Electrical Engineering Technician - Specialist

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 organizations.  With over 8,000 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.

Background information – Job Specific

Peacekeeping operations are located in fragile, conflict-affected countries. In many of these countries, key energy infrastructure was underdeveloped prior to conflict, and in most, it has been further degraded by the impact of war. Lack of host state energy infrastructure, fast deployment requirements and operational flexibility combined with tight budgets have led to the predominant use of diesel generators to produce energy for operational needs. This is particularly the case for the peacekeeping units deployed by troop and police contributing countries (T/PCCs), which rely on their own diesel generators, brought from their home countries, which use in the field is reimbursed by the UN.

Under the six-year (2017-2023) Environment Strategy for Peace Operations, peacekeeping missions have been exploring ways to gradually transition to renewable energy, mainly through solar photovoltaic solutions. This effort has recently extended to the T/PCCs military units, who are also currently exploring options to integrate renewable energy solutions into their diesel generator grids to reduce their environmental footprint.

In addition to reducing the carbon footprint of T/PCCs and the UN as a whole, renewable energy solutions can bring other practical benefits to field operations including: increased self-sustainment capacity, reduced need for fuel supply convoys (relieving the burden on escorts and convoy protection, especially in areas with asymmetric attacks), increased capacity to perform substantive tasks, increased safety, security and health of the contingents, with reduced fire hazards as well as noise, air and soil pollution. Moreover, deployment of renewable energy solutions by T/PCCs, can reduce the energy costs of the missions, reducing the amount of fuel the UN needs to supply to T/PCCs.

However, there are some challenges to the deployment of renewable energy solutions by T/PCCs, including:

• Lack of engineering design, procurement, installation, operation and maintenance competencies on renewable energy

• Mobility requirement of units

Under the direct supervision of the Environment Management System - Project Advisor,  and in line with the established United Nations Rules and Procedures, the Electrical Engineering Technician - Specialist  is responsible for supporting T/PCCs in their efforts to deploy renewable energy solutions to peacekeeping missions and to improve their energy generation efficiency in general, including through proactive assessments of opportunities where such improvements can be made.

Moreover, the incumbent will also contribute to wider T/PCC and non-T/PCC related Energy Pillar activities of the Environment Strategy for Peace Operations. In fulfilling some of the duties and responsibilities, the incumbent will be required to travel frequently to remote locations in field missions for site assessments and for installation of monitoring equipment including energy meters.

Within delegated authority, the Electrical Engineering Technician - Specialist will be responsible for the following duties: 

Stakeholder engagement:

• Lead engagement with T/PCC technical counterparts both remotely and during on-site visits

• Articulate in both written and verbal form, key findings, issues and opportunities with peacekeeping and T/PCC counterparts and contribute to the technical solutions to reach mutually satisfactory approaches to problems

• Provide technical assistance to DOS in the consultations with relevant T/PCCs and Member States to evaluate potential renewable energy projects in T/PCC sites and to support implementation of planned project

Planning and design: 

• Compile a portfolio of most promising renewable energy projects for T/PCC sites using available data and considering a range of parameters and determine the renewable energy transition potential of T/PCCs based on the portfolio developed

• Install energy meters in selected T/PCC sites and retrieve data to support development of engineering designs

• Develop renewable energy engineering designs for select T/PCC sites

• Provide technical assistance to DOS in the development of contractual agreements between the T/PCCs and the UN for said projects

Project implementation:

• Monitor the activities concerning planning and scheduling of renewable energy projects in T/PCC sites including site preparation, installation, commissioning, and associated works (e.g. groundworks, distribution networks).

• Present a comprehensive-lessons learned study, with results from T/PCC projects.

• Prepare Checkpoint Reports and Progress Reports to be shared with relevant internal and external stakeholders as required.

Training:

• Establish a “training of trainers” program on renewable energy systems with T/PCCs who are conducting/planning renewable energy projects in their own sites

• Work with T/PCCs and other member states who may have capacity to roll-out renewable energy training programmes on the development of training materials and on the organisation of specific trainings

Outputs/Work Assignment:

The Electrical Engineering Technician - Specialist will submit a final report which contains a comprehensive documentation of engagement with T/PCCs a brief description of each renewable energy project developed during the mandate and other outputs listed below.

• Prepare scoping study reports and preliminary engineering design reports for T/PCC projects in select sites

• Provide technical support to T/PCC planning to deploy renewable energy systems in the field

• Monitor progress on renewable energy projects including site preparation, installation, commissioning, and associated works

• Prepare a comprehensive lesson-learned study from T/PCC projects

• Prepare progress reports and briefing materials for internal and external stakeholders

The Electrical Engineering Technician - Specialist will present the final output to relevant internal and external stakeholders.

• An advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in Electrical engineering, Energy, Environmental or other relevant fields is required. 

• A first level university degree (Bachelor’s degree or equivalent) in a relevant field with an additional two years of relevant experience may be accepted in lieu of an advanced university degree. 

• Project Management certification such as Prince2, or equivalent is desirable.

• A minimum of five (5) years of experience in Electrical engineering, renewable energy, and or engineering design for renewable energy development projects. 
• A minimum of one year working experience in energy infrastructure is required.
• A minimum of one year experience in providing technical support (design, engineering, technical specifications, etc) to renewable energy projects implemented in UN field missions is required. 
• Experience in working with troop and police contributing countries on renewable energy and energy efficiency projects to be implemented in UN field missions is desirable.
• Experience in using methodologies for project planning, execution, and evaluation of energy standards and proven ability in analytical work is desirable.
• Experience in the management of a portfolio of energy projects involving strong coordination skills are desirable.

• Fluency of English is required. Knowledge of an additional UN language is an advantage.

Contract type: International Individual Contractor Agreement 
Contract level: ICS10 / IICA-2
Contract duration: Ongoing ICA - Open-ended, subject to organizational requirements, availability of funds and satisfactory performance.

• 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.

• Geneva , Switzerland is a UN  family duty station

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.