Project Name: SAM 2.0
Project Description:
About the National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA)
Established in 1976, NIUA, is a premier Institute of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, Government of India for research and capacity building for urban sector in India. NIUA’s broad objective is to bridge the gap between research and practice on issues related to urbanization. For more than 40 years now, NIUA has been the vanguard for contributing to and building the urban narrative for a fast-evolving Urban India. The Institution has been actively working on bringing forth key areas of concern for urban India in order to build the urban discourse at various urban scales. It has utilized its competencies in research, knowledge management, policy advocacy and capacity building to address urban challenges and continuously striving to develop sustainable, inclusive, and productive urban ecosystems in the country. It has emerged as a thought leader and knowledge hub for urban development in India and is sought out by both Indian and International organizations for collaborations and partnerships in India’s urban transforming journey. NIUA is committed towards aligning its efforts towards achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through all its initiatives and programs.
About NIUA’s Water and Environment Vertical
The Water and Environment vertical at NIUA focuses on creating frameworks, mechanisms, and pathways that enable Indian cities to manage their water and environmental sectors sustainably. Aligned with India’s Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, our efforts are geared towards driving tangible, on-ground change. We collaborate with the Ministry to implement various national Urban Missions and initiatives that impact urban water and environmental management. Additionally, we partner with a wide array of national and international resource organizations with similar goals and mandates.
Our work in urban water and environmental management typically includes:
• Developing national-level strategic frameworks, guidance documents, and advisories to facilitate actionable outcomes across all cities.
• Creating digital tools and instruments to help cities advance their capabilities.
• Conducting action-oriented research on emerging, underexplored topics.
• Supporting the piloting of innovative concepts and technologies through demonstration projects.
• Designing specialized capacity-building modules and certification programs.
Shallow Aquifer Management (Code: SAM 2.0): Approximately 50% of the water supplied in our cities comes from the ground. Therefore, effective groundwater management is an integral element of urban water security. However, many cities have exploited their shallow aquifers and are increasingly going deeper in search of water, and in the process, tapping into deep aquifers. This is a highly unsustainable practice because it takes years, sometimes hundreds of years, to recharge deep aquifers. Comparatively, shallow aquifers can be recharged in days. Furthermore, if the quality of water being recharged is ensured, shallow aquifers can be used to hold excess floodwater and help mitigate urban flooding, thereby solving two problems with one solution. The objective of this project is to demonstrate different techniques of shallow aquifer management in seventy five AMRUT cities so as to build a case for scaling up these practices within and across cities.
Job Description:
Core Responsibilities:
- In coordination with the Track lead, review the design of and implementation of shallow aquifer management interventions in the project cities
- Lead city cluster coordination of a clusters of cities for the smooth implementation of the projects
- Design indicators for monitoring the impact of project interventions and carry out the evaluation
- Identify research areas in the field of urban groundwater management and lead the discussions with academic partners for conducting the research
- Publish advisories and knowledge products on different aspects of urban groundwater conservation and management
- Lead individual session in meetings and workshops related to the project
- Carry out other work assigned by the Track Leader.
Education Qualifications & Experience
- Master’s/Bachelor’s degree in Hydrogeology/Environmental Science or Engineering/ Planning & Development/Water Science & Governance or any other degree that has groundwater as specialization
- Good understanding about the urban water landscape in India, especially in the groundwater management context.
- 7-12 years of experience in water and environmental projects. Experience in groundwater management will be highly desirable.
- Experience with GIS and other water and environment related software
- Experience in liasoning with multiple stakeholders.
- Experience in organizing events, workshops, and conferences
- Excellent communication skills (verbal and spoken) in English.
- Willingness to travel to the project locations across India as required.
Nature of employment and duration – This position is offered on a contractual basis, with an initial duration of one year. The contract may be renewed based on the candidate’s performance.
No of Positions: 4
End Date: 19th Mar 2025
Job Description pdf: JD Senior Project Officers SAM (2.0).pdf
