Afghanistan

With more than 20 years of experience in the country, UNOPS Afghanistan focuses on providing maximum support to the people of Afghanistan through the delivery of projects and services that improve the lives of people in need. The UNOPS Afghanistan Country Office (AFCO) serves as an organizational mechanism to deliver a range of projects for which UNOPS has been designated as the implementation agency. At present, UNOPS AFCO activities cover a range of sectors including humanitarian, basic human needs, cash for work, infrastructure, development, procurement and HR services.

The functional objective of UNOPS AFCO is to contribute to improving the lives of girls, boys, men and women living in Afghanistan. The aim of UNOPS AFCO is to provide efficient and cost-effective implementation services on behalf of all our partners to support the humanitarian response and development of the country. UNOPS AFCO’s mission is to exceed the expectations of all stakeholders in the delivery of AFCO services, at all times, in all places, in all circumstances, in order to improve the lives of Afghans in need.

Project Information

The UNFPA country office in Afghanistan owns office premises and guesthouse accommodation located within the UNOCA Compound in Kabul. As a result of significant growth in the country programme and the staff population, both the office premises and guesthouse accommodation have become inadequate.

UNFPA plans to redevelop both Office and Accommodation through construction of a new 2 storey office annex, with basement, along with remodeling and refurbishment of the existing single storey office building and construction of two new 2 storey accommodation blocks, with basement(s), along with remodeling and refurbishment of the existing 2-storey guesthouse block.

The Mechanical Engineer is a member of the UNFPA project team under the direct supervision of the project manager, the Mechanical Engineer needs to provide mechanical design, monitoring, and implementation support related to a two-story + basement office building and two number of 2 story + basement accommodation buildings including rehabilitation of existing one-story main office building and existing two-story accommodation building of the UNFPA to project team.

and coordinates the day-to-day relevant technical design calculation and construction activities across all projects under the UNFPA engagement, in coordination with relevant team members.

The Mechanical Design Engineer ensures that all the mechanical design and calculations for the black, and gray water and for the water supply are in accordance with local and international policies, guidelines, standards, and specifications applicable,

The Mechanical Design Engineer is obliged to comply with quality assurance and quality control requirements, occupational health and safety as well as environmental management standards on site. The Mechanical Design Engineer will be based in Kabul initially and is expected to travel frequently across all project sites, as required.

Summary of Key Functions:

1. Coordination, delivery and performance
2. Monitoring and progress control
3. Knowledge building and sharing

1. Coordination, delivery and performance

• Assist the Project Manager to design and develop control processes and procedures.
• Contribute to the preparation of technical reports, design specifications documents, and operational manuals.
• Assist the supervisor in reviewing, assessing, commenting/ and correcting, and recommending for approval to the project
• Keep abreast of the latest advancements in technology, design trends, and engineering best practices.
• Assist with the testing and data collection activities that drive and verify product improvement plans.
• Assist the supervisor in managing, planning and processing UNOPS IPMG design/or local peer review process(s).
• Contribute to the preparation of quality control and quality assurance documentation related to mechanical engineering design work for new projects.
• Assist the project manager and team to manage, plan and coordinate monthly, weekly and daily construction activities, including monitoring site safety and construction quality.
• Participate in construction approval and inspection activities, liaising closely with engineering and Quality Assurance (QA) personnel and ensuring Health, Safety and Environmental (HSE) measures are implemented within construction activities.
• Support the supervisor to ensure the overall and timely delivery of the project activities are within the project schedule.
• Provide feedback to the project team and project manager on the best practices in the industry, especially taking into consideration the Operation and Maintenance and sustainability.

2. Monitoring and reporting

• Ensure smooth implementation in accordance with the drawings, specifications, and other mechanical design documents.
• Support with the monitoring contractors’ onsite work to ensure delivery is maintained at the required level to meet project quality, time and cost targets.
• Assist in maintaining accurate measurement of the completed mechanical works for payments, keep appropriate records for all contracts.
• Collect and document site information in relation to contractor’s work including information on the contractor’s workforce, labor, weather, Risk register, issues register and progress of work and any other related information.
• Assist the project team and the project manager in the hand-over and closing of the project.

3. Knowledge building and sharing

• Participate in the relevant Communities of Practice, actively interact with other Engineers and the Engineering community to share case studies, lessons learned and best practice on the Knowledge System.
• Collaborate with technical team members including but not limited to architects, engineers, project managers and quantity surveyors.

Impact of Results:

The effective and successful achievement of results by the Mechanical design Engineer directly impacts on the development and performance of the project.

Monitoring and progress controls will be in accordance with work plans that the Supervisor and incumbent will prepare at the beginning of the assignment.

a. Education

• A first-level university degree (Bachelor or equivalent) in Mechanical Engineering or a related field with additional two (2) years of relevant work experience is required.
• An advanced (Master or equivalent) university degree in Mechanical Engineering, Civil Engineering or a relevant field may substitute for additional years of experience.
• A professional certificate in Mechanical design Engineering or a relevant field and/or an advanced university degree (e.g. Masters) will be an advantage.

b. Work Experience

• A minimum of 2 years of fieldwork experience in the field of mechanical design engineering preferably in the design is required.
• Experience in the supervision of multiple mechanical engineering construction sites is an advantage.
• Working knowledge of AutoCAD and mechanical engineering design software is required.
• Experience in project implementation in close collaboration with government authorities and community organizations is an asset.
• Knowledge of UNOPS/UN rules and regulations is an advantage.

c. Languages

• Fluency (oral and written) in English is required.
• Fluency in Pashto and Dari languages is desired.

Contract level: LICA-8
Contract duration: Ongoing ICA – Open-ended, subject to organizational requirements, availability of funds and satisfactory performance

For more details about the ICA contractual modality, please follow this link:
https://www.unops.org/english/Opportunities/job-opportunities/what-we-offer/Pages/Individual-Contractor-Agreements.aspx

• Please note that UNOPS does not accept unsolicited resumes.
• Applications received after the closing date will not be considered.
• Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process, which involves various assessments.
• UNOPS embraces diversity and is committed to equal employment opportunity. Our workforce consists of many diverse nationalities, cultures, languages, races, gender identities, sexual orientations, and abilities. UNOPS seeks to sustain and strengthen this diversity to ensure equal opportunities as well as an inclusive working environment for its entire workforce.
• Qualified women and candidates from groups which are underrepresented in the UNOPS workforce are encouraged to apply. These include in particular candidates from racialized and/or indigenous groups, members of minority gender identities and sexual orientations, and people with disabilities.
• We would like to ensure all candidates perform at their best during the assessment process. If you are shortlisted and require additional assistance to complete any assessment, including reasonable accommodation, please inform our human resources team when you receive an invitation.

Terms and Conditions

• For staff positions only, UNOPS reserves the right to appoint a candidate at a lower level than the advertised level of the post.
• For retainer contracts, you must complete a few mandatory courses ( they take around 4 hours to complete) in your own time, before providing services to UNOPS. Refreshers or new mandatory courses may be required during your contract. Please note that you will not receive any compensation for taking courses and refreshers. For more information on a retainer contract here.
• All UNOPS personnel are responsible for performing their duties in accordance with the UN Charter and UNOPS Policies and Instructions, as well as other relevant accountability frameworks. In addition, all personnel must demonstrate an understanding of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in a manner consistent with UN core values and the UN Common Agenda.
• It is the policy of UNOPS to conduct background checks on all potential personnel. Recruitment in UNOPS is contingent on the results of such checks.