Junior Specialist – Implementation Support, Tnussp

Job content

About Us
The Indian Institute for Human Settlements (IIHS) is a national education institution
committed to the equitable, sustainable and efficient transformation of Indian settlements.
IIHS aims to establish an independently funded and managed national university of eminence
for research and innovation focused on the challenges and opportunities of Indias urban
transition. The proposed IIHS University will be an institution of eminence that will host an
integrated programme of quality campus-based education and research, training and lifelong
learning for working professionals, distance and blended learning, as well as a whole array of
practice and advisory services. The university will have a strong interdisciplinary orientation
bringing together theory and praxis that is grounded in the South Asian context and also
engages with and draws from knowledge across the globe.

For more information, please see http://www.iihs.co.in

About the TNUSSP

The Department of Municipal Administration and Water Supply, Government of Tamil Nadu
Municipal (MAWS, GoTN) aims at scaling up access to safe and sustainable sanitation to all
its urban areas in the next five years. Tamil Nadu will be poised to becoming a fully sanitised
and healthy state, substantially eliminating open defecation, achieving improvements
through the entire sanitation value chain, safely disposing an increasing proportion of its
human excreta, and re-using/ recovering resources therefrom. The Bill and Melinda Gates
Foundation (BMGF) is supporting GoTN to achieve the Sanitation Mission of Tamil Nadu.
This support shall enable the GoTN in investing resources towards innovative solutions to
achieve mission goals.

A Technical Support Unit (TSU) has been set up to be the comprehensive technical arm for
the MAWS-GoTN, and assists in implementation of state-level and city-level initiatives, based
on agreed parameters. In addition, two sub-TSUs have been set up in two select urban
locations.

IIHS is supporting the Government of Tamil Nadu, and is the lead agency for implementation
of the Tamil Nadu Urban Sanitation Support Programme (TNUSSP).

Job Description

The Practice Team at IIHS is responsible for providing cutting-edge and integrated solutions to
Indias urban development challenges by bringing together faculty and experts across diverse
domains of knowledge and practice; exposing learners to real-life problems and integrating
the practice into academics and research.

The role of the Junior Specialist will be to provide implementation support by contributing to
activities such as data collection, preparation of research methodology, tools, assessment and
options for improvements. The role involves field work and working closely with the GoTN,
community stakeholders to deliver on specified tasks.

This could be a regular or a contractual project-based engagement. The position will be
located out of Chennai, with travel as necessary to other locations in the state and country.

Activities and Tasks

Responsibilities would include, but not be limited to, the following:
• Providing assistance in designing and conducting assessment studies such as
catchment assessment, sanitation situation assessment and environmental baseline
studies; and documentation;
• Providing support in the development of tools for generating evidence for the WASH
interventions;
• Supporting field level activities using a combination of structured interviews, group
discussions and observations;
• Liaising and coordinating with government departments as required for data collection
and ensuring smooth conduct of field work;
• Supervision for quality assurance in work involving external agencies such as field
surveys, laboratory analysis of water and wastewater samples;
• Providing support in the preparation of engineering drawings and estimates for
identified WASH interventions for on-site sanitation, networked sanitation systems,
and waste containment/ treatment;
• Enabling documentation and learning of lessons from TNUSSP, to feed into IIHS
academic, research and capacity building initiatives;
• Providing support to other IIHS activities including, academics, research, practice,
operations, training and other activities;
• Participating in all activities of institution-building at IIHS; carrying out tasks as
assigned by IIHS; and travelling on IIHS work within or outside the country as needed.
Structure and Reporting
The Junior Specialist Implementation Support, TNUSSP will report to the Specialist
Engineering and Implementation Support, TNUSSP at IIHS and will be required to collaborate
effectively with a diverse group of internal teams and external individuals/organisations, and
students.
Person Specification
The candidate is expected to possess a professional degree in Civil Engineering or
Environmental Engineering or related fields with 1-3 years of relevant experience in WASH or
environmental sector including exposure to assessment / pre-feasibility studies /
implementation of environmental services projects.
S/he should also have experience of working in multi-disciplinary teams; possess good
communication and coordination skills, and proficiency in data analysis using spatial/ non-
spatial tools. Prior experience in working with government and communication skills in Tamil
are added advantages.

This offer could be either for a regular position or for a contractual project-based
engagement. This offer is on an exclusive basis, which implies that other professional
assignments (whether compensated or not) that bear a potential conflict of interest with IIHS
cannot be undertaken.

The search will remain open until the position is filled.

Location

The position is based in Chennai, with travelling to other locations in Tamil Nadu.

Review and Assessment

The role and performance of the candidate shall be subject to normal review and assessment
systems at IIHS.

Diversity Policy

The IIHS is an equal opportunity employer that encourages women, people with disabilities
and those from economically and socially excluded communities with the requisite skills and
qualifications to apply for positions.

To apply

If you are interested to explore this opportunity with us, please fill the online application form
by clicking here. (You can also click on the Apply Now” button at the end of the Job
Description displayed on the website).

Contact

Please write to us at hr@iihs.co.in if you need any clarifications while filling the online
application form.