About the TNUSSP
The Department of Municipal Administration and Water Supply, Government of Tamil Nadu Municipal (MAWS, GoTN) aims at scaling up access to safe and sustainable sanitation to all its urban areas in the next five years. Tamil Nadu will be poised to becoming a fully sanitised and healthy state, substantially eliminating open defecation, achieving improvements through the entire sanitation value chain, safely disposing an increasing proportion of its human excreta, and re-using/ recovering resources therefrom. The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) is supporting GoTN to achieve the Sanitation Mission of Tamil Nadu. This support shall enable the GoTN in investing resources towards innovative solutions to achieve mission goals.
A Technical Support Unit (TSU) has been set up to be the comprehensive technical arm for the MAWS-GoTN, and assists in implementation of state-level and city-level initiatives, based on agreed parameters. In addition, two sub-TSUs have been set up in two select urban locations.
IIHS is supporting the Government of Tamil Nadu, and is the lead agency for implementation of the Tamil Nadu Urban Sanitation Support Programme (TNUSSP).
Job Description
The Practice Team at IIHS is responsible for providing cutting-edge and integrated solutions to India’s urban development challenges by bringing together faculty and experts across diverse domains of knowledge and practice; exposing learners to real-life problems and integrating the practice into academics and research.
The role of the Junior Specialist will be to provide implementation support by contributing to activities such as data collection, preparation of research methodology, tools, assessment and options for improvements. The role involves field work and working closely with the GoTN, community stakeholders to deliver on specified tasks.
This could be a regular or a contractual project-based engagement. The position will be located out of Chennai, with travel as necessary to other locations in the state and country.
Activities and Tasks
Responsibilities would include, but not be limited to, the following:
- Providing assistance in designing and conducting assessment studies such as catchment assessment, sanitation situation assessment and environmental baseline studies; and documentation;
- Providing support in the development of tools for generating evidence for the WASH interventions;
- Supporting field level activities using a combination of structured interviews, group discussions and observations;
- Liaising and coordinating with government departments as required for data collection and ensuring smooth conduct of field work;
- Supervision for quality assurance in work involving external agencies such as field surveys, laboratory analysis of water and wastewater samples;
- Providing support in the preparation of engineering drawings and estimates for identified WASH interventions for on-site sanitation, networked sanitation systems, and waste containment/ treatment;
- Enabling documentation and learning of lessons from TNUSSP, to feed into IIHS academic, research and capacity building initiatives;
- Providing support to other IIHS activities including, academics, research, practice, operations, training and other activities;
- Participating in all activities of institution-building at IIHS; carrying out tasks as assigned by IIHS; and travelling on IIHS work within or outside the country as needed.
Structure and Reporting
The Junior Specialist – Implementation Support, TNUSSP will report to the Specialist – Engineering and Implementation Support, TNUSSP at IIHS and will be required to collaborate effectively with a diverse group of internal teams and external individuals/organisations, and students.
Person Specification
The candidate is expected to possess a professional degree in Civil Engineering or Environmental Engineering or related fields with 1-3 years of relevant experience in WASH or environmental sector including exposure to assessment / pre-feasibility studies / implementation of environmental services projects.
S/he should also have experience of working in multi-disciplinary teams; possess good communication and coordination skills, and proficiency in data analysis using spatial/ non-spatial tools. Prior experience in working with government and communication skills in Tamil are added advantages.
This offer could be either for a regular position or for a contractual project-based engagement. This offer is on an exclusive basis, which implies that other professional assignments (whether compensated or not) that bear a potential conflict of interest with IIHS cannot be undertaken.
The search will remain open until the position is filled.
Location
The position is based in Chennai, with travelling to other locations in Tamil Nadu.
Review and Assessment
The role and performance of the candidate shall be subject to normal review and assessment systems at IIHS.
Diversity Policy
The IIHS is an equal opportunity employer that encourages women, people with disabilities and those from economically and socially excluded communities with the requisite skills and qualifications to apply for positions.
Contact
Please write to us at [email protected] if you need any clarifications while filling the online application form.
