Irrigation Engineer

Job Description

United Nations High Commissioner Refugees (UNHCR)

EXTERNAL VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT

Vacancy Notice No.:  ETHME/UNOPS/VN/001/16

Grade: L-ICA 6 (Under UNOPS salary Scale)

Type of Appointment: Individual Contractor Agreement (ICA)

Date of Issue:  13/01/2016

Number of Vacant post: One

Closing Date:  22/01/2016

Duration of the contract: Up to December 2016

Location: Melkadida

RESPONSIBILITY

Under the direct supervision of the Senior Program Officer at UNHCR -Sub-office Melkadida, and the general guidance and coordination of the Livelihood Officer, the UNOPS Irrigation Engineer will undertake the following tasks:

• Review existing irrigation technologies being utilized in Dollo Ado Woreda, and provide comment on the appropriateness, suitability and efficacy, in the local context


• Review design and adherence to the design, utility and utilization of existing recent irrigation scheme interventions, constructed by UNHCR’s Implementing Partners, in Kole and Hilaweyn, and assess the potential for scaling up


• Review existing irrigation schemes implemented by other than UNHCR’s Implementing Partners in Dollo Ado Woreda, and provide comment on the appropriateness, suitability and efficacy, in the local context


• Conduct and document topographic, cross sectional and longitudinal surveys of the command areas for each irrigation scheme planned, and advise on the siting, design and construction of all irrigation infrastructure required


• Ensuring appropriate and locally sustainable system(s), consider and propose designs/ plans, and advise on the extraction pumps to be used, for irrigated agriculture in five or more locations along the West bank of the Ganale river, which will efficiently achieve an expansion of 5,000 hectares of irrigated cropping in Dollo Ado Woreda


• Check/verify all individual site plans, profiles, designs and cost estimations for complete irrigation schemes, including all irrigation infrastructures, eg. field turnouts, drop structures, culverts, weirs, and community access points


• Based on the site conditions, and individual site-researched knowledge of soil type/ structure/characteristics, determine and identify source of most cost-effective, locally sustainable and appropriate canal construction and linings for the entire conveyance system to the fields


• Prepare bills of quantity (BOQ) and CAD drawings for all irrigation infrastructure


• Provide and verify specifications and quality for all construction materials to be utilized


• Prepare workplans for the construction of each scheme and contribute to the drafting of tender documents and contractual agreements for contracted construction work (prioritizing community involvement in construction activities)


• Oversee the construction implementation, by contractors/contracted labour, and certify all irrigation infrastructure construction work carried out under the project


• Ensure all activities scheduled and completed in time in relation to the project time frame


• Ensure effective, secure and transparent record keeping and the timely generation of progress reports


• Provide technical advice to Government, implementing partners and farmer field school/ water user groups on irrigation and water management


• Contribute to investment proposals related to investments in irrigated agriculture and the construction of irrigation, flood control, and river flow management structures for the further expansion of irrigated agriculture along the Ganale river in Dollo Ado Woreda


• Advise on the selection of SMART baseline M&E indicators in relation to the expansion of irrigated agriculture, infrastructure construction implementation and the operational performance of irrigation schemes. Perform other related duties as required

Authority (decisions made in executing responsibilities and to achieve results)

• Draft tender and contract documents for contracted construction work for each new irrigation scheme planned for Dollo Ado Woreda and submit to Programme / Livelihoods Team t for approval


• Check/verify all individual site plans, profiles, designs and cost estimations submitted by Implementing Partners / Contractors, for complete irrigation schemes, including all irrigation infrastructures, eg. field turnouts, drop structures, culverts, weirs, and community access points, and provide recommendations to Livelihoods and Programme units.


• Verify bills of quantity (BOQ) and CAD drawings submitted Implementing Partners/ Contractors for all irrigation infrastructure


• Provide and verify specifications and quality for all construction materials to be utilized by Implementing Partners/ Contractors


• Oversee the construction implementation, by contractors/contracted labour, and certify all irrigation infrastructure construction work carried out under the project


• Undertake daily field trips to ensure successful completion of the above tasks.

Managerial Competencies

• Managing Performance


• Judgement and Decision Making


• Managing Resources

Cross-Functional Competencies

• Analytical Thinking


• Innovation and Creativity


• Technological Awareness


• Planning and organizing


• Stakeholder Management

Essential Minimum Qualification:

• B.Sc. degree in Agricultural Engineering, Advanced University degree in irrigation engineering is desirable


• 10 (Ten) years or more, relevant experience in the design, construction and operation of rural agricultural irrigation schemes, and design/construction/rehabilitation of irrigation infrastructure, pumping stations, canals, canal linings, water control gates, field turn outs, flow measurement structures, siphons, culverts, flood control levees, etc., including for pumped irrigation systems


• Good practical “hands on” capability for addressing engineering issues arising in water extraction and conveyance technology


• Good CAD, Water CAD, Eagle Point, MS Excel and GIS skills


• Significant experience in engaging communities for community ownership and the addressing of institutional issues related to irrigation management and the establishment and management of water user associations


• Excellent spoken and written communication skills in English


• Good report writing skills

Desirable Qualification

• Advanced University in irrigation engineering


• Experience in the development of irrigated agriculture in arid environments


• Experience in both smallholder irrigation agriculture and multi-user irrigation schemes


• Knowledge of the use and potential for use of renewable energy for water pumping in irrigated agriculture


• Competency in the formulation of technical investment proposals for the development of irrigation agriculture


• Experience/interest to work in the Somali Region of Ethiopia


• Amharic and Somali language skills.

Closing date: Jan 22, 2016

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How to Apply

Applicants who wish to be considered for this position should send a motivation letter and P11 Form to: Human Resources Unit, UNHCR Representation Office in Ethiopia, P.O.Box 1076, Addis Ababa

Applicants should clearly indicate the Title of the Position and Vacancy Notice Number: ETHME/UNOPS/VN/001/16 on the envelope. Please note that applications which do not have the post title and vacancy number on top of the envelope shall not be CONSIDERED.

Late applications will not be considered.

Due to the volume of applications only short listed candidates will be invited for interview.

Refugees – who cares?   We Do.

Job Categories: Water and Sanitation Jobs. Job Types: Full-Time. Job expires in 30 days.

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