Background

UNESCO-IHE Institute for Water Education and partners were awarded a US$8 million grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. The grant is used to finance a 5-year capacity building and research project to stimulate local innovation on sanitation for the urban poor in sub-Saharan Africa and South-East Asia. To support the research component of the project 5 post‐doc positions for junior researchers are funded by the project. This announcement concerns the remaining position based at UNESCO-IHE in Delft.

Project description

The project entitled ‘Stimulating local innovation on sanitation for the urban poor in sub‐Saharan Africa and South‐East Asia’ has two principal objectives: (i) to stimulate local innovation on sanitation for the urban poor through research, and (ii) to strengthen the sanitation sector in developing countries through education and training. The direct beneficiaries of the project are individuals from developing countries and academic institutions involved in the project that are instrumental in stimulating local innovation on sanitation for the ultimate recipients of the project outcomes ‐ the urban poor in sub‐Saharan Africa and South‐East Asia.

The project will: (i) increase the number of adequately trained sanitation professionals in developing countries, (ii) provide research possibilities, education and training for the new generation of ‘all‐round’ sanitary engineers, (iii) make (post‐graduate) education in sanitary engineering more accessible to individuals from developing countries, and (iv) further strengthen the pro‐poor sanitation component at the academic institutions involved.

The 5‐year project (2011‐2016) is jointly executed by UNESCO‐IHE (principal grantee) and 8 partners from developing countries in sub‐Saharan Africa, South‐East Asia and South America (sub‐grantees), supported by several external sub‐contracting parties and individuals.

The project contains 7 components: (i) the post‐doctoral program; (ii) the doctoral program and PhD scholarships; (iii) masters education and MSc scholarships; (iv) the new online Masters in Sanitary Engineering and scholarships; (v) two new online training courses; (vi) the new Professional Diploma and scholarships; and (vii) online courses and scholarships, and it targets more than 600 direct individual beneficiaries.

The research part of the project is clustered around 5 thematic areas/packages on pro‐urban poor sanitation, each to be coordinated by one partner (the research package leader): (i) smart sanitation provision for slums and informal settlements; (ii) emergency sanitation following natural and anthropological disasters; (iii) resource‐oriented decentralized sanitation; (iv) low‐cost wastewater collection and treatment; and (v) faecal sludge management.

Outcomes of the project can be summarized as: (i) the research capacity and facilities of the partner institutions will be enhanced; (ii) an international academic network on pro‐poor sanitation will be established; (iii) practical applications of innovation in sanitation for the urban poor will be put in place; (iv) a proposal for the business spin‐offs will be developed; (v) human resource capacity will be increased in the sanitation sector; and (vi) there will be increased access of professionals from developing countries to education and training.

Post-doc position information

• The position is based at premises of UNESCO-IHE in the Netherlands;
• The post-doc will report to Project Director Prof. Dr. Damir Brdjanovic and will be hosted by Environmental Engineering and Water Technology Department of UNESCO-IHE in Delft, The Netherlands;
• The post-doc position is funded on a fellowship arrangement in accordance with standard practice applied at UNESCO-IHE;
• Expected starting date is 1 November 2012;
• Duration of the assignment is 2 years with possible extension for another term;
• The post-doc will have high degree of involvement and responsibility for the co-ordination and execution of the research theme assigned to UNESCO-IHE as a leader, namely “Emergency sanitation following natural and anthropological disasters”;
• The post-doc will assist the Project Director in daily project management in particular regarding the co-ordination of the research part of the project.

Position requirements

Candidates:

• should be young researchers from a developing country, preferably from sub‐Saharan Africa and South‐East Asia, however researchers from other developing regions are encouraged to apply;
• must have a doctoral degree in a discipline relevant to the research themes, e.g. sanitary engineering, civil engineering, environmental sciences, environmental engineering, biochemistry, biotechnology etc.
• must demonstrate a strong interest and experience in conducting and managing experimental and interdisciplinary sanitation-related research;
• with pronounced organizational and managerial skills will be preferred;
• must be proficient in English and have excellent communication and writing skills; knowledge of French is considered advantageous for this position;

How to apply?

Applications, including curriculum vitae, the names and contact details of two referees, and a motivation letter, should be sent by email to Prof. Brdjanovic (d.brdjanovic@unesco-ihe.org) by 20 September 2012. Please mention the subject heading “Post-doc application BMGF project at UNESCO-IHE”.

Short-listed candidates will be contacted by 1 October 2012. For further information please contact Prof. Brdjanovic (d.brdjanovic@unesco-ihe.org / +31 15 2151776).