Environmental Systems Lead

Job Description

Job Title: Environmental Systems Lead (River Basin Hydrology & Biodiversity)
Organization: Climate Asia
Location: Delhi, India
Experience: 8 years

Notice Period: 15-30 Days

Type: Consultant-Full-time (Project-based-7 months)

About Climate Asia

At Climate Asia, we lead transformative climate action across the Global South, steering communities toward a future marked by equity and sustainability. Our work centers around three core pillars: advancing climate adaptation, empowering women's leadership in climate, and directing strategic finance to where it matters most.

We are equipping the next generation of climate professionals and empowering practitioners to lead with inventive, inclusive solutions that create lasting, systemic change.

Project Context:

The Yamuna Basin Challenge is a multi-stakeholder initiative aimed at the restoration, rejuvenation, and sustainable management of the Yamuna River Basin. The initiative supports interventions that conserve water, restore native biodiversity, address pollution, and introduce innovative nature-based solutions to improve the ecological health and water security of the basin. Projects are executed through community participation, institutional collaboration, and technology-enabled solutions.

Role Overview:

We are seeking an Environmental Systems Lead with deep expertise in river basin hydrology, watershed management, and ecosystem restoration. The ideal candidate will provide technical leadership in understanding, analyzing, and managing the hydrological and ecological dynamics of the Yamuna River Basin.

In this role, you will work closely with field teams, research institutions, community stakeholders, and policy actors to co-develop nature-based, scalable, and evidence-driven solutions. You should have a proven track record of leading large-scale, end-to-end projects, managing multi-disciplinary teams, and driving ambitious, systems-level outcomes.

The role requires a combination of technical depth and strategic oversight, including the ability to oversee complex environmental programs, balance competing priorities, and translate scientific insights into actionable implementation plans.

Key Responsibilities:

Technical Leadership

• Lead the hydrological and ecological assessment of targeted sites across the Yamuna Basin.

• Design and oversee the implementation of nature-based solutions (NbS) for soil and water conservation, wetland restoration, and catchment-level interventions.

• Evaluate the water budget of key sub-basins and design strategies to recharge groundwater, reduce runoff, and optimize seasonal flows.

• Provide expertise on invasive species management and restoration of native habitats to improve biodiversity outcomes.

• Ability to translate technical findings into actionable project reports and communicate recommendations to diverse stakeholders

Monitoring & Evaluation

• Develop and deploy scientific monitoring systems to track water quality, hydrological flows, and biodiversity indicators, including the use of IoT/sensor-based tools for hyperlocal data collection.

• Contribute to the development of KPIs and impact assessment frameworks to evaluate ecological and social outcomes.

• Collaborate with data scientists and GIS experts to build spatial-temporal models that monitor ecosystem health and water stress over time.

• Oversee project milestones, timelines, and deliverables, ensuring that monitoring efforts are aligned with broader program goals.

• Lead systematic tracking of progress and ensure transparent reporting to internal teams, funders, and external partners, supporting accountability and adaptive decision-making.

Community & Institutional Engagement

• Support the co-creation of watershed plans with local communities, CSOs, and panchayats, integrating traditional ecological knowledge into scientific approaches.

• Conduct participatory rural appraisals (PRAs) and facilitate training/workshops on water and biodiversity conservation practices tailored to local contexts.

• Build strategic partnerships with government departments, research institutions, and technical experts to scale and sustain on-ground interventions.

• Lead, mentor, and develop a cross-functional team to ensure high-quality, timely, and context-sensitive implementation of activities.

• Foster a collaborative and inclusive work environment, encouraging knowledge-sharing and joint problem-solving across disciplines and stakeholder groups.

Research & Innovation

• Identify, test, and validate water-saving agricultural technologies, sustainable irrigation techniques, and regenerative farming systems.

• Promote circular economy solutions for solid and liquid waste management to reduce pollutant load into the river.

• Lead applied research initiatives in collaboration with universities and innovation partners.
  
  

Required Qualifications & Experience:

• Master's or Ph.D. in Environmental Science, Hydrology, Water Resources Engineering, Ecology, or related disciplines.

• Minimum 8 years of experience in river basin or watershed management, ecological restoration, or related domains.

• Strong knowledge of groundwater-surface water interactions, wetland ecosystems, and biodiversity conservation frameworks.

• Technical Expertise: River basin hydrology, watershed management, ecosystem restoration, groundwater-surface water interactions, wetland ecology, and nature-based solutions

• Analytical & Modeling Tools: Proficient in environmental modeling software (e.g., SWAT, HEC-HMS, MIKE SHE), GIS platforms, and sensor-based monitoring systems

• Project & Team Management: Experienced in planning, budgeting, risk assessment, and delivering complex projects; strong in team leadership, staff development, and cross-functional coordination

• Stakeholder Engagement: Skilled in participatory approaches, building partnerships with communities, government bodies, and technical institutions

• Communication & Strategy: Strong written and verbal communication (English and Hindi), impact reporting, and aligning technical work with organizational vision and adaptive strategies