Robin Hicks ⋅ Naperville, IL BP ⋅ 41 years experience

As mentioned by others, adding to good advice already given. Not an NGO, but consider Ramboll, a global engineering, architecture and consultancy company. https://ramboll.com/careers

Lex Levin ⋅ Northborough, MA Lex Levin, LLC ⋅ 13 years experience

Hi Emily,

Devex is a website specializing in international development jobs, check it out.

Here's a useful article as well: https://donorbox.org/nonprofit-blog/nonprofits-fighting-global-water-crisis

Good luck,

Lex

Walt Overfield ⋅ Virginia Beach, VA United Healthcare ⋅ 15 years experience

Emily,
I would like to add my response to the great ideas you have already received.
Using a recruiter is one way to find a job but can limit your choices to organizations that have hired the recruiter.
One way to identify more opportunities is to network with an association that attracts hundreds of water treatment and purification professionals. Here are a few:
https://iwa-network.org/
https://www.watertechusa.com/Who-Are-Water-Professionals
https://www.awwa.org/About-Us
https://www.nacwa.org/
https://wqa.org/

You have already identified your mission: International Water Treatment and Purification.
For your next step, I would suggest you identify your role. Do you want to work in system design or installation or operation or sales? If you don't know, then spend your time researching and talking to professionals in the water industry. Every industry has job openings at every level so professionals will want to talk with you because you share their mission. Build up your network. For every professional you talk with, ask for the contact info for at least two other professionals.
I know you will be successful because the world needs clean water!

Good Luck,
Walt Overfield

Jeff Westling ⋅ Virginia Beach, VA Operation Blessing International ⋅ 3 years experience

Emily,

There are a lot of WASH positions within the Christian faith-based NGOs if your personal beliefs align with the organizations' purposes for providing humanitarian relief and development. Opportunities in this sector within Christian NGOs can be found through the Accord Network at https://accordnetwork.org/jobs/.

If you are looking in the non-Christian NGO field, there might be connections through the organizations (both faith-based and non-faith-based) that participate in the UNC WASH conference that occurs 24-28 October 2022 at UNC. Information can be found at: https://register.waterandhealthconference.com/.

Best wishes in your transition.
Jeff Westling
Captain, USCG (ret)
Chief of Staff
Operation Blessing International

Becky Ellis ⋅ Minneapolis, MN UMB Bank, n.a. ⋅ 15 years experience

Hello Emily,

As you search, you may want to focus on Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) programs that are facilitated by the UNHCR. From the UNHCR: https://www.unhcr.org/en-us/water-sanitation-and-hygiene.html?query=water.

NGOs like Alight, based out of Minneapolis, MN, work in some of the harshest environments. From Alight: https://wearealight.org/our-work/asili/.

You can also pare down your search by looking at Charity Navigator or GuideStar to find reputable NGOs within your field of interest.

I hope this helps!

Kind Regards,
Becky

Thomas Schott ⋅ Bradenton, FL IBM ⋅ 28 years experience

Emily,

One of the first places that I would go to answer your question is ImpactPool (https://www.impactpool.org/home). This site lists various NGO openings from many different organizations. It also provides coaching services that you can subscribe to (for a fee) and access to webinars and articles on finding NGO employment. I never signed up for these additional services, but this may be what you are looking for.

I had been searching for an International NGO assignment with a UN agency. What makes this process a lot of work is that many of these agencies have their own recruitment sites where you must enter the same information each time. I found it best to have all the type of information they typically request stored in an MS Word file so you can copy and paste into each agency recruitment system.

I've interviewed for about five positions so far and was offered one position in Geneva with the WHO (I had to decline due to personal reasons). It is a lot of work and takes patience waiting to get responses/decisions. Here are some sites in particular that I'd recommend:

1. Setup a profile on the UN HR Gateway (https://inspira.un.org/). Many of the agencies under the UN use this system for applications.
2. Setup a profile with the WHO (https://careers.who.int/careersection/ex/default.ftl). I had a lot of action from this organization.
3. I would recommend applying for other agencies once you see a particular position of interest in ImpactPool. I've ended up creating profiles in nine agency sites where I applied to positions.

Good luck,
Tom

Joe Engle ⋅ Indianapolis, IN Electrical/Software Eng. + MBA ⋅ 30 years experience

Israel, being in a desert, has always faced water issues. "To survive, policy and government incentives have contributed to the creation of a new and flourishing industry of water technologies." Their technologies are used in many countries where water is at a premium. You might see what interests you there.
Here is a link to get you started.
www.israel21c.org/israels-top-ten-water-technology-companies/

Thank you for your service!

Gary Rossi ⋅ Napa, CA The Coaches ⋅ 18 years experience

Network into a position by using Informational Interviews through LinkedIn - Find those individuals already in that space in LinkedIn and ask for informational interviews which many people do not use - also connect with me to have access to my network - https://www.linkedin.com/in/garyrossibaldrigecoach/

Richard Byrne ⋅ Hillsborough, NJ Intel Corporation ⋅ 53 years experience

Commercial job search "Water Technician" location unspecified. (3951 jobs)
https://www.indeed.com/jobs?q=Water+Technician&l=&vjk=ee7bb838e37ca829

"Water Technician NGO" (3 jobs)
https://www.indeed.com/jobs?q=Water+Technician+NGO&l=&vjk=e0a4411b54f36ad4

https://www.irishjobs.ie/ShowResults.aspx?Keywords=water+technician&autosuggestEndpoint=%2Fautosuggest&Location=0&Category=&Recruiter=Company&Recruiter=Agency&btnSubmit=Search

F.Gov 191 jons
https://www.usajobs.gov/Search/Results?k=water%20technician

nikolas mitseff ⋅ Barnesville, NC U.S. Army, Specialist ⋅ 3 years served

Hi There,

For international development roles, https://reliefweb.int/jobs is a great resource.
Oxfam International, Charity Water, UNHCR, Unicef, are lead subcontracted counterparts for USAID WASH projects. On that note, another great resource is looking for entry-level direct hire positions from USAID sub-contracting agencies. Irex, john snow inc, RTI.

Best of luck.

FRANCIS TEPEDINO, ESQ. ⋅ San Diego, CA THE CONDOR GROUP ⋅ 30 years experience

Here is a thought.: How about getting involved in an NGO that directly helps the American Indian Tribes? This is a sector of our community and country that sorely needs help Our government's efforts over the recent years are shameful and a disaster and an NGO would bring direct and immediate help to those who most need it. Your prior dedication to the county will compliment the dedication and assistance to a group of most worthy people who, in the past, and until now, suffer greatly.

Francis J. Tepedino, Esq.