Partnerships, Engagement, and Communication (30%)

The School of Environment and Sustainability (SES) at IIHS and its Long-term Urban Ecological Observatory (LTUEO), the first such mega-city observatory in the world, focus on the sustainable transformation of diverse human settlements and the social-ecological-technical systems they are part of in the face of global change, especially urbanisation and climate change. The SES and LTUEO work on cutting edge scholarship and knowledge, education, and practice focused on solutions to wicked and complex environment and sustainability problems within the context of a rapidly urbanising India.

Job Description

The School of Environment and Sustainability (SES) at IIHS is looking for a qualified and committed professional to anchor its practice and research work in sustainable agroecology and agroforestry, hydrology, water systems, land management, and other areas related to natural resource management. The ideal candidate will be a practitioner with experience in planning implementation projects with government and corporates, along with a strong foundation in research and scholarship based on field work in catchment hydrology and agro-forestry.

The role will involve working with faculty (researchers, scientists and practitioners) within the SES and LTUEO as well as other schools at IIHS, building on ongoing and emerging work at multiple scales of governance and management. It will also require collaborating with other teams, including IIHS s cutting-edge Geospatial Lab, Urban Informatics Lab, Word Lab and Media Lab.

Responsibilities would include, but not be limited to, the following:

• Evidence-Based Analysis: Leading research on sustainable agroecology and agroforestry, focusing on nature-based solutions to enhance climate resilience for small and marginal farmers; this involves developing frameworks and strategies to reduce barriers and promote ecosystem restoration;
• Land Resource Protocols: Designing and implementing land resource inventory protocols to guide landscape conservation efforts, integrating hydrological and agroforestry components;
• Hydrology and Water Budgeting: Collaborating with experts to develop models and algorithms that analyze water budget components at various scales using spatial and temporal data;
• Policy and Regulation Analysis: Assessing policies, identifying key partners, and analysing barriers affecting the implementation of regenerative agriculture and land-water restoration; conducting extensive literature reviews and engaging with stakeholders for data collection and analysis;
• Knowledge Dissemination: Producing high-quality reports, policy briefs, and working papers to communicate research findings effectively, targeting a diverse audience to advocate for policy support and economic incentives for sustainable practices;
• Stakeholder Engagement: Organising and supporting government-led Restoration Dialogues to foster cross-sector collaborations and convergence of public funding for ecosystem services integration;

• Cross-Sector Collaboration: Working with IIHS s Environmental and Development team to incorporate ecosystem service models into food systems and scale up regenerative agriculture;
• Network Building: Establishing and maintaining relationships with key partners, including government bodies, research institutions, civil society, and the private sector to drive sustainable land-use practices;
• Communication Strategy: Assisting in developing communication materials, including web content, brochures, blogs, and op-eds, and publishing research findings in peer-reviewed journals; communicating research outcomes across different cultural and scientific disciplines;
• Capacity Building: Providing training and support to partners on tools and frameworks for ecosystem service assessment, emphasizing practical application in sustainable agriculture;
• Event Management: Coordinating and supporting events like workshops, seminars, and roundtables focused on nature-based solutions and water management, fostering mentorship and knowledge exchange.

• Providing support to other IIHS activities including academics, research, training, practice, operations and others;
• Participating in all activities of Institution-Building at IIHS; carrying out tasks as assigned by IIHS; and traveling on IIHS work within or outside the country as and when needed.

The consultant will report to the Dean School of Environment and Sustainability (SES) at IIHS and will be required to collaborate effectively with a diverse group of internal teams and external individuals/organizations, and students.

Person Specification

• A Ph.D. in Natural Resource Management, Environmental Science, Agroforestry, or related fields with a strong focus on hydrology or land-use change; or a Master s degree in Agro-forestry/Forestry with formal training in nature-based solutions to manage land and water quality;
• At least 3-5 years of relevant work experience (for PhDs) or 10 years of relevant experience (for candidates with a Master s degree); a few years of field experience in the monitoring and evaluation of donor-funded projects and or/development programs will be an advantage;
• Strong technical expertise including a deep understanding of landscape hydrology, climate change, agroforestry, and natural resource management; and experience with micro-meteorological instruments, data handling, and model development;
• Skills in GIS and Data Analysis, including proficiency in GIS tools (ArcGIS, QGIS) and spatial models (e.g., SWAT, HYDRUS), and strong statistical skills with software like R and SPSS;
• Demonstrated success in field research, setting up monitoring stations, and developing experimental methods for agro-hydrology; experience in working on large-scale, multi-stakeholder projects;
• Strong writing and presentation skills, with experience in developing policy papers and engaging with technical and non-technical audiences;
• The ability to adapt and/or develop experimental methods/concepts to support research in Agroforestry, Agro-hydrology;
• Proven ability in partnership development, with experience in engaging and coordinating with diverse stakeholders, including government agencies, NGOs, and the private sector;
• Willingness to conduct field visits and engage in data collection in rural and remote areas;
• Fluency in English and Kannada; knowledge of Hindi or other regional languages would be an added advantage.

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.

This position is based in IIHS Kengeri Campus, Bengaluru and may entail travel to other locations in India.

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