Eng. Jemere Yimer Desale

Professional Summary

Ethiopian water and infrastructure engineer with two master’s degrees and more than fifteen years of progressive professional experience in irrigation engineering, project planning and management, water supply, wastewater treatment, dam and irrigation projects, WASH infrastructure, construction supervision, and regulatory design review. He currently serves at the Ethiopian Construction Authority as Water and Energy Projects Design Regulatory Desk Head, where he reviews water supply, wastewater treatment, irrigation, dam, hydropower, wind, geothermal, and solar energy project designs, prepares standard bid documents, evaluates technical specifications and BoQs, and supports construction material unit rate approval. His professional background combines field engineering, WASH project implementation, rural water supply, groundwater drilling, water harvesting, irrigation technology promotion, infrastructure supervision, construction law and standards, environmental compliance, and project planning. He brings rare combined strength in technical water engineering and project management, making him a strong contributor to Ethiopia’s water infrastructure quality, regulatory systems, and climate-resilient development.

Key Expertise

Major Projects and Contributions

• Water and Energy Projects Design Regulatory Desk Head – Ethiopian Construction Authority
  Leads and supports regulatory review of water and energy project designs, including water supply, wastewater treatment plants, irrigation projects, dam projects, hydropower, wind, geothermal, and solar energy projects. His work includes annual physical and financial planning, team follow-up and coaching, report preparation, standard bid documents, technical specification and BoQ evaluation, and construction material unit rate review and approval.
• Water and Energy Projects Construction Supervision – Ethiopian Construction Authority
  Served as Water and Energy Projects Construction Supervisor Expert, reviewing designs for water supply, wastewater treatment plants, irrigation and dam projects, supervising water construction works, monitoring rehabilitation and maintenance projects, and following construction activities according to codes, standards, quality, time, and budget requirements.
• Construction Law, Code and Standards Preparation and Implementation
  Worked on construction law preparation and implementation follow-up, including drafting construction laws, preparing construction follow-up directives, manuals, and Terms of Reference, revising construction regulations and directives, assessing construction gaps, and communicating with stakeholders and partners on construction rules and regulatory compliance.
• South Gondar Dera WASH Project – ORDA Ethiopia
  Served for more than five years as Project Engineer and Infrastructure Officer under the South Gondar Dera WASH Project. Responsibilities included planning and scheduling project activities, site selection for small dams, river diversion structures, culverts, fords, school and health post latrines, water access points, low-cost technologies, feasibility studies, EMMP preparation, ESMF and EIA follow-up, design drawings, BoQ preparation, contractor follow-up, payment documentation, MoUs, ToRs, and WASHCo training.
• School WASH and Social Infrastructure Development
  Contributed to school WASH and social infrastructure activities, including training students and school communities, constructing school latrines and surveillance structures, supporting health and safety during construction, evaluating project implementation, documenting best practices, and preparing weekly, bi-weekly, monthly, and annual reports.
• PSNP Public Works Infrastructure Specialist – Wadla Agricultural Office
  Served as Infrastructure Specialist in the Productive Safety Net Program public works unit, planning and scheduling social infrastructure activities, creating community awareness, preparing financial reports and payment certificates, supporting Kebele Development Agents and community members, analyzing implementation risks, and preparing regular technical and financial reports.
• Water Harvesting Engineering – Raya Kobo Woreda Agricultural Office
  Worked as Water Harvesting Engineer, providing technical support to Kebele Development Agents and promoters, creating community awareness on technology use, scaling up geo-membrane systems, pedal pumps, drip irrigation, and water harvesting structures, and preparing weekly, monthly, quarterly, and annual reports.
• Irrigation Technology Engineering – Gidan Woreda Agricultural Office
  Served as Irrigation Technology Engineer, supporting communities and Kebele Development Agents, training promoters on maintenance and use of water pumps, pedal pumps, rope and washer pumps, and drip irrigation technologies, promoting appropriate irrigation technology use, and scaling up low-cost irrigation and water harvesting solutions.
• Irrigation Scheme Construction and Technology Use – Moretna Jiru Woreda
  Worked on irrigation technology use and irrigation scheme construction, following up small-scale irrigation and water harvesting construction activities, providing community technical support, training communities on water pump and drip irrigation technology use and maintenance, and supporting technology scaling for agricultural water development.
• Professional Training in WASH, Construction Quality, Water-Energy-Food Nexus and Infrastructure Software
  Completed professional training and practical capacity development in WASH facilities, rural water supply, construction quality and management, infrastructure activity planning and design, stakeholder roles in project planning and implementation, USAID environmental and social management requirements, DAFNE Water-Energy-Food Nexus, construction contract administration, EIA, research methodology, low-cost irrigation technologies, diversion weirs, canals, dams, and software including GIS, WaterCAD, WaterGEMS, SewerGEMS, Civil 3D, MS Project, Primavera P6, SPSS and STATA.