Water Quality Specialist

1. WATER QUALITY SPECIALIST

Reporting to: Civil Engineer.

Purpose Of the Position

To lead water quality testing, Water Safety Planning (WSP), regulatory compliance, and water treatment capacity building across the 78 solar-powered piped water systems in Chipangali, Kasenengwa, Petauke, Sinda, Katete, and Kazungula Districts. The role designs and oversees a comprehensive water quality monitoring and treatment program – combining field sampling, laboratory analysis, and chlorination system oversight and works closely with the WaSH Technician, the Circuit Rider/Area Pump Minder (APM) network, and Water User Committees to safeguard public health outcomes, in support of the program’s target of 100% water quality compliance across the portfolio

Key Responsibilities

• Design and implement a comprehensive water quality monitoring and treatment program for the 78 water systems, integrating field sampling, laboratory analysis, and chlorination system oversight.
• Conduct field sampling and analysis, and coordinate and participate in the collection, interpretation, and evaluation of water quality data across all six project districts.
• Operate and troubleshoot analytical and field laboratory equipment; manage supply inventory and ongoing maintenance of water quality testing equipment.
• Lead development and implementation of Water Safety Plans (WSPs), residual chlorine monitoring, and incident response protocols for each of the 78 systems.
• Assess compliance with NWASCO drinking water quality standards and national regulations; monitor trends and patterns to flag potential risks to consumers.
• Coordinate with the WaSH Technician and Circuit Rider/Area Pump Minder (APM) network on chlorination system maintenance, follow-up water quality testing, and rapid response to water quality incidents.
• Visit sites of concern to identify potential sources of pollution or contamination and investigate complaints about drinking water quality.
• Train Water User Committees, operators, and Circuit Riders/APMs in household water treatment, safe water storage and handling, and chlorination system operation.
• Research and support implementation of appropriate off-grid water treatment solutions suited to the 78 systems in the portfolio.
• Maintain the portfolio’s water quality dataset, feeding results into the centralized RMU-enabled monitoring platform and the MEAL framework.
• Support the water-quality components of the Circuit Rider/APM induction curriculum and provide technical mentoring to APMs on water-quality-related fault detection.
• Contribute to quarterly portfolio performance reports and annual sustainability performance reviews on water quality compliance. Provide regular/monthly water quality reports to the Project Manager.
• Perform administrative duties as necessary to ensure timely completion of water quality monitoring workplans across the portfolio.

Qualifications, Skill and Experience

• Degree in Environmental Health, Chemistry, Water Quality Management, Hydrology, Chemistry, Biology, Microbiology, or a related field.
• 5+ years of experience in water quality testing, Water Safety Planning, or regulatory compliance, ideally within rural WASH or solar-powered piped water systems

Other Competencies

• Must be a committed Christian, with a personal relationship with Jesus Christ
• Advanced knowledge of water quality control and quality assurance principles and practices
• Advanced knowledge of environmental regulations, health & safety regulations, and NWASCO water industry standards.
• Knowledge of general principles and procedures of water treatment and distribution
• Experience working in or with water testing laboratories, and with field laboratory equipment and field sampling
• Proficiency in data science and Microsoft Excel for tracking water quality status and results across the portfolio
• Strong organizational skills, ability to multi-task and track water quality status and results across dozens of systems at once
• Valid driver's license and off-road driving experience
• High proficiency in English, both written and spoken; a local language of the project districts is an added advantage.

How to Apply

Apply using the following link: https://gozambiajobs.com/jobs/639652131-electrical-technician-water-quality-specialist-hr-admin-officer