National Engineer

Organizational Context

The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations promotes sustainable agriculture and food systems, focusing on natural resource protection and meeting societal needs for resilient livelihoods. FAO has a four-decade presence in Sri Lanka, providing technical expertise and capacity building in agriculture, fisheries, livestock, forestry, and environment sectors. The "One Vision, One Shield" project aims to enhance Sri Lanka's pandemic preparedness through an integrated One Health approach, strengthening surveillance, laboratory biosafety, antimicrobial resistance initiatives, and workforce capacity, with key activities including laboratory infrastructure upgrades.

Job Purpose

The National Engineer will provide essential engineering, procurement, and contract administration support for the refurbishment and upgrading of targeted laboratory facilities. This role is critical for ensuring the successful implementation of laboratory infrastructure improvements under the "One Vision, One Shield" project. The incumbent will oversee construction supervision, conduct technical evaluations, ensure quality assurance, certify payments, and guarantee compliance with approved designs, specifications, contract requirements, biosafety standards, national regulations, and occupational health and safety standards, contributing directly to enhanced pandemic preparedness in Sri Lanka.

Responsibilities

The National Engineer will support procurement and contract administration, including technical bid reviews and recommendations. Responsibilities include providing technical inputs for laboratory refurbishment, reviewing contractor work programs, methodologies, and material proposals, and recommending corrective actions for implementation, quality, safety, risks, and delays. The role involves facilitating stakeholder communication, maintaining project documentation, and preparing regular progress reports for FAO management. Key duties also encompass reviewing technical designs, specifications, and Bills of Quantities with a focus on laboratory functionality and biosafety, participating in bid evaluations, and clarifying technical aspects of contract documents. Furthermore, the engineer will conduct site visits for technical reviews, assess workmanship, materials, and systems (MEP, ventilation, safety), identify and recommend solutions for defects and non-conformities, and assess variations and contractor claims. The role includes reviewing contractor submissions, participating in joint measurements, verifying quantities for payments, and assessing the technical completion of laboratories. Advice will be provided on contractor claims, variations, and dispute resolution, and participation in regular meetings is required.

Work Experience

A minimum of 8 years of relevant experience in building infrastructure rehabilitation and upgrading is required. This must include at least 3 years of experience specifically in laboratory, healthcare, or other controlled-environment facilities. Demonstrated expertise is needed in technical design review, MEP and ventilation systems, construction oversight, contract administration, procurement support, bid evaluation, site inspection, measurement, payment certification, variation and claim review, and contractor performance assessment.

Skills

Key skills include results focus, teamwork, communication, building effective relationships, and knowledge sharing. Technical skills involve extensive experience in construction supervision, quality assurance, site safety, and contract compliance. Proficiency is needed in reviewing engineering designs, MEP systems, specifications, Bills of Quantities, as-built documentation, and payment claims. An understanding of laboratory functionality, biosafety/biosecurity requirements, ABSL-I/ABSL-II compliance, occupational health and safety standards, and national construction regulations is advantageous. The ability to identify construction defects, risks, and delays, recommend practical solutions, and prepare high-quality technical reports is crucial. Effective collaboration with diverse stakeholders, including laboratory management, contractors, and procurement teams, is essential. Experience with laboratory, healthcare, or complex refurbishment works, procurement support, contract administration, and working under tight deadlines is highly valued. Experience with international organizations or donor-funded projects is a plus.

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