INTERNATIONAL WATER MANAGEMENT INSTITUTE

P.O. Box 2075, Colombo, Sri Lanka

Tel: 94-11-2787404, 2784080, Fax: 94-11-2786854, E-mail:

Internet Home Page:

POSITION ANNOUNCEMENT

Post Doctoral Fellow– Hydrology

(Sri Lanka/Ethiopia)

The International Water Management Institute (IWMI), based in Colombo, Sri Lanka, conducts research and capacity building activities related to water and land management, with the goal of improving food security, livelihoods, and the natural environment in developing countries. By working with its diverse partners and the Future Harvest Centers supported by the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR), IWMI is creating innovative approaches to translate natural resource management research into actionable recommendations for policy makers, resource managers and poor rural communities.

To further this mandate, IWMI requires a competent and motivated individual for the position of Postdoctoral Fellow - Hydrology. The successful candidate will be based either in the Global Research Division at IWMI’s Headquarters in Colombo or at the East-Africa regional IWMI office in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

The incumbent, under the overall guidance of the Principal Hydrologist, will conduct the research on hydrological Predictions in Ungauged Basins (PUB). PUB is the major initiative of the International Association of Hydrological Sciences (IAHS) for the decade of 2003-2012, aimed at uncertainty reduction in hydrological practice ( It is a bottom-up movement which engage hydrologists world-wide. IWMI hosts the international Secretariat of PUB since the beginning of 2006, caries out a few PUB-related activities in IWMI benchmark basins and intends to expand PUB research in CPWFbenchmark basins – through CPWF-funded projects.

Duties and Responsibilities

The incumbent will:

  • Conduct research into development and application of novel PUB techniques for hydrological predictions in data-poor regions. Specific aspects of such research may include (but not limited to):

further development of flow duration curves’ based methods for hydrological time series generation through the useof free remote-sensing data sets, in mountain catchments and in hydrological regimes dominated by snowmelt or glaciers

analysis of the economic value of hydrometeorological dataand its role in water resources decision-making

optimization and design of hydromeorological measuring networks and programs in ungauged and poorly gauged basins in developing country settings

development of regional models for prediction of ecologically important flow characteristics fro further use in environmental flow assessments

  • Apply these new tools in the context of research projects in IWMI and CPWF benchmark basins (e.g. Blue Nile, Ganges) for water availability assessments in ungaged parts of basins
  • Contribute to the day-to-day management of PUB Secretariat at IWMI. The incumbent may also be asked to contribute to other similar activities, like emerging international Environmental Flow Network, in which IWMI is anticipated to play a significant role
  • Publish research papers ion refereed journals during his/her assignment

Skills & Abilities

  • Knowledge of hydrological processes and methods of their quantification with an emphasis on hydrological regionalization.
  • Hand-on knowledge of hydrological time series analyses, hydrological modeling, statistical packages, uncertainty analyses and other tools relevant in the context of PUB
  • Knowledge of ARC GIS and Remote Sensing analyses and tools
  • Knowledge of environmental economics is an advantage
  • Ability to effectively establish priorities, plan, organize and monitor own work in a multiple tasks environment.
  • Strong interpersonal skills and ability to establish and maintain effective working relations with people in a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic environment with sensitivity and respect for diversity
  • Ability to work at the crossing of different disciplines, in the conditions of data uncertainty and under pressure to produce

Qualifications and Experience

  • A PhD in Hydrology or Water Resources
  • A record of peer-reviewed publications in the field of surface hydrology with an emphasis on hydrological predictions will be a major advantage.
  • Good command of both oral and written English.
  • Experience in programming and website management
  • Previous work experience in developing countries will be an advantage

Salaries and Benefits

Post doctoral contracts are available for two years and are non-renewable. IWMI salaries are competitive with those of similar international institutions and offer a range of benefits including housing, utilities & transport allowance, education allowance, annual home leave, health insurance package and shipping assistance.

Applications

To obtain further details about IWMI visit our website Interested candidates who meet the above requirements, please forward an application, resume, list of publications, and the names and addresses of three referees to Applications will be accepted until 4 March 2007 or until the position is filled.

IWMI is an equal opportunity employer and is keen to further diversify its staff in terms of both genderand nationality

1