Hydrologist CST II, Juba, South Sudan

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WHY JOIN WFP? 

• WFP is a 2020 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate.

• WFP offers a highly inclusive, diverse, and multicultural working environment.

• WFP invests in the personal & professional development of its employees through a range of training, accreditation, coaching, mentorship, and other programs as well as through internal mobility opportunities.

• A career path in WFP provides an exciting opportunity to work across the various country, regional and global offices around the world, and with passionate colleagues who work tirelessly to ensure that effective humanitarian assistance reaches millions of people across the globe.

• We offer an attractive compensation package (please refer to the Terms and Conditions section of this vacancy announcement).

JOB TITLE:  Hydrologist

TYPE OF CONTRACT: International Consultant Level II (CST- ll)

UNIT/DIVISION: Engineering Unit (Cross-Functional) / South Sudan Country Office

DUTY STATION (City, Country): Juba, South Sudan

DURATION: 11 Months (renewable subject to performance and funding availability)                                                                                             

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE OF THE ASSIGNMENT

Country Context:  

South Sudan presents one of the most logistically challenging operational contexts in the world, characterised by severe infrastructure gaps, demographic constraints, ongoing insecurity, and a highly seasonal climate. Roads and other basic infrastructure are inadequate for the delivery of humanitarian cargo and are heavily affected by seasonality, with the rainy season (May to November) rendering nearly 70 percent of the country inaccessible by road. Over several consecutive years, large-scale flooding has ravaged road networks, submerged docking ports, inundated communities and assets, and repeatedly forced WFP to adapt its modes of transport to sustain operations. Water — its excess, its movement, and its variability — is therefore a defining factor across almost every dimension of WFP’s work in the country.

WFP South Sudan – A Cross-Functional Mandate:

The Engineering Unit within WFP South Sudan implements and manages a diverse portfolio of infrastructure projects in support of humanitarian operations and community resilience. The portfolio spans roads, bridges, airstrips, flood-protection structures (dykes and embankments), drainage systems, ports and river-transport infrastructure, warehouses, offices, accommodation facilities, water supply and sanitation systems, and other operational assets.

These engineering assets exist to serve a wider operation, and flood and water-related risk cuts horizontally across the entire Country Office. Functional roads, airstrips, ports, and warehouses enable the Supply Chain and Logistics functions to pre-position food, open and maintain access corridors, and sustain river and road transport to the most remote areas — particularly during the rains, when access deteriorates rapidly. The Management Services function depends on safe, well-sited, and flood-protected offices, accommodation, and field hubs for staff welfare and operational continuity. Programme and climate-finance teams require sound hydrological and climate-risk evidence to design resilient interventions, mobilise adaptation financing (including instruments such as the Green Climate Fund), and engage Government on shared water and disaster-risk priorities.

Given the scale and recurrence of flood-related risk, and the way it affects all of these functions, WFP South Sudan seeks to engage a qualified Hydrologist to provide a single, authoritative source of hydrological, hydraulic, flood-risk, and climate-resilience expertise that can be deployed flexibly wherever it is needed. The role is deliberately cross-functional: it is hosted within the Engineering Unit for technical coherence but supports Engineering, Supply Chain and Logistics, Management Services, and Programme / Climate Finance, as well as Government and inter-agency engagement.

Background and Purpose of the Assignment  

The Hydrologist will provide hydrological and hydraulic expertise across the WFP South Sudan operation — supporting the planning, assessment, design, implementation, monitoring, and sustainable operation and maintenance of infrastructure and access assets, strengthening flood-risk management and climate adaptation, and serving as a technical focal point for engagement with the Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation and other relevant Government bodies.

Working under the technical direction of the Head of Engineering and in close collaboration with the Supply Chain and Logistics, Logistics Cluster, UNHAS, Management Services, and Programme functions, the incumbent will deliver clear, documented technical assessments, modelling outputs, and mapping on request to support assessments, implementation, and monitoring across units, and will provide authoritative advice during project conception, implementation, operation, and maintenance.

The Hydrologist will, where the works require, spend a significant proportion of time (up to approximately 75%) in field locations across South Sudan, including flood-prone and remote areas.

REPORTING LINE

The Hydrologist reports to the Head of Engineering and works closely with engineering staff, the Supply Chain and Logistics, Logistics Cluster, UNHAS, Management Services, Programme functions, government counterparts, consultants, contractors, UN agencies (including UNMISS), and development partners.

Key Accountabilities (not all-inclusive)

• Hydrological Assessments: Undertake hydrological studies for roads, bridges, airport/airstrips, ports, dykes, drainage systems, river ways, warehouses, and other infrastructure; analyse rainfall, runoff, river flow, flood frequency, catchment characteristics, and watershed conditions; determine design floods and return periods; and assess the impacts of climate variability and change on assets and surrounding environments.
• Hydraulic Analysis and Design: Conduct hydraulic modelling of rivers, channels, culverts, drainage structures, floodways, and flood-protection systems; review and validate hydraulic designs prepared by consultants and contractors; recommend appropriate drainage and flood-mitigation measures; and assess river morphology, erosion, sediment transport, and bank stability.
• Flood Risk Management, Mapping and Climate Resilience: Support flood-hazard mapping and flood-risk and vulnerability assessments; identify infrastructure, assets, and communities exposed to flooding; develop mitigation and adaptation measures, including nature-based and ecosystem-based solutions; and support emergency flood-response assessments and recovery planning.
• Support to the Engineering Unit: Review feasibility studies, engineering designs, technical specifications, BoQs, and tender documents from a hydrological and hydraulic perspective; evaluate contractor and consultant submissions; work with site teams to plan tailored responses to weather events such as flash floods; and support quality assurance and the design of climate-resilient infrastructure during construction, operation, and maintenance.
• Support to Supply Chain and Logistics: Assess flood and seasonal-access risks along priority logistics corridors and advise on the most effective methods of managing and controlling floodwater to keep critical access open; undertake condition assessments for clearing and maintaining river ways to support river-transport operations; and provide hydrological inputs to seasonal access planning, pre-positioning decisions, and logistics contingency planning.
• Support to Management Services and Field Facilities: Assess flood hazard and drainage conditions at offices, accommodation, field hubs, and warehouses; advise on safe siting, flood protection, and drainage to safeguard staff welfare, assets, and operational continuity; and identify exposed WFP facilities and recommend protective and business-continuity measures.
• Support to Programme, Climate Finance and Government Engagement: Provide hydrological and climate-risk evidence to programme targeting, resilience design, adaptation strategies, concept notes, and investment proposals, including support to climate-finance instruments such as the Green Climate Fund; act as technical focal point for the Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation and associated ministries; and liaise with UN agencies, the Logistics Cluster, government institutions, and contractors on hydrological matters.
• Supervision and Capacity Development of Hydrological Staff: Supervise and provide technical leadership to other hydrological staff, including national staff engaged through third-party service providers; assign, plan, and review their work and the quality of their outputs; and systematically develop their technical capacity through mentoring, on-the-job coaching, structured training, and performance management.
• Data Management, Capacity Strengthening and Field Missions: Collect, analyse, and manage hydrological and meteorological data and develop databases, maps, and analytical outputs using GIS, remote sensing, and modelling tools; mentor WFP engineers and Government counterparts and deliver training and technical guidelines on hydrology, flood-risk management, and climate resilience; undertake frequent field missions to project and operational locations; and perform any other duties as assigned by the supervisor and line managers.

DELIVERABLES

• Hydrological and hydraulic assessment reports.
• Flood risk and vulnerability assessments.
• Hydraulic modelling outputs and design recommendations.
• Climate resilience assessments for infrastructure projects.
• Technical reviews of designs and contractor/consultant submissions.
• GIS maps and hydrological databases.
• Monthly progress reports and mission reports.
• Capacity-building materials and training sessions.

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE REQUIRED

Education:

Advanced University Degree (Master’s level) in Hydrology, Water Resources Engineering, Hydraulic Engineering, Civil or Environmental Engineering, Earth Sciences, or a closely related field; or a First University Degree with additional years of relevant experience and/or professional training.

Experience:

For master’s degree holders: a minimum of Seven (7) years of progressively responsible professional experience in hydrology, hydraulics, water resources engineering, or related fields. For first-degree holders: a minimum of Nine (9) years of the above experience is required.

• Demonstrated expertise in hydrological and hydraulic studies of river basins, flood assessment, flood modelling, and flood mitigation.
• Proven experience supporting road, airport/airstrip, bridge, dyke, drainage, river-engineering, port, and water-infrastructure projects.
• Knowledge of stormwater and watershed management and of climate-resilient infrastructure design.
• Experience integrating hydrological inputs across engineering, logistics and access, field facilities, and programme or resilience work.
• Experience in humanitarian, development, government, or international organization contexts is highly desirable.
• Experience in remote, flood-prone, or post-conflict environments is an advantage; familiarity with the South Sudan or East Africa context is an asset.
• Registration as a professional Engineer, Hydrologist, or Natural Scientist with a recognized national or regional regulatory body is highly desirable.

Knowledge & Skills:

• Strong knowledge of hydrological and hydraulic principles, design floods, and return-period analysis.
• Proficiency in hydrological and hydraulic modelling software such as HEC-HMS, HEC-RAS, SWMM, MIKE, or equivalent.
• Proficiency in GIS and remote sensing applications (ArcGIS, QGIS) and in Civil 3D / AutoCAD or equivalent.
• Understanding of climate adaptation and resilience frameworks and of international engineering standards and best practices.
• Strong analytical, communication, technical report-writing, and presentation skills.
• Ability to work independently and within a multi-disciplinary team; able to multitask and prioritise workload to meet deadlines.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Project).

Languages:

Fluency in oral and written English is required. Knowledge of Arabic or local South Sudanese languages is an advantage.

Remark:

The recruitment process may serve as a roster for the same or lower grade level positions at different duty stations subject to future operational needs.

Female candidates are highly encouraged to apply.

DESIRABLE EXPERIENCE FOR WFP SOUTH SUDAN

Experience in:

• Dyke rehabilitation and flood protection systems.
• River training and erosion control works.
• Road drainage and climate-resilient transport infrastructure.
• Port and river-transport infrastructure.
• Community-based climate adaptation projects.
• Humanitarian logistics access infrastructure.
• Nature-based flood mitigation and watershed management approaches.

EXPECTED OUTCOME

The Hydrologist will strengthen WFP South Sudan’s capacity to design, implement, and sustain climate-resilient infrastructure and access assets; reduce flood-related risks to operations, facilities, and communities; improve and safeguard humanitarian access; and support long-term adaptation and resilience objectives across the Engineering, Supply Chain and Logistics, Management Services, and Programme functions of the Country Office.

REMARKS: This VA will also be utilized to generate a roster for the future potential consultancy assignments in other duty stations within South Sudan.

Female candidates are highly encouraged to apply.

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REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION

WFP is committed to supporting individuals with disabilities by providing reasonable accommodations throughout the recruitment process. If you require a reasonable accommodation, please contact:  global.inclusion@wfp.org

NO FEE DISCLAIMER

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REMINDERS BEFORE YOU SUBMIT YOUR APPLICATION

• All applications must be submitted exclusively through our online recruiting system. We do not consider CVs or applications sent by email, LinkedIn, or any other channel.

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• If you experience technical issues while submitting your application, you may contact us at global.hrerecruitment@wfp.org. Please note that this email is only for technical issues with an application - unsolicited applications or documents sent to this inbox will not receive a reply.

• At the application stage, the only required documents are your CV and Cover Letter. Additional documents (passport, certificates, recommendation letters, etc.) may be requested later in the process.

• Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and invited to proceed to the next stage of the recruitment process.

All employment decisions are made on the basis of organizational needs, job requirements, merit, and individual qualifications. WFP is committed to providing an inclusive work environment free of sexual exploitation and abuse, all forms of discrimination, any kind of harassment, sexual harassment, and abuse of authority. Therefore, all selected candidates will undergo rigorous reference and background checks.

No appointment under any kind of contract will be offered to members of the UN Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ), International Civil Service Commission (ICSC), FAO Finance Committee, WFP External Auditor, WFP Audit Committee, Joint Inspection Unit (JIU) and other similar bodies within the United Nations system with oversight responsibilities over WFP, both during their service and within three years of ceasing that service.