Lead Biomedical Engineer

The Asia Pacific Regional Office, based in Bangkok, Thailand, provides strategic leadership and oversight for UNOPS operations across 17 countries, ensuring high performance, operational excellence, and alignment with organizational goals. Operations currently span Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Nepal, Papua New Guinea, Pakistan, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vietnam, and the Pacific Islands. Across these countries, we work closely with key stakeholders to strengthen partnerships and maximize impact through five main operating units: Afghanistan (AFCO), Myanmar (MMCO), South Asia Multi-Country Office (SAMCO), East Asia and Pacific Multi-Country Office (EAPMCO), and the Asia Regional Health Cluster (ARHC). Through these entities, we provide agile, client-focused service delivery across diverse sectors - including infrastructure, health, procurement, and project management - supporting the implementation of sustainable development solutions across the region.

The East Asia and Pacific Multi-Country Office (EAPMCO), headquartered in Bangkok, supports UNOPS operations across 24 countries in Southeast Asia, Northeast Asia, and the Pacific. Established in January 2023, EAPMCO provides strategic direction, operational support, and quality assurance to ensure the efficient and effective delivery of projects across its portfolio. EAPMCO implements initiatives in priority areas such as energy transition, climate change, and sustainable development, drawing on UNOPS' core expertise in human resources, procurement, infrastructure, fund management, and programme management.

Established in 2018, the Pacific Operations Cluster supports the delivery of infrastructure, capacity building, programme management, and procurement services across 12 Pacific Small Island Developing States (PSIDS). UNOPS partners with governments and development agencies to deliver tailored solutions aligned with national development priorities. Drawing on its core expertise in infrastructure, procurement, and project and programme management, UNOPS helps PSIDS address the challenges of small population size, geographic isolation, and heightened vulnerability to climate change. UNOPS projects in the Pacific contribute to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by strengthening health systems, promoting sustainable consumption and production, enhancing climate resilience and coastal protection, and supporting institutional development and local governance.

The Lead Biomedical Engineer role is to provide technical expertise and project support within the health portfolio, covering needs assessments, health infrastructure implementations, equipment specifications and installation support, and health-related capacity-building efforts, particularly across projects in South East Asia and the Pacific. This work contributes to improving access to public health in the region

Reporting to the Project Manager, the Biomedical Engineer will be responsible for the following key tasks: 

1. Needs Assessments and Evaluation

1. Conduct technical assessments and stakeholder consultations to identify health system service gaps and needs within health systems, including but not limited to provisions of medical equipment systems and supplies, department and section planning, facilities classifications, operational processes, and reporting. 

2. Conduct assessments and evaluations to determine medical equipment requirements, needs and others considering factors like technology advancements, regulatory compliance, and clinical demands 

3. Evaluate the medical assets/system's operational performances and produce reports (efficiency, reliability and safety)) and follow up on any warranty maintenance and servicing as required

2. Medical Equipment Specification and Cost Estimates 

1. Definition and review of medical equipment technical specifications, ensuring alignment with regulatory standards, clinical requirements and facility constraints. 

2. Definition and development of equipment lists and layouts, considering factors like workflow optimization, space utilization, and control measures. 

3. Collaborate closely with design teams to review and plan for the integration of medical equipment in health facilities 

4. Preparation of cost estimates for medical equipment (including devices, systems, tools, supplies, furniture, etc.), considering scheduling, procurement costs, installation expenses, and ongoing maintenance and operation requirements.

3. Technical Support

1. Support in Drafting Terms of Reference (TORs):

   1. Collaborate with project teams to develop Terms of Reference (TORs) for consulting services within the healthcare sector/services (scope includes but is not limited to developing, rehabilitation, and equipping healthcare facilities).

   2. Provide expertise in defining the scope, objectives, methodologies, and deliverables for various consulting assignments, including feasibility studies, pre-design assessments, detailed design projects, and other related initiatives.

   3. Ensure alignment of TORs with project goals, regulatory requirements, and best practices in healthcare infrastructure development.

2. Review and Verification of technical Deliverables:

   1. Assist in reviewing and verifying deliverables submitted by consulting firms engaged in health sector projects. 

   2. Conduct thorough assessments of reports, design documents, technical specifications, and other outputs to ensure accuracy, completeness, and compliance with established standards and contractual agreements.

   3. Provide feedback and recommendations to consulting firms for improvement, if necessary, to enhance the quality and relevance of deliverables. 

4. Implementation Support 

1. Project implementation coordination (site visits and surveys) with government entities, ministries of health and other project stakeholders to ensure alignment with project objectives and timelines. 

2. Participate in scheduled site visits for inspection purposes during implementation phases to ensure adherence to specifications, quality standards, and regulatory requirements

3. Conduct market surveys and research to identify medical equipment and health facility installation vendors and suppliers 

4. Participation in technical evaluation assignments for medical equipment and health facility installations to assess the feasibility, compatibility and compliance with project requirements. 

5. Verification of supplied medical equipment for compliance with specifications before installations and addressing any discrepancies or issues identified. 

6. Review shop drawings provided by the contractors and suppliers for compliance with design specifications and regulatory standards 

7. Supervise equipment installation, testing, commissioning and handing over of goods and works to the beneficiary to ensure proper functioning and integration within the health facility infrastructure. 

8. Support the development of standard operating procedures (SOPs) and operation manuals for medical equipment and health facility installations to guide the end-users effectively 

9. Support in organizing and conducting the training of end-users on record keeping and basic operations and maintenance activities of medical equipment and health facility installations 

10. Check and certify supplier payment claims for medical equipment supplied ensuring accuracy and compliance with the contractual agreements

Required

• Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) preferably in Biomedical Engineering or a closely relevant discipline, with 7 years of relevant experience OR

• Master’s degree (or equivalent) in any of the above or related fields with 5 years of relevant experience is required

Desired

• Certification or specialized training in hospital planning, medical waste management, or medical equipment specification and installation is highly desirable.  

Required

• Relevant experience is work in hospital planning, medical waste management, medical equipment specification, and installation or similar fields.

Desired

• Experience in Southeast Asia and the Pacific, demonstrating familiarity with regional healthcare systems, regulations and practices in the region is desired.

• Experience in the rehabilitation and construction of healthcare facilities is an asset

• Experience working with a variety of health sector stakeholders, particularly governments and development partners is an asset  

• Experience of working in multicultural environments or UN system organizations in a developing country is desired.

• Experience in development or humanitarian contexts is desired.

• Experience in project documentation, report writing and technical communication is desired.

• Please note that UNOPS does not accept unsolicited resumes. 
• Please note that UNOPS will at no stage of the recruitment process request candidates to make payments of any kind.
• Applications to vacancies must be received before midnight Copenhagen time (CET) on the closing date of the announcement. 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. 
• UNOPS evaluates all applications based on the skills, qualifications and experience requirements outlined in the vacancy announcement. We are committed to considering all candidates in a fair and transparent manner, and we value diverse perspectives and experiences, including those of women, indigenous and racialized communities, individuals with diverse 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.

• 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. 
• For more details about the contract types, please click 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.