The Water Emergency Relief Project Information
The World Bank (WB) has prepared the Water Emergency Relief Project (WERP), funded through the Afghanistan Relief Trust Fund (ARTF). The objective of WERP is to provide reliable, environmentally and financially sustainable solutions for agricultural irrigation in selected rural areas. The proposed approach through the provision of access to solar-powered water driven pumps for irrigation of agricultural land and crops. The project also aims to support the development of a market for provision of rural power services for irrigation. It is envisaged that the project will support between 35 to 45 sites with ten to fifteen implementation partners. Sites are between 5ha and 120ha. UNOPS also intends to yield improvement for farmers benefitting from irrigation water through support to improvement of lands, water management and provision of limited inputs (such as improved seeds). A key component of the project is expansion of the energy services to community livelihoods associated with the irrigation schemes, through supporting projects that, for example, provide cooling facilities, drying facilities, canning facilities, etc.
In addition to the solar-powered irrigation water supply component, the support to farmers and the expansion of energy services to livelihood activities, WERP will support about 100 check dams in rural areas and an estimated 40 checkdams in Kabul city.
The assignment
Assignment objective
The Hydraulic Structures Engineer will provide technical expertise in the design and development of hydraulic structures to support WERP activities. The role includes comprehensive analysis, site assessments, design calculations, technical documentation preparation, support to design review, construction documentation preparation, support to bid document preparation and technical support during construction phases. The engineer will ensure that all designs comply with UNOPS and World Bank regulations and environmental standards.
Key Responsibilities
The contractor will be allocated up to 15 sites, with some sites having more than one structure. For each structure, the Hydraulic Structures Engineer shall prepare and submit:
Deliverable 1a: Desktop assessment report
● Determine river flows and potential sediment loads, design issues and preliminary location identification for irrigation project areas (desktop assessment)
● Support watershed and catchment delineation efforts, and estimate reservoir volumes.
● Determine peak flows, water levels/stages and hydraulic conditions
● Estimate sediment and debris loads
● Desktop analysis of hydrological, geological, and topographical data.
Deliverable 1b: Site confirmation and preliminary assessment (including field visits)
● Conduct field site surveys, arrange for, or collect, and analyze hydrological, geological, and topographical data.
● Analyze river flow patterns, sediment loads, and seasonal variations to identify suitable intake locations.
● Arrange geotechnical testing
● Produce cross-sectional diagrams based on survey data
● Produce upstream and downstream profiles as required for flow and stage determination
● Collect information on river levels and behavior under various flow conditions.
Stage 2: Conceptual design
● Analyze hydrological, geological, and topographical data.
● Determine founding conditions and beating capacity
● Perform hydraulic calculations for storage, settlement, diversion and other aspects of check dam and intake works design
● Ensure designs comply with environmental regulations, legal frameworks, and water abstraction policies.
● Prepare topographic maps, hydrological and geological profiles, and cross-sections using Civil 3D.
● Prepare submission for design review 60% (conceptual design and design calculation)
Stage 3a: Detail design
● Develop detailed design drawings, technical specifications
● Prepare submission for design review 85% (Technical drawing and specifications)
Stage 3b: Design finalization
● Constructions drawings
● Bills of Quantities (BoQ) and cost estimates
● Review and validate structural integrity and hydraulic performance aspects of designed irrigation systems.
● Assist in preparing technical reports, progress documentation, and stakeholder presentations.
● Provide capacity building to the partners on how to maintain the structures.
● Build capacity in site engineers to Inspect and monitor of the works during implementation.
Qualifications and Experience
a. Education
● Advanced University Degree (Master's or equivalent) in Civil Engineering, Hydraulic Engineering, Agricultural engineering, or a related field is required.
● Certification or training in hydrological analysis, or technical drawing software is an asset.
b. Work experience
● Minimum of 2 years of progressively responsible experience in Hydraulic Structures and/or water infrastructure projects is required.
● A Bachelor's Degree in combination with 2 additional years of experience relevant to above duties and responsibilities may be accepted in lieu of the Master’s Degree.
● Proven experience in open channel hydraulic and river infrastructure design.
● Proven experience in use of Autocad.
● Experience with international standards (e.g., UNOPS, World Bank, or equivalent) and familiarity with environmental compliance in water sector projects is highly desirable.
● Experience working with Government, UN agencies, and NGOs is an advantage.
c. Languages
● Fluency in English (oral and written) is required.
● Knowledge of local languages (Pashto and Dari) is an asset.
Key Competencies
● High degree of personal initiative and willingness to accept wide responsibilities;
● Excellent interpersonal skills, ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships in a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic environment with sensitivity and respect for diversity;
● Excellent communication skills (spoken, written and presentational), including ability to present sensitive issues/positions and to write reports and technical decisions quantitatively justified;
● Proficiency in usage of computers, office software packages and advanced design management software.
● Excellent knowledge of both written and oral English is required
Integrity & Inclusion: Treats all individuals with respect; responds sensitively to differences and encourages others to do the same. Upholds organizational and ethical norms. Maintains high standards of trustworthiness. Role model for diversity and inclusion.
Leading Self & others: Acts as a positive role model contributing to the team spirit. Collaborates and supports the development of others. For people managers only: Acts as positive leadership role model, motivates, directs and inspires others to succeed, utilizing appropriate leadership styles
Partnering: Demonstrates understanding of the impact of one's own role on all partners and always puts the end beneficiary first. Builds and maintains strong external relationships and is a competent partner for others (if relevant to the role).
Result Orientation: Efficiently establishes an appropriate course of action for self and/or others to accomplish a goal. Actions lead to total task accomplishment through concern for quality in all areas. Sees opportunities and takes the initiative to act on them. Understands that responsible use of resources maximizes our impact on our beneficiaries.
Agility: Open to change and flexible in a fast paced environment. Effectively adapts one’ own approach to suit changing circumstances or requirements. Reflects on experiences and modifies own behavior. Performance is consistent, even under pressure. Always pursues continuous improvements.
Solution Focused: Evaluates data and courses of action to reach logical, pragmatic decisions. Takes an unbiased, rational approach with calculated risks. Applies innovation and creativity to problem-solving.
Effective Communication: Expresses ideas or facts in a clear, concise and open manner. Communication indicates a consideration for the feelings and needs of others. Actively listens and proactively shares knowledge. Handles conflict effectively, by overcoming differences of opinion and finding common ground.
