Groundwater Relief is seeking an experienced geotechnical engineer to deploy to two counties in South Sudan for a 4 week period between February 2026 and March 2026. The individual will be supporting the International Organization for Migration to review the implementation of Arup design plans for flood dyke (embankment) construction.
The International Organization for Migration (IOM), as part of the Enhancing Community Resilience and Local Governance Project (ECRP-II), is implementing flood risk reduction infrastructure in South Sudan. This includes the construction of resilient dykes to protect vulnerable communities from recurring floods, along with other infrastructure such as raised road crossings and culverts. The project aims to improve existing emergency dyke practices by introducing robust engineering approaches adapted to local constraints.
The purpose of the role is to undertake a review of the implementation practices and quality of the flood dyke (embankment) construction being undertaken. In reference to the design guidance documentation and drawings, the 4-week role will allow the earthworks specialist to undertake a productive audit and review of quality control of the dyke construction in challenging environments. The role requires travel to two rural locations (either Kodoc, Rubkona, Twic East - TBC) within South Sudan together with the GWR Project Coordinator.
The role will involve working closely with Arup, a subconsultant to GWR, who have prepared the design documentation. A collaborative approach is expected with the IOM Disaster Risk Management team and site engineers who are overseeing the construction.
The site visits will be timed close to the start of construction, so that any corrective actions can be identified and applied during completion of the works.
The site visits are intended to allow the Earthworks Construction Specialist to review how effectively the construction team are implementing the design guidance documentation to ensure long term resilience of the dykes. Review will include, but not limited to:
Erosion control measures such as vetiver grass planting.
The IOM construction teams are expected to carefully document their construction approach and the relevant testing to ensure conformance with the Basis of Design documents. The Earthworks Construction Specialist is expected to review this documentation and site procedures and where necessary, collaborate with and assist the local construction teams to develop effective quality control procedures such as
The successful candidate is expected to be an excellent communicator. Daily check-ins will be arranged with the Arup Design Team and a daily observation report will be required. The Earthworks Construction Specialist must be able to understand the requirements of the technical reports and drawings as well as technical instructions provided by the design engineering team. There is expected to be an element of capacity building such as ‘on-the-job’ training of IOM’s site teams and contractors on best practices for compaction, moisture conditioning, and erosion prevention.
Complete a construction quality report for both sites at the end of the 4 week duration.
Please email, putting P207 Earthworks Specialist in the subject line, your CV and expression of interest to hr@groundwater-relief.org by 09:00 am GMT, Monday 22nd December 2025.
Your application should consist of a covering letter, which includes a personal statement detailing why you are suitable for this position with reference to the role and essential experience (no longer than 2 pages), your CV, and the details of two referees. The referees will only be contacted if you are selected for the position.
It is envisaged that interviews will be held w/c 5th January 2026.
If you have any questions about the role, please contact hr@groundwater-relief.org.