ATREE seeks highly motivated applicants to work in a multidisciplinary project that focuses on the restoration of a peri-urban lake in Bengaluru. Efforts to restore urban and peri-urban lakes are on the rise globally, yet many fail to achieve a healthy ecological status. This lake restoration project aims to investigate why these efforts often fall short, proposing that the missing piece is the consideration of spatial scales within watersheds, encompassing social, economic, and natural science factors crucial for biodiversity and ecosystem functionality. We aim to develop a new framework for assessing restoration success by connecting three key facets of lake ecosystems: water quality and hydrology at relevant scales, multi-group biodiversity, and ecosystem multifunctionality, including the social and economic dimensions of lake health. By applying this framework to restored lakes, we will examine how elements such as climate, vegetation, water quality, hydrology, and stakeholder interests influence local ecological outcomes.

Appointments and Emoluments: The initial appointment will be for two years, with a three-month probation period. Opportunity of renewal for a third year, subject to satisfactory progress. Salaries at ATREE are competitive and at par with other academic institutions in India. 

Location: ATREE office, Bangalore.

Water and society programme – The programme aims to work towards achieving a water-secure future for society through interdisciplinary knowledge generation and dissemination, policy engagement, capacity building, and partnerships for equitable and sustainable water management and democratic water governance. To advance the knowledge, we adopt an approach of integrated water resources management and acknowledge an intricate interplay between natural and human systems within complex waterscapes. Our strategy integrates diverse knowledge streams, particularly hydrology and water quality, encompassing surface water-groundwater interactions, political ecology, and science, technology, and society to analyse and address water-related issues by leveraging our expertise in geospatial tools and nature-based solutions.

About ATREE: The Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment (www.atree.org) is one of South Asia’s leading conservation and environmental research organisations. ATREE seeks to address pressing environmental challenges through interdisciplinary research, teaching and active engagement with civil society and policymakers. For information on ATREE’s Water and Society programme, see https://www.atree.org/programmes/water-and-society/

ATREE fosters autonomy, professional growth, diversity and gender equity at the workplace. Women and persons from underprivileged groups are especially encouraged to apply.