Aquatic Biodiversity and Environment Specialist

USAID Paani Program

Request for Applications

DAI seeks a Short Term Aquatic Biodiversity and Environment Specialist for USAID Paani Program. The purpose of the technical assistance provided by Aquatic Biodiversity and Environment Specialist is to support the Geomorphologist and Paani team accomplishing time bound deliverables stated under Strategic Approach 1c-Improve local capacity for regulation and management of roads and miningand as defined under the contractual agreement with the USAID. The Specialist underlying task is to support the Geomorphologist and Paani team in understanding the impact of gravel and sand (aggregate) mining on aquatic biodiversity 

Applicants should submit a CV and cover letter to PANI_recruitment@dai.com by January 21, 2019.

Please mention the position in the subject line of the email.

Detail Scope of Work

Position: Aquatic biodiversity and Environment Specialist

Type of Employment: Short Term Technical Assistance (STTA)

Period of Performance: On/About Feb 11, 2019 - Sep 30, 2019

Level of Effort: 45 days

Based of Operation: Kathmandu with several days travel to the field

1.BACKGROUND

The Paani Program—also known in Nepali as the “USAID Water Project”, यà¥à¤à¤¸à¤à¤¡à¤ªà¤¾à¤¨à¥€à¤ªà¤°à¤¿à¤¯à¥‹à¤œà¤¨à¤¾—is a 5 year, $25 million USAID-funded Project in Nepal. Water is the single most important natural resource underpinning Nepal’s economy and livelihoods. The sustainable management of water resources in Nepal depends on addressing climate change and protecting healthy, biodiverse ecosystems. Paani aims to enhance Nepal’s ability to manage water resources for multiple uses and users through climate change adaptation and the conservation of freshwater biodiversity. Paani employs an integrated, whole-of-basin approach with activities under four “intermediate result” (IR) areas at the watershed, river basin, and national scales to reduce threats to freshwater biodiversity and strengthen the resilience of targeted human and ecological communities in the Karnali, Mahakali, and Rapti river basins through improved water management. 

This will be accomplished through 11 Strategic Approaches (SA) and four intermediate results and supporting activities, as defined in Section C, Statement of Work (SOW) of the Paani Contract, the Year 3 Annual Work Plan and Paani Monitoring and Evaluation Plan, which provide the framework and overall guidance for all Paani team members.

At the watershed level, watershed profiles/health reports will assess sustainable watershed management opportunities and risks. They will provide the basis for action plans that define objectives, actions, roles and responsibilities for the Paani team, its partners, and collaborating stakeholders. They will also serve as the basis for refining monitoring and evaluation indicators and milestones to assess progress. The essential element in the profiling process is participation and ownership by each watershed’s communities and the stakeholders active in each watershed. This “ownership” ensures stakeholder commitment to attaining Paani’s above-noted biodiversity and climate change objectives. The watershed profiles and health reports will serve as the basis for negotiated collaboration with Paani Project assistance through specific Tasks as defined in the Contract and the AWP. 

This assignment falls under the Strategic Approach (1c): Improve local capacity for regulation and management of roads and mining. The desired outcome of this strategic approach is to reduce watershed degradation resulting from sedimentation and landslides by reducing negative impacts of 1) district and village roads and 2) unregulated and unsustainable aggregate mining. This Scope of Work will particularly contribute towards unregulated and unsustainable aggregate mining related activities as indicated in the table below. These activities will help reduce the impact of aggregate mining on freshwater biodiversity and improve watershed health. 

2. PURPOSES / OBJECTIVES

The purpose of the technical assistance provided by Aquatic biodiversity and Environment Specialist is to support the Geomorphologist and Paani team accomplishing time bound deliverables stated under Strategic Approach 1c as mentioned above and as defined under the contractual agreement with the USAID. The Specialist underlying task is to support the Geomorphologist and Paani team in understanding the impact of gravel and sand (aggregate) mining on aquatic biodiversity 

3. TASKS

The Aquatic Biodiversity and Environmental Specialist will: 

• Provide assistance in following Paani’s sub-tasks:

• Other tasks as required by the Chief of Party and/or her designee

4. DELIVERABLES AND REPORTING

1. Deliverable 1: Report on the review of the IEE/EIA documents (environmental and aquatic biodiversity aspects)
2. Deliverable 2: Assessment Report on impacts/effects of mining on the environmental and aquatic biodiversity 
3. Deliverable 3: Research Report (Learned the effects of gravel mining that inform environment friendly aggregate mining)
4. Deliverable 4: Guideline document on Mining shared with Municipalities/Rural Municipalities 
5. Deliverable 5: Awareness materials on aggregate Mining
6. Deliverable 6: Rules and Regulations on Mining and Guideline
7. Deliverable 7: Final consolidated report

5. LEVEL OF EFFORT / TIMELINE

The level of effort for this assignment is up to 45 days between on/about February 11, 2019 to September 30, 2019.

6. SUPERVISION AND WORKING RELATIONSHIPS

The Aquatic Biodiversity and Environment Specialist will work under the overall guidance of the Paani COP/DCOP and the direct supervision of Paani Integrated Water Resource Management (IWRM) Specialist, in close coordination with Paani Freshwater Fisheries Specialist. 

7. QUALIFICATION

• A university degree in a relevant field is required. Advanced degree preferred
• Minimum of six years’ demonstrated experience with similar type of assignment
• Technical experience focused on aquatic biodiversity research and conservation in general and fisheries in particular, natural resource and environmental management, 
• Integrated and participatory management of aquatic biodiversity 
• Relevant experience working on USAID contract in a related role preferred
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills required. Fluent in English required, Nepali language highly preferred
• Ability to conduct local field visits and monitoring trip required