WRI India Careers

Description

Program Manager - Mapping and Monitoring, Sustainable Landscapes and Restoration

Who we are and what we do?

WRI India, an independent charity legally registered as the India Resources Trust, provides objective information and practical proposals to foster environmentally sound and socially equitable development. WRI India’s mission is to move human society to live in ways that protect Earth’s environment and its capacity to provide for the needs and aspirations of current and future generations. Through research, analysis, and recommendations, WRI India puts ideas into action to build transformative solutions to protect the earth, promote livelihoods, and enhance human well-being.
We are inspired by and associated with World Resources Institute (WRI), a global research organization. Currently over 150 researchers are working with WRI India in our offices at Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru.

Program Overview for Sustainable Landscape and Restoration:

WRI India’s Sustainable Landscapes and Restoration (SLR) program aims to inform India’s just transition towards sustainable and resilient food and land use systems focusing on developing interdisciplinary nature-based solutions like landscape restoration, sustainable agriculture to mitigate climate impacts, enhance jobs and livelihoods and improve nutritional security. To catalyze systems change with a focus on circular food systems in India, we also focus on developing equitable strategies to reduce food loss and waste and mitigate climate impacts.

With broader systems change and food systems perspective, we work with diverse stakeholders like governments, businesses, civil society partners and farmer producer organizations to inform and develop land use strategies based on robust evidence and analysis to build the resilience of local communities to mitigate climate impacts, bridge capacity gaps, monitor progress, and inform a pathway to building a restoration economy for people, nature, and climate.

About your role:

WRI India’s Sustainable Landscapes and Restoration program aims to protect, maintain and restore landscapes to secure the livelihoods of 700 million people directly dependent on forests and agriculture and strengthen India’s environmental well-being. As part of this program, WRI India conducts various studies using the latest remote sensing data and derived products, GIS analysis, & contemporary techniques to monitor forest and tree cover, agriculture and water resources in multiple Indian landscapes.

WRI India is looking to recruit a manager with an advanced degree in remote sensing and GIS and at least seven years of full-time, relevant post-study work experience to support the data collection, geospatial analysis, monitoring framework developments, and report and technical note writing. The position holder’s principal responsibilities will include supporting and strengthening the spatial research aspects in the ongoing workstreams to enable the building of strong cross-sectoral networks for implementing restoration interventions and developing monitoring and evaluating systems. The candidate is expected to bring research and communication skills and be comfortable with interdisciplinary, inter-programmatic, geographically dispersed teams. The ideal candidate must have experience managing geospatial components of projects, handling diverse satellite data and products, performing advanced geospatial analysis, including machine learning/ deep learning, and writing communication products. The position is most suited to an individual willing to take on the challenge of a new, fast-growing, and developing work program. Please note that the position holder must be willing to travel, including in remote areas with difficult terrain.

How your day will unfold:

Research: developing science-based solutions for planning, implementing, and monitoring restoration (75%)

• Strengthening the geospatial components of the ongoing projects through GIS (including climate) and remote sensing data and validating it through ground truthing and stakeholder inputs.
• Collating multiple geospatial data and conducting advanced analysis to develop potential restoration maps considering climate resilience and sustainability focusing on forest, agriculture and water resources.
• Strengthening ongoing restoration monitoring and evaluation research with ways that leverage emerging technology, global knowledge as well as WRI India’s assets and tools.
• Designing field data collection and geospatial analysis frameworks to monitor changes in vegetation cover (including measuring aboveground biomass/ carbon), agricultural practices, and water resources
• Performing advanced image analysis to map crop type and assess greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from agricultural fields
• Producing high-quality knowledge products (maps and technical notes, infographics, working papers, reports, issue briefs, and so on) and applications that encapsulate research findings and communicate these to diverse audiences for influencing restoration policy and practice.
• Supporting training and capacity building of stakeholders in using geospatial tools and apps.

Partnership building, communications, and program management (25%)

• Communicating research findings in diverse formats (blogs, policy briefs, presentations) suitable for stakeholders in government, private, and non-government sectors, focusing on influencing policy and practice.
• Support in convening multi-stakeholder consultative groups for extending the research and impact of WRI India’s analysis and solutions.
• Coordination and support for building and maintaining strong relationships with key stakeholders, including governments, research organizations, and universities, civil society organizations, for implementing and scaling landscape restoration in India.
• Project planning, monitoring and reporting
• Participating in the shaping of a collegial, quality-driven, and professional program of work.
• Conceptualizing and supporting quality proposals and concept notes that attract funding for implementing an integrated landscape approach

Qualifications and requirements we seek:

• Master's degree (or PhD) in remote sensing and GIS with its applications to work on forestry, restoration, land use planning and management in India.
• Demonstrated experience in applying GIS (including WebGIS) for land use planning and management, including through participatory and citizen science approaches.
• Knowledge of data science techniques and coding, R, Python, etc., essential
• At least seven years post-study full time research experience with optical and microwave satellite image analysis, time series analysis, simulating land surface/ crop growth models and their application in various studies related to forest, agriculture and water resources
• Demonstrated experience in working in interdisciplinary teams.
• Demonstrated skills in engaging in participatory approaches and high levels of comfort in working with scientific data and local knowledge.
• Knowledge of international development, global forestry, landscape restoration, and climate policy issues is necessary.
• Strong ability to communicate clearly and effectively in conversation and writing, including professional quality writing for policy and communications products. Fluency in spoken and written English is essential.
• Ability to take the initiative, brainstorm, think creatively, juggle multiple priorities, and work under pressure with tight deadlines. The candidate must be willing to try new approaches and ideas and be innovative.
• Ability to work cooperatively with others; to demonstrate flexibility in fulfilling.

Location: New Delhi, India 

Duration: The position is a one-year position (extendable based on performance and project requirements). The start date is as soon as possible.

List of Documents to be attached:

• Cover letter 
• Resume

Only shortlisted applicants will be contacted for interview purpose. 

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) @WRI India

WRI India values and promotes diversity, equity and inclusion across all areas of our work and workforce. Integrating these values into our actions fosters a progressive and collaborative culture and can also enhance our impact.  It is our responsibility to create a welcoming working environment for people of diverse cultures, backgrounds and experience to learn together. We are responsible for fostering a safe and inclusive workplace where questions, concerns and information about diversity, equity and inclusion are part of our ongoing dialogue and development.

Learn more about WRI India’s commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI). Click Here

People-centric to the core:

We keep our people at the centre of everything we do - from a welcoming work environment to benefits and a culture that encourages staff to stay healthy, happy, engaged, and growing.

Some of the non-monetary benefits that our staff get:

Health benefits: We cover health insurance for you and your loved ones for up to INR 8 lakhs

Term Insurance: Our term insurance policy covers life coverage of 50 lakhs per staff member

Employee Assistance program: Promoting mental well-being and supporting staff in achieving a satisfying work-life balance

Digital healthcare service: Online doctor consultations for your primary healthcare needs

Flexible work schedule:  Alternative work arrangements for all who are eligible by nature of their job

Learning culture: Workshops and trainings to empower staff, encourage new learning opportunities

Rest and Recharge weeks: We encourage staff to take time off to rest, rejuvenate, upskill, and pursue their interests.

Our leave policy: Avail personal time off at 36 per year, along with public holidays, maternity, paternity, and adoption leaves.

Click here to know more about our benefits Careers | WRI INDIA (wri-india.org)

Equal employment @WRI India

We believe in equal employment, it is our policy to recruit, and provide opportunities for advancement in all job classifications without regard to caste, religion, sex, age, marital status, sexual orientation, parental status, or disability.