Electrical Engineer Retainer (Solar Energy Systems)

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.

Working with us

UNOPS offers short- and long-term work opportunities in diverse and challenging environments across the globe. We are looking for creative, results-focused professionals with skills in a range of disciplines.

Diversity

With over 4,000 UNOPS personnel and approximately 7,000 personnel recruited on behalf of UNOPS partners spread across 80 countries, our workforce represents a wide range of nationalities and cultures. We promote a balanced, diverse workforce — a strength that helps us better understand and address our partners’ needs, and continually strive to improve our gender balance through initiatives and policies that encourage recruitment of qualified female candidates.

Work life harmonization

UNOPS values its people and recognizes the importance of balancing professional and personal demands.

The UNOPS Hub in Amman implements projects on behalf of UN agencies and bilateral donors and in close coordination with the Government and national authorities. With an established presence across the region, the office runs operations including large-scale procurement, project development and technical management, and provides financial, human resources and infrastructure-related services.

The functional objective of UNOPS Hub in Amman is to deliver its projects in an efficient and effective manner and in line with the principles, rules and regulations of UNOPS, to achieve the outcomes sought by the clients.

UNOPS has been active in Lebanon since 2015, delivering projects in support of the Government of Lebanon and partners. Since the explosion at the Beirut Port on 4 August 2020, UNOPS has significantly scaled up its presence in the country to support the humanitarian response and both its presence and portfolio have undergone expansion.

The EE-SES is responsible to abide by security policies, administrative instructions, plans and procedures of the UN Security Management System and that of UNOPS. 

UNOPS is committed to achieving a fully diverse workforce.

Background Information - Project-specific

On 4 August 2020, barely six months after the first confirmed COVID-19 case in Lebanon, a devastating explosion hit the Beirut Port, leaving at least 180 people dead and over 6,500 injured or disabled, and an estimated 300,000 homeless. The explosion affected a large area, not only surrounding areas around the Beirut Port but also across the Greater Beirut Area, causing massive damage. In the aftermath of the explosion, given the scale of destruction, the Government of Lebanon declared a state of emergency in the capital. Hospitals and health centers have been severely affected, at least six hospitals and more than 55 primary healthcare centers (PHCs) clinics were damaged including existing medical equipment. Even though various health actors have provided assistance, the restoration of health facilities has not been completed and further support is needed.

The EE-SES shall be responsible for ensuring optimized designs of Electrical/ Solar Systems and supervision and related documentation of projects that are to be carried out on time as per the assigned tasks. The EE-SES will report directly to the Project Manager or the Head of Program.

The functions/duties/key results of the assignment

The EE-SES shall coordinate any support to the tasks assigned to him/her (designs, supervision, commissioning and related documentation works, etc..).

The EE-SES shall work under the direct supervision of the Project Manager or the Head of Program.

The EE-SES shall provide his/her technical expertise as required to perform and coordinate any pertinent electrical solar and renewable energy systems designs assigned to him/her.

The EE-SES shall perform supervision, commissioning and related documentation tasks. He/she is responsible for ensuring high quality design documentation, effectiveness, transparency,  and integrity and assisting in ensuring that the site works are carried out on time and on or within budget, utilizing specialized Electrical Engineering Software and applications.  The tasks would involve, but not limited to, the following:

• Design of the Electrical, solar and renewable systems’ including all types of Photovoltaics components and services of projects assigned to him/her;
• Assist in producing Terms of References for Consultancy Services; designs, Electrical Drawings, Technical Specifications, Scope of Works, Bills of Quantities, Cost Estimations, Design Calculations, related reports for Works and Supply of Goods Contracts;
• Assist Project Managers in the preparation of Tender Documents (Concerned with Consultancies, Supply of Goods, and Works) and evaluation of Proposals;
• Review the design of electrical components of projects;
• Work closely, through the Project Managers, and/or Head of Program with other Project Team members (Architects, Engineers, Draftsperson and Quantity Surveyors, etc..) in the planning of projects, scheduling of tasks and developing an integrated design;
• Assist in monitoring and supervising and execution of contracts to ensure adherence with the signed contracts, high international quality standards and UNOPS requirements;
• Assist in the supervision  and managing of testing, coding and details of structural deliverables to clients; and
• Any other relevant task that might be assigned to the Electrical/ Solar Energy Engineer.
• Specifically, the Electrical/ Solar Energy Engineer will be responsible for the following substantive tasks:

• Assist in conducting research and needs assessment activities to identify and select beneficiaries of the project;
• Prepare design briefs, design reports, comprehensive design documentation, calculations, drawings, specifications, schedules and other project documents of solar/ electrical engineering systems (Medium Voltage and Low Voltage) for projects utilizing research, development, relevant international standards and codes and good engineering practices and according to the client’s design requirements;
• Review electrical and solar systems designs for Infrastructure projects in terms of accuracy, suitability to overall design requirements, including identifying improvements in the designs and participate in proposing  practical solutions;
• Carry out research and identify appropriate technologies/techniques/designs that can be incorporated in the project design;
• Conduct energy audit, electrical and electromechanical systems assessment of facilities, and produce reports and corresponding estimates;
• Perform the tasks in accordance with the applicable Quality Assurance (QA)/Quality Control (QC) protocols and regulations and requirements;
• Responsible for timely delivery of the expected outputs and highlight possible late delivery prior to the event;
• Produce high quality Auto CAD drawings;
• Assist in keeping files for all site memos and instructions, measuring quantities of work and material on site;
• Provide the Project Manager and Project team with all information to execute the project in a timely manner and within the budget allocated;
• Assist in the preparation of Project Schedules (utilizing Primavera, MS Project, etc.,), and assist in performing periodic updates and revisions of the schedules to meet the targets;
• Assist in preparing daily, weekly, monthly reports;
• Assist in reviewing progress and financial reports (invoices) submitted by consultant/ suppliers/ contractors and recommend to the Project Manager the release of payments after technical assessment;
• Assist in: carrying out technical reviews (of the Consultants’, Suppliers’, or Contractors’ Technical Submittals, Materials catalog sheets, Shop Drawings, As-Built Drawings, reports, deliverables, etc..), site inspections, assessments, quantity surveying and preparing reports as required and providing advice on suitable alterations,  and guiding contractors on all related issues, and ensuring that they meet the high standards expected by UNOPS, while delivering the projects within the set time and budget constraints; and
• Assist in coordinating testing, commissioning, training and handover of systems deliverables to clients.

Administrative tasks:

• Assist in archiving and documenting Electrical/solar Energy design and  engineering related material archiving; and
• Assist in performing scheduling requested tasks related to the projects.

Final Product

• Bachelor Degree in Electrical or Renewable Energy Engineering.
• Membership of the Lebanese Order of Engineers (Beirut or Tripoli) is mandatory.

• General professional experience: At least 2 (two) years in one or more of the following fields: 1) Low and Medium Voltage Networks (Utility Distribution Systems), 2) Power Generation (Conventional or Renewable Technologies), 3) Energy Audit, is required.
• Specific professional experience- 1: At least 2 (two) years of professional experience in the preparation of feasibility studies and complete design documents (Drawings, Technical Specification, Bills of Quantities, Cost Estimations, etc..), and implementation supervision of grid connected Hybrid Solar PV Projects (minimum capacity of 100KWp) preferably with Storage Systems, is required.
• Specific professional experience- 2: At least 1 (one) year of professional experience in Lebanon and/or the Middle East and Developing countries in the field of Hybrid Solar PV Projects, is an asset.
• Experience in computer design software, particularly “AutoCAD” (latest Version) is required.
• Experience in computer scheduling software, particularly Primavera and/or MS Projects is an asset.
• Experience in Solar PV Software (PV-GIS / PVSYS) is required.
• Demonstrated computer ability in using Electrical Engineering design software and Applications is an asset.
• Demonstrated computer ability in using MS Office Suite (Excel, Word, Power Point, etc.) is required.
• Experience in Energy Audit and data analysis is an asset.
• Work Experience with an international organization and/or UN Agencies will be well regarded.

• Certified Solar Energy Engineer is an asset.
• Possession of Project Management Certificates is an asset.

• Please note that the closing date is midnight Copenhagen time
• Applications received after the closing date will not be considered.
• Only those candidates that are short-listed for interviews will be notified.
• Qualified female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.
• This position is a local position and is open to nationals only.
• Beirut is designated as non-family duty station.
• UNOPS seeks to reasonably accommodate candidates with special needs, upon request.
• Work life harmonization - UNOPS values its people and recognizes the importance of balancing professional and personal demands. We have a progressive policy on work-life harmonization and offer several flexible working options. This policy applies to UNOPS personnel on all contract types
• 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 (around 4 hours) in your own time, before providing services to UNOPS.
• The incumbent is responsible to abide by security policies, administrative instructions, plans and procedures of the UN Security Management System and that of UNOPS.  

It is the policy of UNOPS to conduct background checks on all potential recruits/interns.
Recruitment/internship in UNOPS is contingent on the results of such checks.