Deadline to Apply: Sunday, October 3rd 2010
Start Date: October, 2010
Location: Busia, Western Province; with flexibility to travel
About Innovations for Poverty Action
IPA is a non-profit research organization that creates and evaluates approaches to solving development problems and disseminates information about what works and what does not for policymakers, practitioners, investors and donors around the world.
About the WASH Benefits Project
Most of the burden of diarrheal disease is thought to be preventable with improvements in sanitation, water quality, and hygiene. However, in rural areas of low-income countries it is often prohibitively expensive to provide residents with networked sanitation and water treatment. IPA-K’s WASH Benefits project will measure the health gains made possible with simple tools for improving water, sanitation and hygiene in rural Kenyan households.
Description:
Description of Work:
The Sanitation Designer will lead the design and operations for simple tools to be used in the WASH Benefits Project. These tools should facilitate improved sanitation and hygiene, with a special focus on being easy to use, child-friendly, cost-effective, durable, and constructed out of locally-available materials to the extent possible. This position will primarily entail developing and building prototype models of sanitation and hygiene tools such as latrine lids and handwashing stations. As such, the sanitation designer will be responsible for systematically pilot-testing alternative designs both in a controlled setting and in household installations, incorporating feedback on proposed designs from end-users (mothers in rural Western and Nyanza provinces), and recommending procurement options for designs selected for use in the study. Other duties include, but are not limited to:
* Work with artisans or manufactures to set up larger-scale production of successful designs
* Monitoring and evaluating the installation and follow-up support of the sanitation and hygiene tools
* Capacity building and training of fundis/artisans
* Development of training materials/manuals
* Prepare progress reports
* Assist with drafting MOUs and contracts with manufacturers
Requirements:
Qualifications:
A Bachelor degree or diploma, with experience in simple cost-effective sanitation improvements for rural Kenya; Engineering degree preferred Computer literacy particularly in MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint Should be able to work with minimum supervision Creative and results-oriented Inter-personal, facilitation and communication skills Keen attention to detail, highly organized Knowledge of advantages and drawbacks of different materials (e.g. PVC piping, wood, metal) as components of a simple tool Registered engineer with the Engineers registration Board or Member of The Institute of Engineers of Kenya (IEK) or equivalent is an asset Preference will be given to candidates with at least three years hands on experience in design and implementation of sanitation facilities, preferably in a well established institution or organization involved in sanitation tools for rural areas
To Apply: Please send a cover letter, detailed CV, your scanned copy of certificates, 3 references, daytime phone number and email address. Please attach a one-page description, preferable with a photo, of a practical tool which you have designed, or assisted with, in the past. Please explain your role in the design, the purpose of the tool and how the design supports its maximum usage.
Applications can be submitted through email the subject line should read “Sanitation Designer”
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Contact Info: Innovations for Poverty Action- Kenya
Innovations for Poverty Action- Kenya
PO Box 373, Busia, 50400 Kenya
In-person at our Busia office
All applicants will be considered but only short listed candidates will be contacted.
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Rural Sanitation Engineering Designer
