Water Supply Engineering

Water Supply Engineering

The UNESCO-IHE Institute for Water Education offers post-graduate courses and PhD research programmes in Delft, The Netherlands, and carries out research and capacity building projects all over the world. The mission of UNESCO-IHE is to contribute to the education and training of professionals and to build the capacity of sector organisations, knowledge centres and other institutions active in the fields of water, the environment and infrastructure in developing countries and countries in transition. UNESCO-IHE has a permanent staff of 160, of which 90 are academic staff, while about 250 guest-lecturers from academia and industry contribute to the educational programme. Each year 750 participants (incl. about 200 new MSc students per year) from all over the world attend the various regular and short courses at UNESCO-IHE. About the Department of Urban Water and Sanitation The Department of Urban Water and Sanitation provides post-graduate education and training to professionals in the fields of water supply engineering and sanitary engineering. It carries out research in these fields and assists water and sanitation knowledge centres in the developing world in strengthening their post-graduate education and research capacities. The department has two scientific core groups: Water Supply Engineering and Sanitary Engineering, each headed by a professor. The Water Supply Engineering (WSE) core focuses its activities on MSc-level education and training in water supply engineering and on MSc- and PhD-level research on conventional and advanced water treatment, and water transport and distribution. The current research areas in the core include among others membrane filtration for water and wastewater treatment and reuse, groundwater treatment for removal of iron, manganese, arsenic, chromium and other heavy metals, low-cost water treatment systems using natural coagulants and adsorbents, natural systems for water treatment and wastewater reuse (bank filtration and soil aquifer treatment), and water transport and distribution (reliability analysis, modelling, and water losses). The Department of Urban Water and Sanitation wishes to appoint a: Professor of Water Supply Engineering m/f (1.0 FTE) Responsibilities The WSE core group concentrates on the application of scientific and engineering principles to assess, plan, design, implement and manage sustainable urban water supply systems (water quality, treatment, transport and distribution), from source to tap, with the aim of improving health and the quality of life, and protecting the environment. The professor in Water Supply Engineering gives overall academic leadership to the WSE core in its international education, research and capacity building activities. The core consists of seven staff members and about ten PhD fellows. There is a part time professor working in the core (0.2 fte) mainly focussing in the area of water transport and distribution. The professor is expected to have his main expertise in the field of water quality and treatment with an overall insight and understanding of the urban water supply system as a whole including water transport and distribution. Furthermore, the professor should be able to integrate water supply engineering into the wider technical, social, economic and environmental context of the urban water cycle. The professor will lead the WSE core to address the visibility of UNESCO-IHE in the field of water supply engineering. The core has been actively developing and profiling itself to be recognized, as a leader in development-relevant research and education in the field of water supply engineering, relevant for both developed and developing countries. In this context the professor should be part of an international network, for acquisition of education, research and capacity building projects. The candidate will: • initiate, guide and lead scientific research of the WSE core; • coordinate and quality control the scientific output of the WSE core; • supervise PhD and MSc research; • take overall responsibility for the quality and contents of the MSc programme specialisation in water supply engineering; • teach in the MSc programme, and in relevant short courses offered within the Institute and abroad; • develop proposals and acquire acquiring funding for education, research and capacity building activities; • Develop and establish close links with other institutions, universities and organisations working in the specified fields both worldwide and in the Netherlands. Requirements: • a PhD degree in civil, environmental, chemical engineering, or a related field; • reputed scientist with a strong background in research in the field of water quality, treatment and the production of drinking and industrial water, demonstrated through publications in international peer-reviewed journals and presentations at scientific conferences; • teaching and curriculum development experience at postgraduate level and good didactic qualities; • professional (engineering) work experience; experience in developing or transition countries is an attribute; • participation in teaching, research and/or capacity building projects in developing countries and countries in transition is an attribute • experience in the guidance of MSc and PhD-level researches • a well-established international network within the water supply sector, including academia and donor communities; • proven competency in project management and acquisition; • good communication and organisational skills; • affinity to working in a multidisciplinary and multicultural environment; • excellent command of the English language; • willingness to frequently travel and work abroad for short and medium term assignments. 0-Nomination: It is the intention that the successful candidate for the position at UNESCO-IHE will also acquire the position of Extraordinary Professor at the TUD in the Faculty of Civil Engineering and Geosciences. Conditions of employment: This position is, in principle, a permanent one, however, according to our Personnel Manual, the first contract is temporarily, and only after this period a permanent contract can be offered. The position is based in Delft, The Netherlands. A competitive salary is offered depending on qualifications and experience in accordance with the conditions of employment for Dutch Universities. The appointment implies entry into the Netherlands' Civil Service Pension Fund (ABP). Information and application: Additional information about the vacancy can be obtained from Mr. Jan Herman Koster, Head of Department (T +31-15-2151750 or E j.koster@unesco-ihe.org). Applications with curriculum vitae can be sent until 3 May 2009 (closing date) to UNESCO-IHE, attn. Personnel and Organisation Department (E vacancies@unesco-ihe.org), PO Box 3015, 2601 DA Delft, The Netherlands, stating: vacancy-number 09-300-03.