Technical Officer, Medical Engineering and Infrastructure Development

Volunteering Medical & Health

Contract

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The availability, safety, quality, and sustainability of medical equipment and health technologies are critical determinants of effective health service delivery and resilient health systems. Across the WHO African Region, countries continue to experience significant challenges related to the planning, procurement, installation, maintenance, regulation, and lifecycle management of health technologies. These challenges are often compounded by limited biomedical engineering capacity, weak maintenance systems, inadequate infrastructure planning, and insufficient investment in technology management systems.

In recent years, Member States have increasingly requested technical support from WHO in areas including biomedical engineering, medical equipment management, health technology assessment, health infrastructure planning, maintenance systems strengthening, asset management, regulatory oversight of medical devices, and emergency deployment of medical technologies, including BSL-3/4 and Biobanks. These requests have intensified following large-scale investments in health technologies during the COVID-19 pandemic and the growing emphasis on resilient, climate-smart, and emergency-ready health systems.

The Medicine, Infrastructure and Innovation (MDI) Unit within the Health Systems and Services (HSS) Cluster is mandated to support Member States in these areas. However, since the departure of the last dedicated technical officer responsible for medical engineering and health technologies, following the expiration of his contract, the Regional Office has not had a dedicated professional staff member covering this technical area.

As a result, technical support has been provided through temporary arrangements and contributions from colleagues with competing priorities. This situation has limited WHO AFRO's ability to adequately respond to country requests, develop technical products, coordinate regional activities, maintain partnerships, and effectively support implementation of regional and global strategies related to health technologies and infrastructure.

The incumbent will therefore address a critical capacity gap and strengthen WHO AFRO's ability to support Member States in achieving health systems goals and advancing Universal Health Coverage (UHC), health security, and sustainable development objectives.

Under the supervision of the Team Lead, Medicine, Infrastructure and Innovation (MDI), the incumbent will provide technical support for the development, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of regional and country activities related to biomedical engineering, medical devices, health technology management, and health infrastructure development. The incumbent will contribute to strengthening Member States' capacities in the planning, management, maintenance, and assessment of health technologies and infrastructure while supporting regional initiatives aimed at improving access to safe, effective, and sustainable health technologies.

Key Duties and Responsibilities

1. Provide technical support in the development and implementation of regional policies, guidance documents, standards, tools, and operational frameworks related to biomedical engineering and health technology management.
2. Assist Member States in medical equipment planning, procurement, installation, commissioning, maintenance, calibration, and decommissioning activities.
3. Participate in assessments of biomedical engineering systems, equipment inventories, maintenance capacities, and health technology needs.
4. Support implementation and monitoring of equipment lifecycle management and asset management systems.
5. Contribute to the development and dissemination of standards and guidance related to the quality, safety, performance, and management of medical devices and health technologies.
6. Support health facility infrastructure projects through technical review of equipment plans, specifications, and technology requirements.
7. Contribute to emergency preparedness and response activities involving medical equipment and health technologies.
8. Support country capacity-building initiatives through development of training materials and organization of workshops and technical meetings.
9. Collect, analyze, and report data related to biomedical engineering, health technology management, and health infrastructure indicators.
10. Facilitate technical exchanges, communities of practice, and collaboration with governments, academic institutions, professional associations, and development partners.
11. Contribute to innovation initiatives and the promotion of appropriate and sustainable health technologies.
12. Prepare technical reports, briefing notes, presentations, mission reports, and other programme documentation.
13. Perform any other related duties assigned by the supervisor.

• Teamwork • Respecting and promoting individual and cultural differences. • Communication • Building and promoting partnerships across the organization and beyond • Promoting WHO’s position in health leadership. • Creating an empowering and motivating environment • Accountability • Adaptability and flexibility • Creativity • Judgement and decision-making • Planning and organising • Professionalism • Self-management

Experience - Minimum of 5 years of progressively responsible professional experience in biomedical engineering, medical devices management, health technology management, health infrastructure development, or related areas. - Experience supporting technical programmes, projects, assessments, or capacity-building activities. - Experience working with government institutions, health facilities, development partners, or international organizations is desirable. - Experience in low- and middle-income countries and/or the African Region is an asset. - Knowledge of medical equipment lifecycle management, maintenance systems, and health technology assessment is desirable.

Languages: Proficient knowledge of English and/or French with good working knowledge of the other. Knowledge of Portuguese will be an asset.

Other required technical knowledge: • Excellent oral and written skills; excellent drafting, formulation, reporting skills; • Accuracy and professionalism in document production and editing; • Excellent interpersonal skills; culturally and socially sensitive; ability to work inclusively and collaboratively with a range of partners, including grassroots community members, religious and youth organizations, and authorities at different levels; familiarity with tools and approaches of communications for development; • Ability to work and adapt professionally and effectively in a challenging environment; ability to work effectively in a multicultural team of international and national personnel; • Solid overall computer literacy, including proficiency in various MS Office applications (Excel, Word, etc.) and email/internet; familiarity with database management; and office technology equipment; • Self-motivated, ability to work with minimum supervision; ability to work with tight deadlines; • Sound security awareness; • Have affinity with or interest in human rights, equity, volunteerism as a mechanism for durable development, and the UN System.

The Republic of Congo is a low-middle income country, located in Central Africa sub-region. The country shares boundaries with Gabon in the South-West, Cameroon and Central Republic Africa in the North and Northeast, the Democratic Republic of Congo in the East, Angola and Atlantic Ocean in the South. The country is generally stable and safe in the main urban and rural areas. Frequent disruptions are recorded in the electricity supply, particularly in Brazzaville (political capital) and Pointe-Noire (economic capital). The living cost is relatively affordable, but some concerns with the cost of decent housing should be noted. The population enjoys dressing in style and loves music both profane and religious. According to United Nations security standards, life and travel in Brazzaville and in the other areas major are secure. The Republic of Congo is a unique country. It provides for an interesting and enriching environment, but also requires a mature level of cultural awareness, as well as more stamina and commitment than elsewhere to make life comfortable and affordable. Therefore, flexibility and the ability and willingness to live and work in harsh and potentially hazardous conditions, involving physical hardship and little comfort, are essential.

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Added 19 hours ago - Updated 15 minutes ago - Source: unv.org