Senior Associate Mechanical Engineer (Heating, Ventilation, Water Supply and Wastewater Systems)

United Nations Office Project Services 

The United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) is an operational arm of the United Nations, supporting the successful implementation of its partners' peacebuilding, humanitarian and development projects around the world.  Mandated as a central resource of the United Nations, UNOPS provides sustainable project management, procurement and infrastructure services to a wide range of governments, donors and United Nations organisations.  With over 6,000 personnel spread across 80 countries, UNOPS offers its partners the logistical, technical and management knowledge they need, where they need it.  By implementing around 1,000 projects for our partners at any given time, UNOPS makes significant contributions to results on the ground, often in the most challenging environments.

Austria Multi-Country Office (AUMCO)

The Austria Multi-Country Office (AUMCO) is part of the UNOPS Europe and Central Asia Region (ECR). Specifically, AUMCO aims to enable the achievement of Agenda 2030 and the Paris Agreement through global programmes and tailored interventions in the Balkans, South Caucasus, and Central Asia, focused on Infrastructure, Procurement, Project Management (full service, back on track), HR and Transactional Services, Grants Management and Technical and Advisory Services. 

Uzbekistan Office

Under the purview of AUMCO, the UNOPS Uzbekistan Office, established in Tashkent in October 2022 supports the Government of Uzbekistan’s development efforts in the country, through the provision of effective project management, infrastructure and procurement services. At present, the office has signed and has been implementing three engagements contributing to SGD3 (Good Health and Wellbeing), while actively working with the Government of Uzbekistan and development partners in diversifying its portfolio in line with the country’s development priorities including education.

Project Information

“Uzbekistan COVID-19 Emergency Response Project” with the Republic of Uzbekistan's Sanitary and Epidemiological Welfare and Public Health Service (SES) is funded through two major loans from the Asian Development Bank and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank. In this project, UNOPS will support the Government of Uzbekistan to upgrade up to 38 existing laboratories and treatment facilities across the country, procure diagnostic equipment and supplies, and establish an ICT system for monitoring the epidemiological situation to strengthen preparedness and resilience to the COVID-19 pandemic and other epidemics.

With the responsibility to conduct the design review of UNOPS infrastructure designs, upholding high standards and providing critical feedback/recommendations, under the direct supervision of the Design Review Manager, the Senior Associate Mechanical Engineer  will be accountable for the following: 

1. Technical design review

• Checking and ensuring compliance of the design documentation to UNOPS rules and regulation and the Uzbekistan national codes and standards as requested. 

• Conduct risk assessments on design documents, identifying potential risks or issues, and collaborate with project teams to develop mitigation strategies to ensure project success.

• Implement and enforce quality control and quality assurance measures to ensure that design documents adhere to established in UNOPS Design Planning Manual and established technical codes and standards and best practices, promoting high-quality project outcomes.

• Review and manage project products quality and ensure that completed outputs are accepted by the relevant stakeholders

• Facilitate effective communication and collaboration among various design disciplines (e.g., architectural, structural, mechanical, electrical) to ensure a cohesive and integrated design approach.

• Assist in management of design consultants and their performance/delivery during the design development phase for electrical distribution systems.

• Assist in the management and production of the required project products, taking responsibility for the overall progress and effective use of resources and initiating corrective actions where necessary

• Support the Design Review manager to coordinate technical design review approvals.

• Support the team to monitor quality assurance during the construction phase.

• Verify technical specifications of Heating&Ventilation, Water Supply, and Wastewater Systems, apparatus, services and associated quality material.

• Explore cost-effective design alternatives and value engineering opportunities to optimize project outcomes in terms of cost, performance, and sustainability.

• Continuously assess and improve the design review process, streamlining workflows, and identifying opportunities for efficiency gains to enhance the overall effectiveness of the design review function.

• Provide independent technical evaluation and recommendations, free of conflicts of interests, and must be able to maintain the integrity of the technical opinion against project pressures.  

• Participating in progress review and project coordination meetings.

• Performing other duties as assigned by the Supervisor.

2. Technical Documentation and Reporting

• Preparing technical documentation and guidance to support projects in the development of design.

• Partake in the management of the delivery of effective designs which conform to all codes of practice and industry standards in Heating&Ventilation, Water Supply, and Wastewater Systems and equipment.

• Completing progress reports as required.

• Produce comprehensive and accurate bills of quantity, maintaining up to date rates for estimating purposes

• Collecting data and preparing monthly and quarterly progress reports.

• Participating in progress review and project coordination meetings, preparing minutes of the meetings.

• When required, working with the procurement team in the evaluation of bids and writing tender reports.

• Working with other Engineers/Architects to collect and maintain construction data.

• Supporting knowledge management within the unit and reporting on related capacity building activities. 

3. Knowledge sharing and management

• Engage in the project evaluation process by identifying and highlighting project-related challenges, actively participating in a continuous improvement cycle.

• Collaborate in delivering training and knowledge transfer to national/contractor personnel, offering guidance on sound design, construction, and engineering practices, as well as promoting environmental management practices, sustainability and resilience measures and appropriate health and safety standards.

• Contribute to the dissemination and exchange of best practices and lessons learned to enhance development planning and knowledge development.

• Participate in relevant Communities of Practice, fostering interaction with fellow Engineers and the broader Engineering community to share case studies, lessons learned, and best practices through the Knowledge System.

• Provide constructive feedback to Practice Leads on policies and supporting guidelines, with the goal of continuously enhancing UNOPS policies.

Impact of results

The Senior Associate Mechanical Engineer 's ability to deliver results effectively and successfully directly influences the timely, budget-conscious, and high-quality completion of the project, exceeding the expectations of all stakeholders. This, in turn, enhances UNOPS' reputation as a proficient provider of project services and management, bolstering its competitive standing as the preferred partner for sustainable development and project services.

a. Education

• Secondary school (High School or equivalent) with a minimum of seven (7) years of relevant experience is required. 

• A first-level university degree (Bachelor or equivalent) in related field with three (3) years of experience or an advanced (Master or equivalent) university degree in Heating&Ventilation or Water Supply, and Wastewater Systems or a related field with one (1) year of experience is desired and may substitute for additional years of experience.

• Additional certification in subject matter is an advantage.

b. Work experience 

• Relevant experience is defined as experience related to design development, design  review,  project engineering in Heating&Ventilation or Water Supply, and Wastewater Systems. Experience in health, educational and other public and administrative building construction projects is an advantage.  
  
  

• Knowledge of Heating&Ventilation or Water Supply, and Wastewater Systems construction norms and standards of The Republic of Uzbekistan is mandatory. 

• Knowledge of CAD software (AutoCAD or an alternative) is mandatory.

• Experience in the UN system organizations is desirable.

c. Languages

• Working knowledge of English is required.

• Fluency in either Uzbek or Russian is required. Fluency in both is an asset.

Contract type: Local Individual Contractor Agreement (LICA)
Contract level: Local Support Level 7, LICA-7, ICS-7
Contract duration: Open-ended, subject to organizational requirements, availability of funds, satisfactory performance, and project duration. 

For more details about the ICA contractual modality, please follow this link:

• 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. 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.