Vacancy title:
Rwanda Technical Energy Specialist

Jobs at:
Practical Action

Deadline of this Job:
5th December 2018

Duty Station:
Kigali, Rwanda

Summary
Date Posted: 23rd November 2018 , Base Salary: Not Disclosed , Employment Type: Full-Time

About the Company

JOB DETAILS:

The Humanitarian Engineering and Energy for Displacement (HEED) project is an innovative response to growing recognition of the need to improve access to energy, particularly renewable energy sources, for populations displaced by conflict and natural disasters. The focus of HEED is on the lived experiences of Congolese refugees living for protracted periods of time in three refugee camps in Rwanda (Nyabiheke, Gihembe and Kigeme) and internally displaced persons (IDPs) forced to leave their homes as a result of the 2015 earthquake in Nepal. These two countries provide very different environmental, policy and social contexts within which to research energy uses, needs and aspirations. To achieve our aims the project draws upon social science and engineering expertise to better understand energy needs and identify solutions which produce socio-technical systems that encourage community resilience and capacity building. Practical Action, the University of Coventry and Scene Connect are partnering together to deliver this programme. The Practical Action UK office will oversee the implementation of the overall programme including technical leadership.

This post is for a Rwanda Technical Energy Consultant for the delivery phase of the HEED project, from December 2018 to December 2019. As a senior consultant position, this role will develop technical analysis on access to sustainable energy for displaced persons. The role will require working with multiple sources of information and using technical and operational skills to deliver Practical Action’s technical inputs to the programme Rwanda and support the associated contracting processes led by Coventry University. The outputs produced by this role will be used to inform and influence the sustainable energy policies, priorities and operations of donors, host governments, national and international organisations. While this post is advertised for a one year period, there is the possibility of extension for another year until November 2020 depending on the project needs.

The role will focus on project development, technical advice, data collection, support for installation and delivery of energy access and sensing technologies, and quality assurance for the HEED interventions in Rwanda. This will include working with solar lanterns, clean cookstoves, solar street lighting and renewable mini-grids for three refugee camps. Specific inputs are likely to include:

• Analysis to support the technical implementation of solar lanterns, improved cookstoves, solar street lighting solutions and renewable mini-grid technologies in the specific context of each refugee camp (including host community), taking into account protection, financial, environmental, sustainability and livelihood considerations.
  
• Technical inputs for delivery in Rwanda, determining technical terms of reference, developing specifications for renewable energy products and services, and support for the design of contracting processes for an installation company.
  
• Data collection, technical advice and analysis for displaced people on energy access needs, including energy for households, community facilities, and institutions. Working closely with the Rwanda country office team, including the Rwanda technical energy specialist and field coordinators, to deliver the HEED interventions.
  
• Advising how institutional and community level information should be developed with key partners such as UNHCR and institutions within the refugee camps in Rwanda, such as the Ministry in charge of Emergency Management and the Ministry of Infrastructure, and implementing partners, to ensure energy programmes are well balanced and integrated at all levels.
  
• Analysis of innovative financing, community ownership, delivery options, and state-of-the-art technical programme design elements, including working with sensors and remote monitoring technologies.
  
• Support for the qualitative research elements of the HEED programme, including interviewing project participants and beneficiaries, data collection with communities, and summarising findings in written reports.
  
• Leading the technical delivery of the HEED project with Practical Action Rwanda and Coventry University teams, including considerable travel within Rwanda and to the three refugee camps. Travel is estimated to be 12 weeks during the assignment in Rwanda, therefore, applicants from Rwanda or people based in Rwanda are encouraged.
  
• Specifically for the HEED project, the technical consultant will be expected to deliver the following activities for the HEED interventions:
  

Analysis and Research

• Assist with gathering operational and technical data to feed into the interventions for the three Rwanda camps, including talking with suppliers, installation companies, government, communities and local NGO partners.
  
• Analyse and evaluate designs for solar street lighting and mini-grid technologies including all types of photovoltaics in rural and refugee communities, for example including supporting the evaluation of tender documents.
  
• Input to the development of the HEED research, including defining to research questions, understanding the ethics and community perspectives on the programme, and working directly with sensing and quantitative data when required.
  
• Analysis of community participation models for each of the refugee camps. Develop community engagement plans and processes to ensure community participation and buy-in for the interventions, working closely with the Rwanda RE4R technical and field teams.
  
• Development of sustainability plans to ensure long term handover.
  

Design and Delivery

• Support Coventry University in the installation of energy sensing technologies and remote monitoring equipment to gather energy usage data.
  
• Support the delivery of the household technology interventions, for example by working directly with households for solar lanterns and cookstove interventions.
  
• Support the design and produce scope of works for street lighting, standalone and mini-grid interventions led by Coventry University, including technical specifications and detailed plans. For example, supporting inputs to the Coventry University contract with the mini-grid installation company.
  
• Support the Coventry University team in the testing, commissioning, and training for the installation, operation and maintenance (O&M) for the interventions.
  
• Support the Coventry University team in coordination and supervision of installation energy technologies (solar lanterns, solar street lights, solar mini-grids and clean cookstoves) and handover of the interventions.
  
• Supporting the ongoing technological requirements of the programme, for example replacing batteries and sensing technology equipment as necessary.
  
• Support engagement work with the beneficiary community and camp communities to ensure successful delivery of the interventions.
  

Data Collection and Outputs

• Data collection and support the qualitative research elements of the HEED programme, including interviewing project participants and beneficiaries, data collection with communities, and summarising findings in written reports.
  
• Produce written reports and outputs for the HEED programme on the installation, delivery, and community ownership models throughout the lifetime of the programme.
  
• Outputs: deliver high-quality technical data, analysis and reports on energy use in all three camps.
  
• Outputs: support delivery of high-quality information and supervise the installation of energy solutions and sensing technologies in the three Rwandan camp locations.
  

Required Skills and Experience

General Skills

• At least Masters’ degree in engineering, economics or other technical energy discipline. Preferably electrical engineering background and experience in solar technologies.
  
• Significant relevant experience, including experience in developing countries, and in a professional environment delivering results to clients. Preferred experience working in Rwanda.
  
• Proven programme design ability, including technical work on large-scale energy programmes and experience of working with complex energy technologies, including off-grid and decentralised renewable energy technologies.
  
• Strong analytical skills and the knowledge of energy metering, economic modelling and energy access technologies to be able to take these tools and use them to analyse data.
  
• Analytical and numerical skills, familiarity with the data collection and energy demand assessment processes and the ability to synthesize data, present results and draw meaningful conclusions.
  
• Confident in dealing with quantitative data from social and economic research in developing countries, including working with incomplete data sets.
  
• Proven high proficiency in Microsoft Excel and data analysis techniques.
  
• Excellent communication skills, including proven technical writing and presentation and communication skills.
  
• Fluency in written and spoken English essential.
  
• The applicant should be resident close to Rwanda and be able to travel to Practical Action’s offices in Kigali or undertake field work and data collection in the refugee camps and on site for at least four days a week.
  

Technical Skills and Experience

• Considerable experience in photovoltaics, testing and commissioning of solar systems including on grid/off grid systems, and supervision and monitoring of solar works is preferred.
  
• Proven experience working with research and academic communities, including developing research questions and handling primary data collection.
  
• Experience data collecting and analysing information on solar technologies and sensing equipment.
  
• Experience of metering technologies, energy demand assessments, and quantitative data analysis is necessary.
  
• Understanding of delivery models and installation processes for solar street lighting, standalone solar systems, and off-grid mini-grid installations.
  
• Proven experience in developing contracts, determining technical terms of reference, developing specifications for renewable energy products and services, and technical design of tendering processes.
  

Key skills:

• Energy access data analysis, energy economic analysis and least-cost energy access planning.
  

Knowledge of:

• Decentralised energy solutions and energy access issues.
  
• Off-grid energy access technologies such as: solar PV, rural electrification and mini-grid distribution systems, battery systems, hybrid solar or diesel generation.
  
• Small business development in developing countries, pilot and scale up of energy enterprises, energy customers and private sector investment,
  
• Energy markets and market systems, enterprise models and value chain analysis is preferred.
  
• The range of financial solutions required for inclusive markets to grow, and the types of new models required to unlock private and public capital, flexible debt finance for potential energy enterprises would be an advantage.
  

Our Vision

Our vision is for a world where all people have access to the technologies that enable them to meet their basic needs and reach their potential, in a way that safeguards the planet today, and for future generations.

Our Beliefs

We believe that:

• Technology is a key enabler of human development; and that technological innovation has the power to propel us into a better world.
  
• All people should have access to, and a voice in, shaping the technologies that can improve their lives.
  
• A sustainable future for our planet requires a fundamental shift in the way technology is developed and used.
  

Our Mission

To develop and demonstrate practical, technology based solutions that enable women and men living in or vulnerable to poverty, to lead dignified lives. To partner with people whose lives are transformed by these efforts and with a range of other organisations, ensuring local ownership and that the solutions work in the longer term without us. To inspire change through the widespread adoption of sustainable technologies that work - socially, economically and environmentally, so that more people living in, or vulnerable to, poverty benefit from our learning.

Our Vision

Our vision is for a world where all people have access to the technologies that enable them to meet their basic needs and reach their potential, in a way that safeguards the planet today, and for future generations.

Our Beliefs

We believe that:

• Technology is a key enabler of human development; and that technological innovation has the power to propel us into a better world.
  
• All people should have access to, and a voice in, shaping the technologies that can improve their lives.
  
• A sustainable future for our planet requires a fundamental shift in the way technology is developed and used.
  

Our Mission

To develop and demonstrate practical, technology based solutions that enable women and men living in or vulnerable to poverty, to lead dignified lives. To partner with people whose lives are transformed by these efforts and with a range of other organisations, ensuring local ownership and that the solutions work in the longer term without us. To inspire change through the widespread adoption of sustainable technologies that work - socially, economically and environmentally, so that more people living in, or vulnerable to, poverty benefit from our learning.

Contractual Arrangements for Roles

The consultant will work as a technical expert within the RE4R project team to support the delivery of the project, and will be contracted on a consultancy basis (not as a Practical Action Consulting member of staff).

The consultant will be expected to participate in partnership, consortium and project meetings and work from Practical Action’s Rwanda office as needed and in the field or from home for the rest of the time. The balance between office, field-working and home-based working may be expected to vary depending on level of project activity and is negotiable.

A consultancy daily fee will be paid per month, depending on the consultant’s level of experience. Travel and other expenses associated with the assignment will be reimbursed.