Job Opportunity for Senior Researcher- Solar Energy and Climate Resilience at IWMI in New Delhi

The International Water Management Institute (IWMI) seeks a Senior Researcher in New Delhi to support research in solar energy and climate resilience. Responsibilities include leading interdisciplinary projects, managing stakeholder engagement, developing project proposals, and disseminating research findings. The role requires strong scientific expertise and collaboration with other researchers and stakeholders, focusing on sustainable solar irrigation models and influencing policy.
Description

The International Water Management Institute (IWMI) is seeking an internationally recruited Senior Researcher to support its Research for Development programs in solar energy and water management, and more generally in climate adaptation and mitigation. The Senior Researcher is responsible for providing a high level of scientific research expertise for activities associated with new and on-going research activities. The Senior Research Scientist conducts high quality scientific research, prepares final reports and journal articles disseminating the results of research, and develops external funding for research projects. Provides planning, and scientific direction for interdisciplinary research projects in his/her specific expertise area and mentorship to junior researchers. The senior researcher will lead projects ensuring effective co-design, management and delivery of innovation and evidence, leading to various forms of outputs and impact including influencing policy, with strong engagement with stakeholders and funders.

Duties AND Responsibilities:
• Key responsibility will be to lead, manage, develop, and provide technical contributions to multi-year, multi-stakeholder projects to identify, assess and promote sustainable models of solar irrigation, ensuring activities and deliverables are on time and to budget.
• Will oversee day-to-day implementation of projects and be responsible for playing a key regional-level coordinating role.
• Organize periodic meetings to bring together scientists to present results, exchange research methods, develop strategies to maximize impacts and build stronger collaboration.
• Organize stakeholder consultations, review national and sub-national solar promotion policies and comparative assessment of alternate solar irrigation promotion models.
• Plan and develop project proposals for scalable pilots of solar irrigation in Asia and Africa with third party funding of infrastructure.
• Ensure effective policy communication of messages emerging from the ongoing action-research.
• Work closely with other IWMI scientists, communications teams, and collaborators to deliver successful project results and outcomes.
• Lead and contribute to proposal writing and fundraising opportunities for bilateral and multilateral funding sources for low-emission pathway work.
• Ensure proper consideration is given to gender and related issues in the programming of activities and in stakeholder engagement processes.
• Support the development of strong and respectful partnerships and networking to ensure the success of relevant IWMI projects in India.
• Work with colleagues to ensure that project outputs and engagement of partners are effectively coordinated to enhance impact.
• Provide information on relevant projects and research results and breakthroughs for communication to donors, research users, partners, networks and policy platforms.
• Disseminate research findings via peer-reviewed publications; convene and attend workshops, conferences and webinars in a range of international, regional and national settings
• Support a work environment that promotes a culture of collaboration, learningand effective knowledge sharing and knowledge transfer, interdisciplinary teamwork, and innovation.

Requirements

EDUCATIONAL QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE REQUIRED:

Essential:
• PhD in one of the following disciplines: climate change adaptation/mitigation, international development, water resources management, development economics, with at least 10 years of relevant work experience holding positions of increasing responsibility.
• Demonstrated knowledge and operational research experience relevant to IWMI’s overall mission of water and climate change with strong project management experience in developing countries, as well as knowledge of the functioning of the CGIAR system.
• Experience of managing complex research projects, with multiple partners, in complex political environments, under conditions of limited access to data.
• A deep understanding of, climate, water, land, agricultural development challenges and opportunities, water-energy-food-climate nexus in low-income countries and emerging economies and policy development
• Successful track record of representing an organization at a senior level and working closely with senior level colleagues and working in and leading high performing teams.
• Experience engaging with regional networks and building strong partnerships with different categories of stakeholders.
• Significant experience in producing high quality proposals, reports and academic papers for scientific and non-scientific audiences including policy influencing, as evidenced by a strong publications record.
• Proven ability to communicate research results to stakeholders at different management levels in multiple countries.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES REQUIRED:
• Demonstrated in-depth knowledge and research experience relevant to solar irrigation and climate change adaptation and mitigation.
• Successful management of complex research or development projects, with multiple partners, in complex political environments.
• An in-depth understanding of challenges and opportunities in low-income countries and emerging economies related to sustainable water, land and agricultural development under a changing climate.
• Demonstrates and sets expectations for integrity and honesty in relation to professional ethics and practice.
• Experience in engaging with regional and international professional networks and building strong partnerships with different categories of stakeholders.
• Drives for results by being proactive and setting high standards for self and others; takes ownership and responsibility for maintaining a strong focus on both internal and external stakeholder needs and expectations.
• Constructs coherent findings and articulates ideas clearly to a range of audiences, formally and informally, through a variety of techniques to promote maximum impact.
• Displays flexibility and respect for differences of opinion; demonstrates transparency and objectivity when negotiating with others.
• Ability to lead and inspire a multidisciplinary team.
• Strong 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 a golbally recruited position with a competitive salary commensurate with experience, an attractive retirement plan, comprehensive international health insurance, life insurance, accidental death and dismemberment (AD&D) insurance, long-term disability insurance coverage and a transportation allowance. Globally 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 three-year period with possible extension.