research Center is seeking an innovative & multi skilled candidate to join its office in Colombo, Sri Lanka, as a Senior Researcher – Climate Risk Management and Disaster Resilience

This is an internationally recruited position; therefore, individuals with relevant abilities from diverse locations around the world are encouraged to apply. Please disregard the preferred geographic location indicated above, as this is a technical limitation of the Workable software. The position will be based in Sri Lanka.

The incumbent will lead and manage cutting-edge research on integrated climate risk management and disaster risk reduction solutions within the contest of climate resilient development thinking. The role involves leading the design and implementation of water risk science research projects, providing guidance to colleagues, contributing to research oversight and quality control, supporting partnership development, and disseminating research results to achieve impact on the ground. The position entails collaboration with multi-disciplinary researchers and partners of the International Water Management Institute (IWMI) and the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR).

• Lead high-quality, innovative water risk science research by integrating Climate Risk Management and Disaster Risk Reduction in Africa, Asia, and the Middle East and North Africa (MENA).
• Contribute to a growing portfolio of water risk and resilient development projects, supporting disaster risk management solutions and scaling IWMI’s AWARE Platform for anticipatory action mechanisms.
• Provide expertise in climate risk management and disaster risk reduction for designing, testing, and evaluating contextually relevant, innovative solutions in the fields of climate change impacts on land, water, and food systems.
• Lead proposal development and resource mobilization in key research areas, including climate risk modeling and management, early warning, disaster risk reduction, climate risk insurance, and anticipatory action.
• Initiate, develop, and strengthen collaborations with research partners, governments, development partners, the private sector, civil society, networks, and other CGIAR centers in Africa, Asia, MENA, and potentially Latin America.
• Utilize research findings to engage and support policymakers, water and disaster risk management professionals, investors, civil society organizations, private sector actors, researchers, and farmers.
• Ensure project-specific deliverables and deadlines are met with high quality, manage project budgets, and work closely with relevant internal stakeholders, research teams, and partners to ensure timely delivery of outputs.
• Manage projects and mentor early career researchers at IWMI and its partner organizations on flood and drought early warning, climate services, locally led adaptation, and the broader spectrum of disaster risk management.
• Conduct technical trainings and organize workshops and learning forums to transfer knowledge, technology, and build the capacity of policymakers and other stakeholders.

Requirements

Minimum

• Ph.D. in climate risk management, disaster risk reduction, or a closely related discipline, with knowledge of other disciplines, particularly water risk science, natural resource management, and environmental sciences.
• 8-10 years of experience in climate risk management, disaster risk reduction, earth observation data, early warning, anticipatory action, or climate risk insurance in a developing country context.
• A strong track record of relevant scientific publications and experience working on applied research, policy, and capacity development in climate risk management, disaster risk reduction, geospatial science, monitoring, and early warning on floods and drought, climate risk assessment for livelihoods resilience, and resilient development, preferably in Africa.
• Established experience in leading, managing, and/or providing technical contributions to complex donor-funded research projects, preferably in low-income countries.
• Exposure working with and leading interdisciplinary and multicultural research teams.
• Experience in leading proposal development and resource mobilization in climate risk management, disaster risk reduction, and flood and drought early warning, climate risk insurance to promote integrated approaches in flood and drought management.

Desirable

• Experience in leading/contributing to the design and operation of innovative climate risk decision support tools for examining water risk impacts and identifying opportunities for climate-resilient development.

Minimum

• Good knowledge and experience of institutional arrangements for climate resilience and disaster risk management in developing countries.
• Extensive knowledge of the humanitarian-development-peace nexus, particularly in disaster risk reduction and climate risk management architecture, including agencies, NGOs, and other partners.
• Ability to travel internationally and establish/maintain partnerships and working relationships with governments, development agencies, civil society organizations, the private sector, research, and like-minded institutions.
• Ability to apply gender, inequality, and social equity considerations in developing countries, particularly in the water and natural resource management sectors, and the ability to think and act on research interventions differently.
• Excellent oral and written English language skills, and French-speaking would be an advantage.

Desirable

• Ability to work collegially and collaboratively with international and national researchers.
• Proficiency in utilizing machine learning/artificial intelligence to strengthen drought and flood forecasting and early warning frameworks.
• Proven ability to effectively communicate research results to stakeholders at different management levels in multiple countries.
• Strong competency to lead and inspire a high-performing, multidisciplinary team.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with coworkers, managers, and other stakeholders in a multicultural setting, with sensitivity and respect for diversity.

Benefits

What we are offering:

This is an internationally 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. Internationally 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.

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 December 10, 2023 (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.

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