Scientist

You will work in the “Organizations and Climate” and the “Multifunctional blue-green design” groups at Eawag under Dr George Wainaina and Dr Lauren Cook to implement a work package for the Mainstreaming Nature-Based Solutions in Indian Cities project. You will be expected to investigate the systemic opportunities and barriers (e.g., stakeholder capacity, current infrastructure design, financing and procurement processes, etc.) to the implementation and scaling of nature-based solutions (NbS) in Chennai and Mumbai, India. They will provide actionable, evidence-based recommendations for implementing NbS in India, specifically sponge parks (large parks with multiple uses, including built-in water retention, trees, and recreation).

Eawag, the Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, is an internationally networked aquatic research institute within the ETH Domain (Swiss Federal Institutes of Technology). Eawag conducts research, education and expert consulting to achieve the dual goals of meeting direct human needs for water and maintaining the function and integrity of aquatic ecosystems. The Sanitation, Water, and Solid Waste for Development (Sandec) and the Urban Water Management (SWW) departments have a vacancy for a Scientist 70-80% (m/f/d).

• A PhD or master’s in urban planning, public policy, sustainability, development studies, or a related field

• 3-5 years of experience (PhD counted as experience but must be completed) in urban resilience, NbS, climate adaptation, or policy/institutional analysis

• Understanding of sponge cities, urban water management, ecosystem based adaptation, and their co benefits including stakeholder challenges and opportunities

• Ability to design interview guides and surveys; conduct key informant interviews with senior government officials and reconnaissance visits; analyze qualitative data

• Ability to produce clear, actionable reports for diverse audiences

• English fluency required. Working proficiency in Marathi is desirable

• An interdisciplinary background bridging social and environmental sciences

• Applied research in South Asia, ideally Chennai or Mumbai, and familiarity with urban governance in the two cities

• Familiarity with institutional capacity assessment frameworks (e.g., scorecards, maturity models) is an advantage

• Peer reviewed publications on NbS, sponge cities, or water governance