Design Review Engineer

General Background

UNOPS is an operational arm of the United Nations, supporting the successful implementation of its partners’ peacebuilding, humanitarian and development projects around the world. Our mission is to help people build better lives and countries achieve sustainable development. UNOPS areas of expertise cover infrastructure, procurement, project management, financial management and human resources.

Background information - IPMG

UNOPS strategic focus places increased emphasis on national capacity development and sustainable approaches to project management, procurement and infrastructure services. A key objective is to be recognized as an organisation that delivers economically and socially sustainable world-class infrastructure and do so even in the most challenging environments. To achieve this goal, UNOPS has established the Infrastructure and Project Management Group (IPMG). 

Within UNOPS, it is IPMG’s objective to serve the organization’s personnel and partners by broadening their infrastructure and project management capabilities, while disseminating best practices in both of these areas. Through this work, the group helps facilitate the successful delivery of programs and projects around the world.

To achieve its objectives, IPMG has established six interrelated and interdependent technical streams, namely, Strategic Initiatives, Standards, Engagement Assurance, Gender Equality and Inclusion (GESI), Grant Support and Transformation, that are supported by the Portfolio Support team. IPMG is managed overall by the Director of IPMG.


Background information – Engagement Assurance

The Engagement Assurance unit, as part of IPMG, provides an organizational oversight function and considers the application of standards, guidance and best practice throughout the execution of programmes and associated projects.

This unit delivers oversight functions through three teams, that of the Risk Based Performance Assessment team (RBPA), the Organizational Portfolio Management Office team (OPMO) and the Infrastructure Design Review Team (DR).

IPMG's Risk-based Performance Assessment (RBPA) process aims to assist UNOPS Operational Hubs (OH), Operation Centres (OC), and Project Centres (PC) in understanding how portfolios, programmes and projects are being delivered in line with UNOPS systems and processes. These assessments look to define both the organizational and operational risk exposure of the office and support not only the mitigation of risk but also the development of organizational systems, process and standards.

IPMG’s Organizational Portfolio Management Office (OPMO) also assists in the identification of risks and issues associated with portfolios, programmes and projects. The team has a central function of overseeing system-based engagement / programme and project activity and monitoring adherence to policy, process, systems and tools across the organization with a specific focus on infrastructure and project management.

IPMG’s Design Review team has the role of assuring the quality of all infrastructure designs developed and delivered within UNOPS. The primary aims are to ensure that minimum requirements for life safety and functionality of design is maintained and to achieve a consistent, effective and efficient approach in infrastructure activities for our donors and beneficiaries. This position is within the Design Review team.

Purpose and Scope of Assignment

Under the direction of the Design Review Manager, the successful incumbent will be responsible for helping to ensure the safety and functionality of UNOPS infrastructure. More specifically, the Design Review Engineer will be responsible for:

1. The evaluation and review of medium and high-risk infrastructure works and verifying reviews of low risk works.

2. Engaging with design teams and IPMG design review technical retainers to identify and resolve technical design issues.

3. Providing technical guidance on design aspects of infrastructure works.

• The Design Reviewer Engineer will play a support role in assuring the safety and quality of designs for UNOPS infrastructure. Applying his/her technical expertise and professional experience, directed by the Design Review Manager, the Engineer will liaise with third-party reviewers to review and issue reports for the designs of medium and high-risk works and verify the process of review of low-risk projects.

• The incumbent will regularly engage with infrastructure project teams to evaluate and support technical design development and design review processes with field office project teams, third-party design reviewers, and peer reviewers of design packages.

• The Design Review Engineer will regularly communicate and coordinate with field office design teams to successfully resolve technical issues or designed elements that deviate from codes.

• The Design Review Engineer will assist the team in organizing and summarizing technical data from Design Review activities and support the development of monthly reports for senior management.

• To ensure the safety and functionality of UNOPS infrastructure while recognizing the circumstances and constraints of the UNOPS operational context, the Design Review Engineer will be required to apply professional judgment in the technical application of relevant engineering codes and standards and the evaluation of design packages.

• In the performance of his/her services, the Design Review Engineer will provide independent technical evaluation and recommendations, free of conflicts of interests, and be able to maintain the integrity of the technical opinion against project pressures.

• Ongoing assessment of task completion that meets quality expectations

• Successfully meeting deadlines

• Completing progress reports as required

• An Advanced University degree (Master’s or equivalent) in Electrical, Mechanical or Civil Engineering (or relevant field) is required.
• A Bachelor’s Degree in Electrical, Mechanical, or Civil Engineering (or relevant field) with two additional years of relevant experience may be accepted in lieu of a Master’s degree (total 7 years of experience).
• Professional certification/licensure in engineering (CEng, PE, P.Eng, or equivalent) is considered an asset.

Required experience:

• At least 5 years of progressively responsible experience in infrastructure design development or design review is required.

• A minimum of 3 years’ experience in technical infrastructure engineering/design production with focus on stakeholder coordination and effective resolution of technical issues in development context is considered an asset.
• Experience in buildings and other vertical infrastructure, transport infrastructure (bridges, roads, ports and airports), utilities infrastructure (water/wastewater treatment and delivery systems, green power technologies, irrigation, solid waste management) is highly desired.
• Experience in infrastructure in a developing country context is considered an asset.
• Experience performing engineering design software (e.g Bentley, ETABS, SAP2000 or similar) and preparing/editing AutoCAD design files is an asset.

• Fluency in English required.

• Working Knowledge of French and Spanish is highly desirable.

• 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.