Environmental Expert

Consultant type: Consultant (Individual)

Contract Type: Special Service Agreement

Duration of service: 150 Working Days from July 2013 to December 2015

Work Location: Office of the MRC Secretariat in Vientiane, Lao PDR and Home base

Division/Section: Environment Programme, Environment Division

Key Responsibilities:  

• Develop criteria to: (i) identify the significance of pressures and impacts in riverine systems; and (ii) determine environmental objectives/thresholds (physico-chemical; chemical; biological) for the risk assessment;
• Support the TL in the development of the overall method for impact analysis and risk assessment;
• Develop an approach to validate the results of the risk assessment with monitoring data for water quality and aquatic ecosystem health;
• Under the steering of the MRCS’s EP staff, design the monitoring programme and network for the selected pilot basins in order to validate the results of the risk assessment;
• Support the selection of one or two LMB sub-basins for pilot-testing;
• Support trainings regarding the project’s method and all technical approaches towards capacity building;
• Support the TL in preparing the interim reports and the final report through writing and technical input to in a structured and concise way;
• Support the TL with technical contributions for workshops and national/regional consultations

Qualifications/Requirements: 

• At least 10 years professional international/regional experience and a higher degree in environmental sciences, water/natural resource management and/or ecology/hydrobiology;
• High-level knowledge and proven applied experience in relation to pressure/impact analysis and risk assessment in riverine systems;
• Very good applied experience in criteria setting to determine the significance of physico-chemical, chemical and hydro-morphological pressures as well as impacts on riverine systems;
• Very good knowledge on international best practices on impact analysis and risk assessment;
• Very good experience in designing riverine monitoring networks and programmes to assess water status/water quality, aquatic ecosystem health and impacts from water uses taking into account biological, physico-chemical, and chemical parameters;
• Good experience with the design of transboundary/international monitoring programmes including quality assurance aspects;
• Familiarity with the Mekong monitoring programmes and components;
• Good knowledge with the MRC Procedures and Technical Guidelines on Water Quality;
• Experience in training and capacity building in particular as demands of this project;
• Proven experience of working within multi-disciplinary teams and the ability to get things done in a complex technical, organisational, and international environment;
• Demonstrated ability to write technical reports which can be readily understood by decision makers and the general public;
• Excellent written and oral communication skills in English;
• Familiarity with working in the LMB region, including knowledge on its fisheries and roles and activities of the Mekong River Commission.

Application procedures:

The application should include (i) a cover letter outlining clearly how the candidate meets the requirements of the position, (ii) a detailed CV, and (iii) MRC Personal History Form and (iv) Financial Proposal. The position title must be indicated in the cover letter.

Closing date for applications:

12 July 2013

The Term of Reference can be downloaded from the download section below. Qualified female candidates are encouraged to apply. Only short-listed candidates will be notified.

The application should be sent to:

Mekong River Commission
Office of the Secretariat in Vientiane (OSV)
P.O. Box 6101, 184 Fa Ngoum Road
Ban Sithane Neua, Sikhottabong District,
Vientiane 01000, Lao PDR.
Tel: (856) 21 263 263
Email: mrcs@mrcmekong.org

Downloads

Term of Reference (TOR)

MRC Personal History Form