Position Overview

WELL Labs is seeking a manager who can provide technical leadership, and lead curriculum design, field pilots, scientific methods, and quality assurance for the community hydrology programme, . The role requires strong hydrology expertise, comfort with field realities, and the ability to convert science into accessible tools and training for diverse groups.

Job Location: Bengaluru/Field sites across Karnataka

Type of Engagement: Full-time

Programme Context

Karnataka faces a critical gap in water management skills, from groundwater-dependent farmers and Gram Panchayats managing drinking water infrastructure, to technicians, consultants, and engineers designing local water systems. While India has invested heavily in irrigation, borewells, and household water supply, it has not built the corresponding human capacity required for sustainable operation and maintenance.

WELL Labs is working over the next 3–4 years to create a statewide pipeline of skilled water professionals across rural Karnataka, farm-level water managers, local water service providers, and consultants/engineers equipped with practical, scientific, and contextual expertise.

The Community Hydrology Manager will anchor the technical design, methods, training, and field execution of this initiative.

Responsibilities

1. Curriculum Design

• Lead creation of training curricula in:

  • farm-level water and soil management
  • irrigation scheduling and water budgeting
  • maintenance of local water systems—plumbing, pumps, borewells, canal structures
  • design and operation of village/town water supply networks, STPs, and watershed interventions
• Ensure all modules are scientifically robust, practical, and contextually appropriate.
2. Field Implementation & Quality Assurance (Phase 1)

• Anchor scientific and operational design of pilot training in Raichur, Chikkaballapur, and Greater Bengaluru.

• Conduct field audits, troubleshoot technical issues, and ensure high-quality data and instruction.

• Work closely with government partners (e.g., ACIWRM, KBJNL teams) to align methods with state and national standards.

3. Training & Capacity Building

• Conduct training sessions for:

  • farmers and water-user groups
  • local water service providers and rural/urban operators
  • consultants and engineers
• Produce manuals, videos, field guides, and practical toolkits.
• Mentor community hydrology training facilitators (Levels 1 and 2).
4. Hydrology & Water Systems Expertise
• Guide creation of water balance tools, aquifer profiles, soil-water-crop planning templates, and maintenance protocols.
• Lead use of digital tools for planning and decision support.
• Provide technical troubleshooting support across field sites pressure issues, borewell failures, leak detection, etc.
5. Government & Ecosystem Engagement
• Work with departments to integrate training into government skilling programmes.
• Support NSQF alignment and partnerships with skills missions and state institutions such as WALMI.
• Coordinate with ecosystem partners ( NRLM, CSR programmes, skilling organisations) to build pathways for trained professionals.
6. Research, Documentation & Learning
• Produce case studies, training evaluations, field insights, and implementation reports.
• Support development of evidence and learnings that inform Phase 2 scale-up.
• Identify opportunities for innovation in methods, low-cost tools, and pedagogy

Required Qualifications & Competencies

Education & Experience

1. Master’s degree in Hydrology, Water Resources, Hydrogeology, Environmental/Agricultural Engineering, or related field.
2. 3–5 years of experience in groundwater studies, irrigation management, watershed programmes, rural water systems, or related technical domains.

Technical Skills

1. Strong grounding in aquifers, hydrology, water balance, soil-water-crop interactions.
2. Experience with operations and maintenance of rural/urban water systems.

3. Familiarity with GIS/remote sensing is an advantage.
4. Ability to simplify complex science for diverse, non-technical audiences.

Behavioural Competencies

1. Strong facilitation and communication skills.
2. Ability to work with government line departments and rural communities.
3. Documentation and reporting proficiency.
4. Willingness to travel.
5. Language proficiency: Kannada/Telugu

What We Offer

The salary will be commensurate with the qualifications and experience.

We review applications on a rolling basis. The position will remain open till a suitable candidate is found.

Our recruitment and employment policies are inclusive. We respect both the spirit and letter of the laws of equal employment opportunity.