Job: Road Design Engineer

Location: Kabul, Afghanistan
Deadline: Thursday, 05 September 2013 

Description

UNOPS mission is to expand the capacity of the UN system and its partners to implement peacebuilding, humanitarian and development operations that matter for people in need. Working in some of the world's most challenging environments, our vision is to always satisfy partners with management services that meet world-class standards of quality, speed and cost effectiveness.

UNOPS provides services in sustainable infrastructure, sustainable procurement and sustainable project management, with projects ranging from building schools, roads, bridges and hospitals to procuring goods and services and training local personnel.

By assisting UN organizations, international financial institutions, governments and other development partners, UNOPS makes significant, tangible contributions to results on the ground.

We employ more than 6,000 personnel annually and on behalf of our partners create thousands more work opportunities in local communities. Through our headquarters in Copenhagen, Denmark and a network of regional and country offices, we oversee activities in more than 80 countries.

UNOPS is committed to achieving a truly diverse workforce.

Background Information - Afghanistan

Afghanistan

With more than 10 years of experience in the country, the UNOPS Afghanistan office supports national reconstruction and development efforts by providing projects with goods and services - from stand-alone, one-off solutions to long-term management and capacity development support. Based in Kabul, UNOPS in Afghanistan has sub-offices in every region of the country. The team implements projects in support of the Afghanistan National Development Strategy, in a wide range of sectors including infrastructure, education, environment and agriculture, and governance and rule of law.

Functional Responsibilities

Under the overall guidance and direct supervision of the Project Manager, the Road Design Engineer will work closely with the technical and support project team to provide the necessary technical expertise and design documentation for the project implementation ensuring complience of designs, drawings, specifications and work methodologies with the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) design standards as well as the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) standards. The Road Design Engineer's responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Responsibility for the output of road designs produced by other parties.
• Reviewing and providing advice on technical specifications to ensure adherence to AASHTO standards and the National Rural Access new standards.
• Ensuring all designs are completed to the highest standards, based on initial survey data provided by the Surveyors, Road Engineers, and environmental and social inclusion (ESMF) Specialists.
• Preparation of Bill of Quantities (BoQs) and technical documentation in accordance with UNOPS and the donor's standards.
• Reviewing design and drafting works completed by contractor for compliance with original design intent.
• Interpreting survey result into technical drawings.
• Preparing longitudinal section and cross-sections for calculations of earth work quantities.
• In collaboration with the Surveyor and Senior Road Engineers, providing advice on the appropriate location and alignment of the roads to be constructed.
• Providing advice and coordination of roads construction in conjunction with the Senior Roads Engineer, QA Engineer and the contractor.
• Assisting the QA/QC, Monitoring Engineers and Survey engineers with monitoring the work of the contractor.
• Reviewing the existing practice of local contractors and conventional methodology of road construction; making recommendations that will increase safety, taking budget constraints into account, in the construction of roads undertaken by UNOPS - AGOC.
• Reviewing the QA/QC site visit and materials testing reports to ensure sampling, testing and inspection of materials are carried out regularly and works are implemented in compliance with design specifications.
• Assisting the Procurement Management Section with all contractual matters in the completion of the respective contracts.
• Reviewing and endorsing any design changes that are processed by other parties.
• Assisting with building the capacity of UNOPS – Project Engineers in road and construction techniques including good practices and troubleshooting methods.
• Providing technical advice and assistance to contractors to ensure that economical and quality materials are purchased.
• Monitoring the implementation of the works by conducting site visits and providing guidance for improvement and good results.
• Providing regular progress reports to the Project Manager and the technical project team as required.
• Performing any other duties as requested by the Project Manager.

Competencies

• Ability to lead, build and sustain effective work relationships with clients, subordinates and peers to achieve common goal.
• Checks accuracy of output produced so that it is as per established quality standards.
• Is efficient and successful in handling time bound projects. Identifies critical factors and focuses energy to achieve them.
• Good understanding of UNOPS business, the operational environment and clients as well as the UN mandate.
• Operates as a team player and contributes effectively to team goals and team proceedings.
• Is able to predict problems/constraints with current processes; proposes feasible alternatives.
• Demonstrates attention to detail and patience.
• Ability to multi-task and prioritize work schedules.
• Be able and willing to travel to visit project sites if required.
• Proficiency in usage of computers and office software packages.
• Demonstrated ability to train and build the capacity of counterparts.

Education/Experience/Language requirements

• Bachelor's Degree in Civil Engineering is required. Professional Certificate in a relevant field and/or Master's Degree will be considered an asset.
• Minimum 4 years of a progressively responsible experience in large scale road design and construction projects is required.
• Proficiency in design softwares such as AutoCAD, Civil CAD, Civil 3d and other structural design software is required
• Proficiency in survey equipments such as Level machine, Total station, Theodolite and GPS is required.
• Fluency in both written and oral English is essential.

Contract type, level and duration

This is a local position and only Afghan nationals may apply

Contract type: Individual Contractor Agreement (ICA)

Contract level: Local ICA, Level 6

Contract duration: 6 months, with possibility of extension

For more details about the ICA contractual modality, please follow this link: http://www.unops.org/ENGLISH/WHOWENEED/CONTRACT-TYPES/Pages/Individual-Contractor-Agreements-ICAs.aspx

Additional Considerations

• This is a local position and only Afghan nationals may apply
• Please note that the closing date is midnight Copenhagen time (CET)
• 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.
• For staff positions UNOPS reserves the right to appoint a candidate at a lower level than the advertised level of the post
• The incumbent is responsible to abide by security policies, administrative instructions, plans and procedures of the UN Security Management System and that of UNOPS.

More Info and Application