PhD Access to Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) Infrastructure and Quality of Life among Peri-Urban Communities in Bangladesh

Would you like to contribute to climate-resilient livelihood options for peri-urban populations in Bangladesh? Are you a motivated researcher in environmental engineering with a focus on WASH? And, are you fluent in Bengali? Then this PhD position as part of the interdisciplinary FLASH project might be for you.

The problems of livelihoods in peri-urban areas are complex and multifaceted, shaped by a combination of environmental change, socio-economic factors, and the actions of various societal actors evolving through informal processes. To better address these challenges in an integrated way, FLASH (Facilitating Livelihood through Advancing Smart Habitats in Peri-Urban Bangladesh) employs a “Living Lab” approach that ensures co-creation and collective management to answer an overarching scientific question: "How to create sustainable, climate-resilient livelihood options for peri-urban populations in Bangladesh?”.

The project is divided into six interlinked scientific work packages (WP): natural hazards affecting peri-urban livelihoods, inclusive economic opportunities for non-migration, housing and physical infrastructure, WASH services and public health, co-governance for just climate adaptation, and livelihood systems model. This PhD vacancy is linked with WP4 on water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) services and public health. This is an interdisciplinary project embedded within a vibrant theme of climate, environment and health and contributes to the other work packages of the project.

FLASH is a NWO funded project led by Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET), Utrecht University (UU), Wageningen University and Research (WUR) and many other public-private organizations as contributing partners.

Your Job:
The PhD candidate will investigate the links between WASH infrastructure and public health and resilience of peri-urban communities of Khulna and Barisal in Bangladesh, particularly in the context of hydro-climatic hazards and man-made stressors. Your research will contribute to the broader understanding on how the availability, accessibility of WASH infrastructure impacts the overall quality of life among low-income peri-urban communities.

Your research should also contribute in selecting appropriate water and sanitation infrastructure that not only improves the overall livelihood conditions but facilitates resource recovery and safe reuse. You will use mixed-methods data collection fieldwork (quantitative and qualitative) related to health and WASH services followed by econometric and spatial analysis, and engaging with local communities and decision-makers.

Your PhD will be awarded from Wageningen University and you will become a member of the ‘Urban Systems Engineering (USE)’ research group at the department of ETE. You will be primarily supervised by Prof. Dr. Adriaan Mels (Promotor) and Dr. Kamonashish Haldar (Co-promotor & Daily Supervisor) with local supervision from Dr. Farzana Misha of BRAC JPGSPH, BRAC University.

You have a multidisciplinary background and the ability to connect the dots across diverse fields and can work independently and collaboratively. You have experience with both field research and analytical methods, and a passion for research that supports vulnerable communities and sustainable development.

You have:

• A completed Master’s degree (or equivalent) in one of the following or a relevant program from a recognized institute:
  
  • Environmental Engineering/ Water-Sanitation Engineering
  • Environmental Sciences with a focus on WASH
  • Water Resource Management/Engineering with Public Health/WASH focus;
• you have fluent communication (speaking, writing, reading) capability in Bengali;
• experience with qualitative research methods, including development of research guidelines, conducting Focus Group Discussions (FGDs), In-Depth Interviews (IDIs), and Key Informant Interviews (KIIs);
• strong skills in quantitative data collection and analysis, including designing and conducting surveys, and using statistical software such as SPSS, R, etc.;
• proficiency in spatial analysis tools such as ArcGIS/QGIS or willingness to learn;
• a demonstrated ability and willingness to spend a good amount of time in the case study sites of Khulna, Barisal to work with low-income communities;
• strong presentation/ communication skills, for both academic/non-academic audiences;
• excellent academic speaking and writing skills in English, demonstrated by recognized tests.

For this position your command of the English language is expected to be at C1 level. Sometimes it is necessary to submit an internationally recognised Certificate of Proficiency in the English Language. More information can be found here.

Desirable (not required):

• Experience with WASH infrastructure or public health service evaluations;
• familiarity with econometric methods or living lab experiments;
• affiliation with local institutions where the candidate can return after completing the PhD.

The position is a Sandwich PhD, meaning you will be based at the Environmental Technology (ETE) group at Wageningen University & Research and in Bangladesh at our partner institute BUET/BRAC University.
You will spend a total of 15 months in Wageningen, spread over three stays, within a total of 48 months.

The gross salary for the first year is € 3.059,- per month rising to € 3.881,- in the fourth year in according to the Collective Labour Agreements for Dutch Universities (CAO-NU) (scale P). This is based on a full-time working week of 38 hours.

The remaining months will be spent in Bangladesh at the partner institute (BUET/BRAC-U). You will receive a gross fellowship of €800 (subject to local tax/overhead costs) in accordance with the in-country standard.

Wageningen University & Research offers plenty of opportunities for growth and development, with a strong internal recruitment policy and excellent training programmes.

You will work on the greenest and most innovative campus in the Netherlands, in an international and open working environment. For 20 consecutive years, we have been voted the "best university" in the Netherlands! A place to be proud of.

Coming from abroad
Wageningen University & Research is the university and research centre for life sciences. The themes we deal with are relevant to everyone around the world and Wageningen, therefore, has a large international community and a lot to offer to international employees.

Because we expect you to work and live in the Netherlands our team of advisors on Dutch immigration procedures will help you with the visa application procedures for yourself and, if applicable, for your family.
Feeling welcome also has everything to do with being well informed. We can assist you with any additional advice and information about for example helping your partner to find a job, housing, or schooling. Finally, certain categories of international staff may be eligible for a tax exemption on a part of their salary during the first five years in the Netherlands.

The mission of Wageningen University & Research is ‘To explore the potential of nature to improve the quality of life’.

We pursue this mission through a synergistic approach between Wageningen University and Wageningen Research Foundation (applied research). Our research focuses on questions within the domains of food, living environment, and society. With approximately 30 locations, 7,700 staff members, 2,500 PhD candidates, and over 13,000 students, Wageningen University & Research is among the world’s leading knowledge institutions in its domain. The integral approach to challenges and the collaboration across various disciplines form the core of the unique Wageningen approach.

Read the 5 reasons why your future colleagues enjoy working at WUR.

We will recruit for the vacancy ourselves, so no employment agencies please. However, sharing in your network is appreciated.