UNICEF PNG Office plans to engage two (2) national Field Engineers. The positions are field-based, with one Engineer fully based in Lae district, Morobe Province and one Engineer fully based in Rigo District, Central Province, providing on-site technical support and oversight across the full infrastructure intervention cycle. This includes design review, construction supervision, quality assurance, and completion verification under the projects.

UNICEF works in over 190 countries and territories to save children’s lives, defend their rights, and help them fulfill their potential, from early childhood through adolescence.

At UNICEF, we are committed, passionate, and proud of what we do for as long as we are needed. Promoting the rights of every child is not just a job – it is a calling.

UNICEF is a place where careers are built. We offer our staff diverse opportunities for professional and personal development that will help them reinforce a sense of purpose while serving children and communities across the world. We welcome everyone who wants to belong and grow in a diverse and passionate culture., coupled with an attractive compensation and benefits package.

Visit our website to learn more about what we do at UNICEF.

For every child, Development

With over 850 indigenous languages and one of the most ethnically diverse populations, widespread poverty, and gender inequality make it hard for many children to realize their rights. In Papua New Guinea, UNICEF’s works effectively both ‘upstream’ (with governments) and ‘downstream’ (at the grassroots level) to carry out its mission through a programme of cooperation jointly developed with the government guides our work in the country.

How can you make a difference? 

Purpose of Activity/Assignment
UNICEF Papua New Guinea is supporting climate-smart and -resilient social services and infrastructure to address the impacts of climate change on children. The projects promote climate-resilient and low-carbon development approaches across multiple sectors, including WASH, Health, Nutrition, Education, and Child Protection. A major component of the projects is infrastructure-focused, with particular emphasis on water supply systems, WASH facilities, and solarization of social service infrastructure under the projects.
To ensure technical quality, risk management, and continuity of infrastructure-related interventions, UNICEF plans to engage two (2) Field Engineers through a single recruitment process. The positions are field-based, with one Engineer fully based in Lae district, Morobe Province and one Engineer fully based in Rigo District, Central Province, providing on-site technical support and oversight across the full infrastructure intervention cycle. This includes design review, construction supervision, quality assurance, and completion verification under the projects.
SCOPE OF WORK
Key Taks and Responsibilities:
Under the guidance of the Programme Manager, Climate and Sustainable Environment, the Field Engineers will provide technical oversight and advisory support for infrastructure interventions. The role is responsible for ensuring technical soundness, compliance with agreed standards, and consistency across all stages of the infrastructure intervention cycle, including planning, design, procurement, construction, and handover.
The Field Engineers will work closely with contractors through regular communication and on-site monitoring of construction activities, review of technical documentation, and provision of targeted technical guidance. Key responsibilities include reviewing and endorsing designs, construction work plans, and implementation outputs, as well as identifying and mitigating technical risks to ensure overall quality and adherence to agreed specifications and standards.
The Field engineers will be responsible for completing the following specific tasks:
1. On-site Construction Monitoring and Quality Assurance (QA)
• Conduct day-to-day monitoring of construction activities at project sites to ensure compliance with approved designs, work plans, technical specifications, and quality standards.
• Implement and apply quality assurance (QA) and quality control (QC) measures throughout the construction process, including verification of materials, workmanship, and construction methods.
• Identify construction-related quality issues, defects, or risks, and recommend corrective actions in coordination with contractors and UNICEF.
2. Technical Review and Advisory Support
• Carry out technical assessment/feasibility for climate-resilient infrastructures in communities and institutions.
• Provide technical advisory support for climate-resilient infrastructure interventions across the design and implementation phases.
• Review and provide written technical feedback on feasibility studies, engineering designs and drawings, construction work plans, and implementation outputs, with a focus on technical quality, safety, climate resilience, and constructability.
• Review Bills of Quantities (BoQs), cost estimates, and technical specifications to verify consistency with approved designs, quality requirements, applicable standards, and budgets.
• Advise on context-appropriate, climate-resilient, and risk-informed engineering solutions suited to local conditions.
3. Support to Procurement and Partner Engagement
• Provide technical inputs to support procurement and contracting processes, including contributions to the preparation and review of technical Terms of Reference (TORs) and technical specifications for construction contractors and implementing partners.
• Review the technical aspects of bids and proposals against agreed technical and QA requirements, and provide advisory inputs to UNICEF, as required.
• Support UNICEF and partners in responding to technical clarifications during procurement and contracting processes, particularly on technical standards, specifications, and QA/QC requirements.
4. Capacity Building and Technical Guidance
• Identify technical and quality-related capacity gaps among local contractors, implementing partners, and relevant counterparts.
• Develop and deliver targeted technical briefings or on-the-job training on construction quality, QA/QC practices, climate-resilient infrastructure, and operation and maintenance, as required.
• Support knowledge transfer to strengthen the sustainability and long-term performance of infrastructure investments.
5. Coordination and Reporting
• Coordinate closely with UNICEF programme teams and relevant counterparts to support integrated and timely delivery.
• Participate in technical and coordination meetings, including remote participation where required.
• Provide periodically written technical updates and QA-related observations to UNICEF, including identified risks, non-compliance issues, and recommended mitigation measures.

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have… 

Minimum requirements:

Education: Bachelor's degree in Water Engineering, Environmental Engineering, Civil Engineering, Infrastructure Engineering, or a closely related field.

Knowledge/Expertise/Skills required
• At least five years’ relevant experience including in design/supervision of solarized water supply systems, including boreholes, solar-powered pumping systems, storage tanks, distribution networks, and sanitation infrastructure particularly in rural or resource-constrained settings.
• Strong understanding of WASH infrastructure and water quality assurance, with clear awareness of the linkages between water systems, public health, and child wellbeing is desirable.
• Demonstrated experience in on-site construction supervision and quality assurance (QA/QC) is desirable
• Practical knowledge of climate-resilient and risk-informed infrastructure approaches applicable to solar-powered water systems is desirable
• Ability to provide clear technical guidance, work effectively with contractors and partners, and produce concise technical inputs and reports.
• Strong communication skills in English (spoken and written);
• Proven ability to work effectively in cross-cultural and multi-cultural settings and teams, and to deliver high-quality results within expected time frames; and
• Ability to make own arrangements at the district level in PNG
• Engineers registered with the professional body is strengthen
• Ability to use software like AutoCAD/Sketchup is desirable
• Good Inter-personal skills, commitment and motivation are essential.
Language Requirements: English

For every Child, you demonstrate… our core values of Commitment, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability and Sustainability. 

This position is a short-term assignment and doesn’t give rise to a long-term permanent post with the organization.

Applicants are required to include in their applications a financial proposal which includes a lumpsum amount for consultancy fees, local transportation, and other miscellaneous costs. Breakdown or details of the fee will be much appreciated.

Individuals engaged under a consultancy or individual contract will not be considered “staff members” under the Staff Regulations and Rules of the United Nations and UNICEF’s policies and procedures and will not be entitled to benefits provided therein (such as leave entitlements and medical insurance coverage). Their conditions of service will be governed by their contract and the General Conditions of Contracts for the Services of Consultants and Individual Contractors. Consultants and individual contractors are responsible for determining their tax liabilities and for the payment of any taxes and/or duties, in accordance with local or other applicable laws.

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply.

UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination.

UNICEF also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.

UNICEF does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process (application, interview meeting, processing, or orientation). 

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.

At Impactpool we do our best to provide you the most accurate info, but closing dates may be wrong on our site. Please check on the recruiting organization's page for the exact info. Candidates are responsible for complying with deadlines and are encouraged to submit applications well ahead.
Before applying, please make sure that you have read the requirements for the position and that you qualify. Applications from non-qualifying applicants will most likely be discarded by the recruiting manager.