Engineer Intern

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 South Asia Multi-Country Office (SAMCO) supports UNOPS operations across six countries: Bangladesh, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. SAMCO delivers a broad range of services and technical expertise in climate change, water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), infrastructure, procurement, human resource management, and fund management. Each country office is staffed with local technical experts and maintains strong partnerships with national governments, ensuring context-specific solutions and effective project implementation.

UNOPS Nepal context: 

During 2015 – 2022 UNOPS Nepal has engaged closely with the Government of Nepal and several development partners in the reconstruction efforts of the Government of Nepal, including assessment of damaged buildings and enrolment of beneficiaries into housing grant schemes. UNOPS supported homeowners engaged in the reconstruction process, modernization and improvement of policing services, retrofitting damaged houses and reconstruction of disability-friendly schools, and delivering some essential equipment to support COVID-19 response efforts. The functional objective of UNOPS Nepal is to deliver its projects efficiently and effectively in alignment with government priorities following UNOPS rules and regulations, to achieve the outcomes sought by the Government and funding partners, and to contribute to the achievement of SDGs.

While ensuring gender, diversity, and inclusion are mainstreamed in all its projects, UNOPS Nepal is currently working on several new engagements to support the Government of Nepal under Health, Rule of Law, Climate Change, DRR, Urban development, and procurement support, among others, and create new opportunities and jobs for the people of Nepal.

In alignment with government priorities, the UNOPS Nepal country office looks forward to providing long-term strategic and advisory support to the country by enhancing the capacity of national and sub-national governments and partners within all three tiers of government. By prioritizing evidence-based planning, capacity building, and developing model projects for creating sustainable and inclusive cities, the UNOPS Nepal country office also aims to build strong relationships with urban municipalities at the local level. Aiming to create a sustainable city by promoting a green and resilient, climate-adaptive, and socially inclusive development approach, the assignment will focus on prioritizing the municipalities for its future interventions.

UNOPS, Cities Alliance, and UN-Habitat are implementing an EU and Finland-funded project, “Cities 4 Women: Inclusive and Climate Resilient Urbanization in Nepal”. The project focuses on improving the participatory aspects of existing urban planning processes in municipalities, giving women and girls the opportunity to share their lived experiences in the city (including accessibility, services, and use of public open spaces), and exploring possible solutions to the challenges they face. The project aims to identify key strategic interventions that could improve the lives and opportunities, not only of women in urban areas but of all residents.

For a multiyear engagement in Nepal with a focus on gender-sensitive approaches to urban planning in various Nepalese municipalities, Cities Alliance is seeking a highly motivated and dynamic Associate as Cities Alliance support staff in-country. Under the general supervision of the Cities Alliance Civic and Women Engagement Coordinator/Specialist, the Associate will support the overall project implementation and assist in all activities to ensure that project deliverables meet the expectations and requirements. Please note that the job offer is subject to the availability of funds.

Gender Equality and Social Inclusion Mainstreaming in Projects Strategy reaffirms UNOPS' and Cities Alliance’s commitment to gender equality, diversity, and inclusion. It mobilizes our efforts to promote equal rights and opportunities for people to live full lives. It is supported by sustainable, resilient, and inclusive infrastructure, and by the efficient and transparent use of public resources in procurement and project management. The following are part of the project guidelines:

All components of the project will mainly focus on participatory gender-sensitive assessment, co-design of public open spaces, project preparation and implementation, and mainstreaming climate change in all the operations. Cornerstones of the project will include:

●      Use of Cities Alliance’s tools (e.g., Her4Climate Tool, Women Engagement in Cities (WEC) Framework, community mapping, safety audits) adapted to the local Nepalese context;

●      Monitoring of the project progress, ensuring that the Gender Action Plan (GAP) is implemented effectively. It is vital to project success to ensure that the planned activities to implement the GAP are embedded into the day-to-day operations;

● Ensure equal representation of women in community engagement workshops on urban planning and design, a certain percentage of women suppliers or workers, etc., to ensure requirements are met;

●      Reflect gender mainstreaming into urban planning and design information in meeting minutes and any other ad hoc reporting, such as a workshop, training, or checkpoint report;

●      Track both quantitative and qualitative data on gender-related targets and indicators, such as the gender and age balance of community engagement and indicators related to impacts on male and female beneficiaries, as well as other vulnerable groups, as applicable.

This internship position operates within the UNOPS Nepal country office, supporting the "Cities 4 Women: Inclusive and Climate Resilient Urbanization in Nepal" project. The project focuses on improving participatory aspects of urban planning processes in municipalities, giving women and girls the opportunity to share their lived experiences in the city and exploring possible solutions to the challenges they face. The intern will contribute to desk research, field surveys, stakeholder consultations, and the preparation of urban profiles and knowledge products.

The Urban Planner / Designer Intern will support the implementation of the Cities 4 Women project, contributing to research, analysis, documentation, and stakeholder engagement activities. The intern will assist in the preparation of urban profiles, maps, charts, and reports, and support the organization of consultations and workshops related to the project.

1. Research and Analysis

• Conduct desk research on urban planning, gender equality, and climate resilience in the context of Nepalese municipalities.

• Perform field surveys to gather data on urban spaces, accessibility, and the experiences of women and girls in the city.

• Support the analysis of data collected through research and surveys, preparing maps, charts, and reports to visualize findings.

2. Documentation and Reporting

• Document inspiring practices on public open spaces and relevant project benchmarks.

• Report on meetings, panel sessions, conferences, and other events related to the project.

• Assist in the preparation of project development documents, formulations, and publications related to urban issues, especially on participatory planning processes and the participatory design of public open spaces.

3. Stakeholder Engagement and Workshop Support

• Assist in organizing and conducting stakeholder and public consultations, and urban design workshops related to the project.

• Support the facilitation of participatory planning processes, ensuring the inclusion of diverse perspectives, particularly those of women and girls.

4. Project Support and Knowledge Management

• Undertake other activities that would support the work of the project, including communications and knowledge management.

• Contribute to the development and maintenance of project-related knowledge products and resources.

• Continuous interaction with colleagues, exchange of information, seeking cooperation, resolving routine administrative and process problems, referring complex issues to the supervisor with recommendations for the course of action.

Training components and learning elements: 

The internship provides opportunities to develop skills in project management, evidence-based urban planning and financial oversight. Interns will have access to UNOPS online training tools and are encouraged to participate in learning events organized by UNOPS and other UN agencies in Kathmandu, particularly those focused on gender equality, climate change, DRR, and inclusive urban development. This experience will help build knowledge, networks, and practical skills relevant to a career in international development.    

Participation in missions or training courses:

In addition to accessing UNOPS online training courses and tools, the Intern is encouraged to attend and participate in learning events organized by UNOPS and other UN agencies in Kathmandu, especially on administration.   

• Should be enrolled in a university program such as a Bachelor, Master's in architecture or urban planning and design. Candidates who have graduated from a University programme within the last 3 years by the date of the application will also be considered. 

• A focus on urban planning and the design of public open spaces is highly desirable.

• Strong computer literacy in Google Suite applications or equivalent MS Office standard programs, in particular proficiency in MS Word, PowerPoint, and Excel, is required.

• GIS software(ESRI or similar) is an advantage.

• Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, and others. 

Internship-related experiences

• The internship is for 6 months with no possibility of extension and will provide opportunities for exposure to urban planning and design of secondary cities in Nepal, evidence-based infrastructure planning, project identification, and sustainability.  

Additional requirements

• Priority would have students with experience in organizing and/or participating in architecture and urban planning and design competitions, as well as those who have published written works on cities in journals, online platforms, etc.  

    

• UNOPS does not accept unsolicited resumes. 
• 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. 
• Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and invited to proceed to the next stage of the selection process, which may include various assessments. 
• UNOPS embraces diversity and is committed to equal employment opportunity. Our workforce consists of a wide range of nationalities, cultures, languages, races, gender identities, sexual orientations, and abilities. We strive to sustain and strengthen this diversity, fostering an inclusive working environment where all personnel are treated with respect and have equal access to opportunities.
• UNOPS evaluates all applications based on the skills, qualifications and experience outlined in the vacancy announcement. We are committed to a fair and transparent selection process and welcome diverse perspectives, including those of women, indigenous and racialized communities, individuals of diverse gender identities and sexual orientations, and persons with disabilities.
• We are committed to enabling all candidates to perform at their best during the assessment process. If you are shortlisted and require support or reasonable accommodation to complete any assessment, please inform our human resources team upon receiving your invitation.
• UNOPS has zero tolerance for sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA), sexual harassment, and other forms of abusive conduct, including discrimination, abuse of authority, and harassment. To uphold these standards, background checks are conducted for all final candidates to help ensure that individuals with a history of such conduct are not hired. By applying for a position with UNOPS, candidates acknowledge and consent to these verification processes.
  

• 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.