About Organisation:

The Regional Service Centre Entebbe (RSCE) is a prominent shared service hub operated by the United Nations (UN) in Entebbe, Uganda. It serves as a vital administrative, logistics, and technology backbone for UN field operations and peace missions across Africa and other global regions.

Key Duties and Responsibilities:

Within delegated authority, the Engineering Assistant will be responsible for the following duties:

Civil Engineering

Technical

• Supervises and coordinates activities in resolving technical site problems, providing technical specification and cost estimates related to any RSCE assignments, planning and scheduling of projects for maintenance, repair, and installation on the premises.
• Supervises and coordinates activities concerning projects for installations, systems and equipment.
• Performs project management activities coordinating alteration works to ensure that the quality of contractors’ services is in accordance with set terms and conditions, codes and standards as well as health and safety rules and regulations.
• Performs activities related to commissioning of engineering works, including periodical and final inspection.
• Liaises with projects stakeholders to arrive at mutually satisfactory approaches to problems.
• Updates Supervisors/Managers periodically on projects status.
• Planning and design: of all minor and major projects.
• Applies commonly used engineering design practices and precedents for site projects.
• Carries out site visits, technical assessments and prototype inspections.
• -Analyzes project proposals to assess technical feasibility and resources estimation.
• Prepares technical specifications, drawings, bills of quantity and cost estimates necessary for the preparation of SORs/SOWs for bidding packages.
• Checks, verifies and recommends for approvals to Management on all invoices/Claims submitted by contactors during the implementation phase as per UN procurement rules and ensure all technical inputs and cost estimates are accurate, timely provided and included in the project proposals and budgets.

Procedural:

• Provides specialized support in carrying out technical assessments of existing buildings and infrastructure.
• Preparing draft proposals for alteration work including preparation of technical specifications, bills of quantity and cost estimates necessary for solicitation of quotations from the open market.
• Participates in technical review of offers submitted and studies drawings and sketches for review and discussion to determine extent of work required; presents alternatives as solution of problems.
• Accompanies all contractors to job locations, clarifies drawings and specifications after contract has been awarded to successful contractor.

Operational:

• Reviews and evaluates technical offers and coordinates with procurement unit.
• Participates in the preparation of cost estimates for biennial budget and acquisition plan related to the Unit/Section accounts.
• Suggests ways to institute control and methods to improve services and reduce costs for the United Nations.
• Coordinates with Security and Safety team on their investigation on safety and fire hazard situations associated with installation done by the Unit.
• Ensures that daily activities are in accordance are in compliance with the UN Environmental and Waste Management Policies, and in line with the UN Environmental Strategy objectives
• Acts as Team Leader as required.
• Performs other duties as required.

Qualifications, Skills and Experience:

Libraries

• High school diploma or equivalent is required.

Job – Specific Qualification

• A technical/vocational diploma/certificate in engineering or related area is required.
• A minimum of seven (7) years of experience in facilities management, building management, engineering, architecture or related area is required.
• The minimum years of relevant experience is reduced to five (5) for candidates who possess a first level degree or higher.
• A minimum of one year working experience in computer aided design software such as Autocad or similar is required.
• Experience in structural design analysis is desirable. Experience in the use of engineering tools and management of studio equipment is desirable.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office is desirable.

Languages

• English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat.
• For this job opening, English is required. The table below shows the minimum required level for each skill in these languages, according to the UN Language Framework (please consult for details).

• Supervises and coordinates activities in resolving technical site problems, providing technical specification and cost estimates related to any RSCE assignments, planning and scheduling of projects for maintenance, repair, and installation on the premises.
• Supervises and coordinates activities concerning projects for installations, systems and equipment.
• Performs project management activities coordinating alteration works to ensure that the quality of contractors’ services is in accordance with set terms and conditions, codes and standards as well as health and safety rules and regulations.
• Performs activities related to commissioning of engineering works, including periodical and final inspection.
• Liaises with projects stakeholders to arrive at mutually satisfactory approaches to problems.
• Updates Supervisors/Managers periodically on projects status.
• Planning and design: of all minor and major projects.
• Applies commonly used engineering design practices and precedents for site projects.
• Carries out site visits, technical assessments and prototype inspections.
• Analyzes project proposals to assess technical feasibility and resources estimation.
• Prepares technical specifications, drawings, bills of quantity and cost estimates necessary for the preparation of SORs/SOWs for bidding packages.
• Checks, verifies and recommends for approvals to Management on all invoices/Claims submitted by contactors during the implementation phase as per UN procurement rules and ensure all technical inputs and cost estimates are accurate, timely provided and included in the project proposals and budgets.
• Provides specialized support in carrying out technical assessments of existing buildings and infrastructure.
• Preparing draft proposals for alteration work including preparation of technical specifications, bills of quantity and cost estimates necessary for solicitation of quotations from the open market.
• Participates in technical review of offers submitted and studies drawings and sketches for review and discussion to determine extent of work required; presents alternatives as solution of problems.
• Accompanies all contractors to job locations, clarifies drawings and specifications after contract has been awarded to successful contractor.
• Reviews and evaluates technical offers and coordinates with procurement unit.
• Participates in the preparation of cost estimates for biennial budget and acquisition plan related to the Unit/Section accounts.
• Suggests ways to institute control and methods to improve services and reduce costs for the United Nations.
• Coordinates with Security and Safety team on their investigation on safety and fire hazard situations associated with installation done by the Unit.
• Ensures that daily activities are in accordance are in compliance with the UN Environmental and Waste Management Policies, and in line with the UN Environmental Strategy objectives
• Acts as Team Leader as required.
• Performs other duties as required.

• Computer aided design software such as Autocad or similar
• Structural design analysis
• Use of engineering tools
• Management of studio equipment
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office

• High school diploma or equivalent
• Technical/vocational diploma/certificate in engineering or related area
• Seven (7) years of experience in facilities management, building management, engineering, architecture or related area (five (5) years for candidates with a first level degree or higher)
• One year working experience in computer aided design software such as Autocad or similar