Project Assistant- Laboratory (WASH) Job Description Responsibilities Qualifications Required Skills Job info

Project Assistant- Laboratory (WASH) | IOM - International Organization for Migration

Project Assistant- Laboratory (WASH)

IOM - International Organization for Migration Ukhiya National GS-5, General Service - No need for Higher Education - Locally recruited position level Speaks English

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Summary by Impactpool

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) is seeking a Project Assistant for its Laboratory (WASH) in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh. This role involves managing laboratory operations related to drinking water and wastewater testing to ensure safety and quality for Rohingya refugees. The Project Assistant will support high-quality testing, monitoring, and management of laboratory operations, collaborating with IOM and implementing partner staff. The position requires a strong background in laboratory analysis and quality assurance, along with effective communication and coordination skills.

Candidate Requirements:

University degree in Biotechnology, Microbiology/Biochemistry or High School Diploma with relevant experience

Three years of experience in laboratory operations or five years practical experience

Knowledge of laboratory equipment and water/wastewater quality sampling techniques

Experience with international humanitarian organizations is an advantage

Fluency in English and Bangla; Chittagonian is a plus

Strong coordination and monitoring skills

Ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines

Job Description

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) in Bangladesh, through its WASH Unit, works to enhance the living conditions of Rohingya refugees in Cox’s Bazar by ensuring access to safe water, sanitation, and hygiene services. These interventions are designed to be sustainable, socially inclusive, and environmentally responsible.

Currently, IOM WASH manages seven camps in Ukhiya, focusing on the operation and maintenance of water and sanitation systems, provision of WASH -NFIs, and quality monitoring of interventions in line with WASH Sector standards and mechanisms.

To ensure the safety and quality of water supplied to the refugee population as well as the effluent released to the ground from DEWATS, IOM operates a drinking water and wastewater laboratory in Ukhiya for regular testing and analysis. The Project Assistant- Laboratory (WASH) will play a key role in managing laboratory operations, involving the drinking water quality testing, wastewater effluent testing, and appropriate technical follow-up to ensure the safety of water and environment for the targeted communities.

Under the overall supervision of the WASH Programme Manager and the direct supervision of the Senior Programme Associate – WASH, the Project Assistant-Laboratory, WASH) will be responsible for supporting the WASH Unit in conducting high-quality testing, monitoring and management of laboratory operations, and related technical tasks in the camps with both IOM and implementing partner staff.   

Responsibilities

1.    Conduct routine and simple biological, chemical, and physical tests on water from selected tube well, boreholes, and household samples routinely, and keep records.  2.    Conduct tests on recommended parameters of wastewater samples from DEWATS to monitor pathogen, biochemical components reduction and effluent quality.  3.     Participate in the development of a clear workplan in coordination with implementing partners (IP) and camp focal persons. Share water and effluent quality monitoring reports on weekly basis that include test results, narrative reports, and recommendations.  4.     Comply with and adhere to quality control / quality assurance (QC/QA), providing suggestions to improve the operating procedures.  5.     Facilitate refresher training on sample collection and corrective measures for implementing partners (IPs) staff. 6.     Coordinate and communicate with IPs and IOM colleagues. Identify and share challenges with the direct supervisor.  7.     Support the coordination with lab consultants to promote good laboratory practices, timely sample collection and analysis 8.    Analyse and interpret the faecal sludge (FS) effluent tests results highlighting incoherence and act accordingly. 9.    Demonstrate critical analysis, take initiative, and suggest solutions to improve the quality of testing, especially regarding the faecal sludge (FS) effluent parameters.  10.     Operates, calibrates, maintains and troubleshoots key lab equipment (such as incubators, autoclaves, spectrophotometers, turbidity meters) to ensure accuracy and compliance with quality assurance protocols. Ensure sufficient stock of reagents and other resources required for the operation of the testing laboratory and share this report with the supervisor once a month.  11.    Forecast the need of reagents and consumables and submit the procurement request in advance ensuring the lab operations without interruption.  12.    Keep close

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