Technical Officer, Medical Engineering and Infrastructure Development
Organizational Context
The World Health Organization (WHO) is a UN specialized agency dedicated to achieving the highest possible level of health for all people. In the WHO African Region, countries face significant challenges in managing medical equipment and health technologies, including planning, procurement, maintenance, and regulation, often due to limited biomedical engineering capacity and infrastructure. The Medicine, Infrastructure and Innovation (MDI) Unit requires a technical officer to address this critical capacity gap and enhance support for Member States.
Job Purpose
This role will provide crucial technical support to the WHO African Region, addressing the critical capacity gap in medical engineering and health technology management. The incumbent will contribute to strengthening Member States' capabilities in planning, managing, maintaining, and assessing health technologies and infrastructure. This support is vital for improving access to safe, effective, and sustainable health technologies, ultimately strengthening health systems, advancing Universal Health Coverage (UHC), enhancing health security, and achieving sustainable development objectives across the region. The position is essential for the MDI Unit to adequately respond to country requests and implement regional strategies.
Responsibilities
Provide technical support for developing and implementing regional policies, standards, and tools for biomedical engineering and health technology management. Assist Member States with medical equipment lifecycle management, including planning, procurement, installation, maintenance, and decommissioning. Conduct assessments of biomedical engineering systems, maintenance capacities, and health technology needs. Support the development and dissemination of standards for medical device quality, safety, and performance. Review equipment plans for health facility infrastructure projects. Contribute to emergency preparedness and response involving medical equipment. Develop training materials and organize workshops for capacity building. Collect, analyze, and report on relevant indicators. Facilitate collaboration with governments, institutions, and partners. Promote innovation and appropriate health technologies. Prepare technical reports and documentation.
Work Experience
A minimum of 5 years of professional experience in biomedical engineering, medical device management, health technology management, or health infrastructure development is required. Experience supporting technical programs, projects, assessments, or capacity-building activities is essential. Experience working with government institutions, health facilities, development partners, or international organizations, particularly in low- and middle-income countries or the African Region, is desirable. Knowledge of medical equipment lifecycle management and health technology assessment is also beneficial.
Skills
Proficiency in English and/or French is required. Strong oral and written communication skills, including drafting and reporting. Excellent interpersonal skills, with cultural sensitivity and ability to work inclusively. Ability to work effectively in a challenging, multicultural environment. Proficiency in MS Office applications and database management. Self-motivated with the ability to work independently and meet deadlines. Understanding of human rights, equity, and volunteerism. Expertise in public health and immunization is also noted.