Scientific Project Manager 100% (m/f/d)

The WABES project (Water, Behavior Change and Environmental Sanitation) aims to improve access to water and sanitation in line with the SDC (Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation) Global Program Water Framework. This position as a WABES project manager for the MEWS group, will be focused on improved and equitable access to safely managed sanitation, considering circular economy principles. The key focus of our mandate is solutions for the management of non-sewered sanitation, or fecal sludge management, in dense urban areas. The main tasks are currently centered around: 

1. production of bio-based conditioners (i.e., coagulants and flocculants) from organic waste streams for improved dewatering, and; 
2. low-footprint treatment for removal of organic matter and nutrients, of the resulting liquid streams. 

Applied research is conducted collaboratively with research partners worldwide, currently with a focus in Sierra Leone, Uganda and Zambia. More information on the MEWS group can be found here.

Responsibilities:

• Coordinate and manage applied research on WABES research objectives
• Collect, manage and analyze quantitative data sets 
• Mentor students in experimental design, laboratory skills and data management 
• Develop and pursue new collaborations with research and implementation partners 
• Write policy briefs, guidelines and scientific articles 
• Prepare and present lectures and workshops on fecal sludge management 
• Manage budget, write operational and financial reports
• Contribute to the development of new funding proposals

Candidates for this position should have the following qualifications: 

• MSc in environmental, sanitary, or public health engineering 
• Relevant experience with sanitation, and sewered and non-sewered wastewater management 
• Experience with laboratory research (e.g. wastewater analysis, running reactors)
• Demonstrated quantitative data analysis skills (e.g., R, Python) 
• Strong organization and communication skills. The candidate must have proven ability to work collaboratively with international teams across diverse disciplines and to coordinate activities for multi-stakeholder projects 
• International work experience in low-income countries (e.g. internship) 
• Any additional knowledge of mechanical engineering, sensors, chemistry, or microbiology is a plus 
• Fluency in English is required, knowledge of other languages is a plus 

Position details
Timeline: Earliest starting date is 1 July 2025.
Duration: Current funding runs until 31 December 2026, with possibility of extension.
Location: This position is based at Eawag in Dübendorf, Switzerland, with intermittent international travel.

Eawag is a modern employer and offers an excellent working environment where staff can contribute their strengths, experience, and ways of thinking. We promote gender equality and are committed to staff diversity and inclusion. The compatibility of career and family is of central importance to us. For more information about Eawag and our work conditions please consult www.eawag.ch and www.eawag.ch/en/aboutus/working/employment.

Applications must be submitted by 9 May 2025 and should include a cover letter describing your motivation, fit for the position and prior achievements (800 words maximum), a CV (two-page maximum), and contact information for two to three references.

For further information, please contact Dr Linda Strande or Nienke Andriessen.

We look forward to receiving your application. Please send it through this webpage, as any other way of applying will not be considered. A click on the button below will take you directly to the application form.