Irrigation and Agricultural Engineer – Afghanistan Water and Agriculture Project

Tetra Tech ARD (http://www.ardinc.com), a leading international development consulting firm based in Burlington, Vermont and Washington, D.C., is currently accepting expressions of interest from qualified candidates for senior and mid-level staff positions on a multi-year year USAID-funded water management and agriculture project in Afghanistan. The project will focus on upper watershed rehabilitation and soil conservation, water resource development, irrigation and water storage, infrastructure rehabilitation and renovation, agriculture production and agribusiness development, and governance, capacity development, and responsibility transfer back to GIRoA. The Project will work through community based interventions, and generate short-term employment and income generation as part of the watershed and soil conservation approach. Ultimately the project will improve on-farm water management production practices for both major crops and livestock.

Responsibilities: The Irrigation/Agricultural Engineer will be responsible for leading the design and implementation of water storage, conveyance, and irrigation infrastructure projects. The Engineer will design irrigation systems and irrigation scheduling approaches for different production regimes (e.g. soil, crop, and slope). The Engineer may also design or oversee the design of other agricultural infrastructure including post-harvest facilities. The Engineer will work closely with construction sub-contractors and grantees, providing quality assurance and quality control over all aspects of their work. The Specialist will apply knowledge and experience in technical areas that can include irrigation system design, irrigation scheduling, hydrology, runoff capture, storage, and control, and aquifer recharge. The Specialist will work on an interdisciplinary team and collaborate closely with professionals from natural, technical and social sciences sectors. The Engineer will also have a role in coordinating project activities with local and national GIRoA representatives as well as community leaders.

The Specialist will engage in strategic planning, design of technical interventions, participate in the design and execution of training programs, monitoring and evaluation, and reporting. The Specialist will supervise the field work of junior staff and will play a major role in designing and administering subcontracts and grants for local implementers. The duty location is to be determined.

Qualifications: --Minimum Bachelor degree in irrigation, hydraulic or Agricultural Engineering.
--Experience in design and construction management of agricultural, irrigation, water storage infrastructure --Prior field experience in Afghanistan on projects addressing water management and agricultural production. -- Significant experience in supporting water user groups -- Experience in and knowledge of USAID regulations, administration, management, reporting procedures and systems is helpful. --Demonstrated ability to work productively as a member of multi-disciplinary teams in a rural development context with a focus on modernization of water management and agricultural systems. --Ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines. --Strong interpersonal, analytical, writing and computer skills required.
--Fluent in Dari or Pashto and in English.

How to apply:

To Apply: Please email full, current CV in reverse chronological format to Cathy.Iraheta@tetratech.com, or fax to C. Iraheta at 802-658-4247. Please refer to job code “Irrigation and Agricultural Engineer” in the subject line. Only candidates meeting the qualifications detailed above will be contacted. No phone calls, please.

Tetra Tech ARD is committed to diversity and gender equality in all of its operations in the U.S and overseas. We strive to reflect these goals in our global mission and in our workplace. We encourage applications from women and underrepresented ethnic, racial and cultural groups. Tetra Tech ARD, is proud to be an Affirmative Action/ Equal Opportunity Employer.