Title: WASH Officer – Water Quality
Location: Dimma- Gambella Region
Employment Band-H2
Reports to: Team Leader – WASH
Start of Contract & Duration: 6 months
Posting date: June 19, 2019
INTRODUCTION
The Danish Refugee Council (DRC), an international non-governmental organization (NGO), has been providing relief and development services in the Horn of Africa since 1997. DRC promotes and supports solutions to the problems faced by refugees, internally displaced people (IDPs), and migrants. The organization has offices across the region, and has been operational in Ethiopia since 2009. With funding from bilateral and multilateral donors, DRC is currently implementing a range of activities across Ethiopia and Djibouti, including WASH and shelter provision, child and youth protection, gender based violence response, awareness-raising of migration risks, protection monitoring of migration routes, and livelihoods support for returning migrants or those at-risk of migration.
Overall purpose of the role: (1-2 sentences)
Under the direct supervision of the WASH Team Leader, The Water Quality officer is responsible for water treatment and monitoring of Free Residual Chlorine (FRC) to ensure the community is supplied with safe and clean water in accordance with the set standards. This officer is required to do water sampling and conduct physical chemical and microbial tests.
The water quality officer is responsible for evaluating and interpreting all water quality samples analysis results. Other responsibilities include preparing, reviewing and implementing water quality programs, including water quality monitoring and reporting, optimization of water treatment processes, water quality assurance practices around the water treatment plant.
RESPONSIBILITIES AND TASKS
Responsibilities: (in bullet points)
- Daily chlorination of water produced in the camp.
- Regularly maintain and operate chemical water treatment process.
- Ensure regular cleaning of water reservoirs (Treatment plant and the camp reservoirs).
- Inspection of water treatment systems on daily basis to ensure effective operations.
- Records daily information from water quality monitors.
- Ensures that chlorine solution is prepared in the required percentage and in the right quantities
- Monitor FRC (Free Residual Chlorine) levels at tap stands and households weekly.
- Carries out weekly assessment of FRC of each reticulating line tap stands and house hold levels aimed at maintaining UNHCR standard of 0.5 mg /l at every tap stand and 0.2 mg/l at house hold levels.
- Investigating any water quality related issues raised by daily information provided.
- Responsible for maintaining sample points and monitoring water quality equipment’s
- Responsible for good maintenance of water quality equipment’s, servicing and calibration on regular basis
- Share information on detected contamination at household level with Hygiene promotion Team and community to facilitate Jerri can cleaning.
- Liaise with Hygiene promoters and increase awareness on health benefits of good water quality, and handling through orientation sessions to refugee school children.
- Design and facilitate mass awareness campaigns during disease outbreaks in liaison with other stake holders.
- Develop training packages for community skill transfer on water quality practices.
- Reinforce behavior change at household level through case by case counseling on safe water practices.
- Disease morbidity surveillance on water related diseases in the camp.
- Train water quality monitors to perform water treatment tasks.
- Organize and implement training of trainers (TOT) on water quality practices.
- Promote public health awareness on water quality at the schools.
In this position, you will also be expected to demonstrate DRC’s five core competencies:
Striving for Excellence: Focusing on reaching results while ensuring an efficient process.
Collaborating: Involving relevant parties and encouraging feedback.
Taking the Lead: Taking ownership and initiative while aiming for innovation.
Communicating: Listening and speaking effectively and honestly.
Demonstrating Integrity: Acting in line with DRC’s vision and values.
Job Requirements
PERSONAL SPECIFICATIONS
- Experience and technical competencies: (include years of experience)
- Have technical background and knowledge in environmental health and demonstrated work experience in designing and implementing hygiene and sanitation programs;
- Knowledge and experience in proper excreta disposal, solid waste management;
- Excellent interpersonal, organizational and time management skills;
- Capable of training refugees and motivating community support;
- Ability to understand the cultural context of the community, Experience in participatory techniques and community mobilization;
- Positive and professional attitude, able to organize, maintain and prioritize work under pressure and able to work in an insecure environment;
- Excellent communication skill, preferably with the host community and IDPs
- Accountability & responsiveness within areas of responsibilities
- Report writing skills and computer skills in word processing and spreadsheets. Skills in technical drawings software (preferably AutoCAD) and project management software are desirable.
- Good interpersonal and communication skills
- Strong sense of security management and willingness to follow security guidelines and regulations
- Commitment to humanitarian principles and values and DRC’s mandate
- Commitment to concern equal opportunity and gender practices
Education:
BSC degree in environmental health science, environmental engineering, public health, water supply and sanitation or other related fields, with a minimum of 3 years field practical experience
Languages:
Excellent skills in speaking, reading and writing English.
Amharic (Overall fluency required)
More Information
- Job City Dimma, Gambela
