Hydrologist

About the Ethiopian Red Cross Society

The Ethiopian Red Cross Society (ERCS) was established in 1935 and is one of the oldest and largest humanitarian organizations in Ethiopia. ERCS provides services to communities affected by natural and manmade disasters through the provision of emergency responses, ambulance and first aid, family reunification, essential drugs, water and sanitation, and other humanitarian services. ERCS also runs disaster risk reduction programs with the aim of creating resilience households and communities. Currently the ERCS has a structure consisting of 12 Regional Offices, 34 Zonal Branches and 131 District/Woreda Branches, 599 Woreda Red Cross Committee and 5871 Kebele Red Cross committees.

ERCS also runs disaster risk reduction programs relating to food security, climate change adaptation, livelihood diversification, and institutional capacity building interventions, with the aim of creating resilience households and communities. ERCS works in partnership with the Ethiopian Government, International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent (IFRC), International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), partnering National Societies, members, volunteers and the communities we serve.

Details of the vacant position

• Job Title: – Hydrologist
• Reporting to: – W@HCA Coordinator at Regional levele and at HQ level
• Terms of employment: –Contract for one year (Renewable based on performance)
• Place of Work: Jigjiga, Somali Region, Ethiopia (with frequent field travel to project areas)
• Salary: – Negotiable

The Ethiopian Red Cross Society (ERCS) is implementing Water at the Heart of Climate Action (WHCA) Project and other Anticipatory Action related projects in the Somali Region of Ethiopia. These projects focus on anticipatory action and locally led adaptation to address water-related risks, including drought, floods, and cholera outbreaks. This role aims to strengthen early warning and early action (EWEA) systems and ensure community-driven climate adaptation strategies and actions are effectively designed and implemented in collaboration and coordination with the relevant government and non-government stakeholders in the Somali Region of Ethiopia (particularly The Somali Region Disaster Risk Management Office, Meteorological Office, Water Office, Health Office, Natural Resource Management Office, Agricultural Office and Social Affairs Office). In addition, these project are being implemented by putting communities at the center of all the actions to ensure ownership and sustainability.

Overall Purpose of the Position

Ethiopian Red Cross Society is seeking a Hydrologist for Water at the heart of Climate action project. The Hydrologist will provide technical leadership and hands-on hydrological expertise to support the design, implementation, and scaling of anticipatory and adaptive water interventions under the WHCA project in the Somali Region of Ethiopia. The role focuses on linking hydro-climatic risk information (floods and droughts) to early action and long-term climate-resilient water solutions, ensuring that water infrastructure, services, overall ecosystem and governance systems are resilient, risk-informed, and locally appropriate.

Technical Coordination

• ERCS Somali Region Branch Office in Gode and Regional Office in Jigjiga
• ERCS HQ (WASH, DRM, Climate Change Units)
• Government – Water Bureau, Natural Resource Management Office, Regional Meteorology.
• Community working groups and different water management committees

Key Responsibilities

1. Hydrological Risk Analysis & Climate Services for Anticipation

• Conduct hydrological assessments to understand flood and drought dynamics affecting water sources (boreholes, shallow wells, Birkads, river intakes) primarily in WHCA project areas and more.
• Support the development and refinement of Early Warning System (EWS) triggers for:
  • Drought (groundwater stress, declining recharge, prolonged dry spells)
  • Flooding (river overflow, flash floods, water source contamination)
• Translate satellite, forecast, and seasonal climate data into operational hydrological indicators usable by ERCS and communities.
• Contribute to anticipatory action protocols by defining hydrology-based thresholds linked to early actions (e.g., water source protection, emergency water supply, pre-emptive rehabilitation).

2. Climate-Resilient Water Infrastructure & Adaptation Design

• Lead hydrological inputs into the design and retrofitting of climate-resilient water infrastructure, including:
  • Flood-resilient boreholes and hand-pump systems
  • Drought-adaptive water supply options (groundwater recharge, strategic water storage, river intake water points and reservoirs)
  • Protection of water points from erosion, siltation, and contamination
• Support Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) approaches at local and catchment levels in the WHCA target areas and more in the region.
• Ensure that water interventions consider future climate scenarios, not only historical conditions.
• Advise on nature-based solutions (e.g., recharge zones, flood spreading structures) where feasible.

3. Linking Anticipation to Adaptation Pathways

• Support the development of anticipation-to-adaptation pathways for water systems, ensuring:
  • Short-term early actions reduce immediate risk
  • Medium-term investments strengthen system resilience
  • Long-term planning supports sustainable water security
• Document and systematize how early warning leads to early water action, feeding lessons into adaptation planning.
• Ensure coherence between humanitarian response, resilience building, and climate adaptation objectives under WHCA.

4. Community-Based Water Risk Management

• Support participatory water risk mapping with communities, including flood- and drought-prone water points.
• Strengthen community capacity to understand hydrological risks and act on early warnings.
• Work with WASH and community engagement teams to integrate local knowledge into hydrological assessments.
• Ensure that gender, protection, and inclusion considerations are reflected in water risk management.

5. Technical Quality Assurance & Knowledge Management

• Provide technical review and quality assurance for water-related designs, BoQs, and implementation plans.
• Develop technical guidelines, tools, and SOPs for climate-resilient water infrastructure and hydrology-informed programming.
• Support monitoring of hydrological performance indicators (water availability, seasonal reliability, flood impacts).
• Contribute to learning products, case studies, and evidence generation for WHCA at national and regional levels.
• Lead and supervise geological, geophysical, and hydrogeological surveys, groundwater potential studies, and site investigations.
• Analyse geophysical/hydrogeological data to determine aquifer yield, recharge potential, well design, casing, screening, drilling methodology, and pump requirements.
• · Supervise drilling operations, casing installation, well development, yield testing, water quality testing, commissioning, and hand-over.
• · Ensure proper documentation, database management, geological logs, site records, hydrogeological reports, and well-inventory systems.
• · Provide technical guidance, capacity building, and mentoring to staff in hydrogeological methods, data collection, drilling, installation, and maintenance.

6. Coordination, Partnerships & Advocacy

• Coordinate closely with internal ERCS units (WASH, Logistics, Procurement, Finance, HR, Administration) to ensure seamless project execution and auxiliary support to public authorities.
• Coordinate closely with:
• Government water and climate institutions at the zonal and regional levels.
• UN agencies and NGOs working on water and climate resilience in the region
• Research and academic institutions
• Represent ERCS in technical forums related to hydrology, EWS, and climate adaptation at the Zonal and Somali Region levels.
• Support advocacy for risk-informed water planning at regional level.
• Willingness to travel frequently to field/project sites across Ethiopia, including remote, rural, or emergency settings.
• Familiarity with donor-funded project cycles, RCRC humanitarian standards, and environmental/social safeguards.
• Unwavering commitment to the ERCS Code of Conduct, safeguarding policies, and the humanitarian principles of humanity, impartiality, neutrality, independence, voluntary service, unity, and universality.

Other

Deliverables (Indicative)

• Hydrological risk assessments for WHCA target areas
• Hydrology-based EWS indicators and trigger recommendations
• Climate-resilient water infrastructure design inputs
• Anticipation-to-adaptation pathway documentation
• Technical briefs and learning notes for WHCA

Required Qualifications

Education

• MSc or higher in Hydrology, Water Resources Engineering, Environmental Engineering, Climate Science, or related field. BSC with combined relevant experience would also be considered.

Experience

• Minimum 5–7 years of experience in hydrology and water resources management.
• Demonstrated experience in flood and drought risk analysis, preferably in arid and semi-arid contexts.
• Experience working with humanitarian, resilience, or climate adaptation programmes.
• Familiarity with Early Warning Systems and Anticipatory Action is a strong asset.
• Experience in Ethiopia or the Horn of Africa, especially Somali Region, is highly desirable.

Technical Skills

• Hydrological modelling and analysis (surface and groundwater).
• Use of remote sensing and climate data for water applications.
• Understanding of climate change impacts on water systems.
• Knowledge of WASH standards and climate-resilient design principles.
• Strong analytical, reporting, and visualization skills.

Soft Skills & Competencies

• Ability to translate technical information into operational decisions.
• Strong facilitation and communication skills for working with communities and non-technical staff.
• Cultural sensitivity and experience working in fragile and complex contexts.
• Strong coordination and teamwork skills.

Language

• Fluency in English and Somali required.
• Knowledge of Amharic is a strong advantage.