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Qualifications

1.      Area of expertise :  

 Roster for National Consultant - Biomedical Engineer.

2.      Purpose of consultancy   

 To establish a list of qualified Biomedical Engineer Consultants for inclusion in the advertised roster to provide intermittent technical support to MoHP and WHO in strengthening biomedical engineering systems, laboratory readiness, health technology management, national guideline development, supply chain resilience, and emergency preparedness through national-level activities, field missions, assessments, and technical documentation.

Successful candidates will be placed on the roster and subsequently may be selected for consultancy assignments; however, contracting of rostered candidates is not guaranteed.

3.      Background  

The World Health Organization (WHO) Country Office (WCO) for Nepal is committed to supporting the Ministry of Health and Population (MoHP) in strengthening biomedical equipment systems, laboratory readiness, oxygen ecosystems, and overall health system resilience to ensure services remain safe, functional, and aligned with national and international standards. WHO is collaborating with MoHP on cross-cutting priorities including strengthening emergency preparedness and response capacity, enhancing biosafety and biosecurity for influenza and other high-threat respiratory pathogens, improving diagnostic and laboratory systems, advancing health technology management (HTM) and medical countermeasure (MCM) supply chain policies, and supporting implementation of the National Oxygen Roadmap through technical assessments, quality assurance, and energy and system analyses. These initiatives aim to enhance health infrastructure performance, standardization, and operational readiness across all levels of the health system.

Under the overall guidance of the WHO Representative and the Incident Manager (IM) / Team Lead – WHE, and day-to-day supervision of the National Professional Officer – Operations Support & Logistics – Technical Health Logistics, the consultant will be responsible for providing technical, analytical, and operational support across these national priorities by contributing to technical reviews, technical document development, field assessments, equipment calibration and certification activities, workshop facilitation, capacity-building initiatives, drafting and refinement of technical documents, strengthening preventive maintenance and biomedical equipment management systems, and supporting emergency preparedness and response missions as required.

The consultant will work closely with MoHP and partners to ensure all the activities are carried  out in highest standard in collaboration with MoHP / partners’, medical equipment teams, and other relevant WCO IMS pillars; and the WCO Health Systems team; and the relevant focal points at the WHO South East Asia Regional Office and Headquarters

4.      Deliverables

i.       Deliverable 1: Technical Review, Policy & Framework Development

·        Provide technical inputs for the refinement and finalization of national documents, including:

o   Guideline for Management of Biomedical Equipment 2082

o   Nepal Health Infrastructure Standard & Guideline (NHISG) 2017 revision

o   SOPs, standards, and regulatory frameworks related to biosafety, biosecurity, and HTM

·        Examine national and international publications to ensure coherence with global best practices.

·        Contribute to drafting, design, formatting, and editing of MoHP/WHE working documents and frameworks.

·        Participate in meetings of Technical Working Groups (TWG), Core Writing Groups (CWG), and other expert fora.

ii.                Deliverable 2: Support to National Oxygen Roadmap & Supply Chain Resilience

·        Provide technical inputs during assessments of oxygen systems, PSA plants, medical gas pipeline setups, power/energy infrastructure, and oxygen‑related biomedical equipment.

·        Contribute to the review of technical specifications, feasibility analyses, installation/commissioning requirements, and maintenance standards.

·        Engage in dissemination workshops, stakeholder interactions, and quality assurance processes.

iii.              Deliverable 3: Laboratory Biosafety, Calibration, Certification & Readiness

·        Contribute to calibration, certification, and performance testing of Biosafety Cabinets (BSCs) and key laboratory equipment.

·        Carry out field assessments focusing on safety compliance, equipment suitability, and maintenance requirements.

·        Contribute to the drafting of SOPs and maintenance protocols for laboratory systems.

·        Participate in capacity‑enhancement activities for national NSF certifiers and laboratory engineers.

iv.              Deliverable 4: Workshops, Orientations and Field Engagement

·        Prepare agendas, presentations, and facilitation materials for workshops, consultations, and training sessions.

·        Facilitate group discussions, document feedback, and synthesize inputs for integration into national documents.

·        Participate in field missions, stakeholder coordination, and documentation across provinces.

v.                Deliverable 5: Implementation & Reporting

·        Contribute to piloting, testing, and validation of tools, guidelines, and frameworks in health facilities.

·        Prepare technical reports, event summaries, and mission documentation.

·        Provide logistical and administrative inputs required for field activities.

vi.       Additional Duties

·        Contribute to technical undertakings within WHE related to biomedical engineering, emergency logistics, and preparedness.

·        Carry out additional assignments as delegated by the supervisor.

j.       Qualifications, experience, skills and languages

Educational Qualifications:  

Essential: Bachelor’s degree in Biomedical Engineering from a recognized institution.

Desirable: Additional training or certification in health technology management, medical equipment safety, laboratory biosafety, or related technical domain

Experience  

Essential:

·        More than five years of professional experience in biomedical equipment management and maintenance within governmental, international, or large‑scale health programs.

·        Experience in designing and delivering technical training programs at federal and provincial levels.

·        Experience coordinating activities across national and sub‑national systems and providing technical inputs across various stages of the biomedical equipment lifecycle.

·        Experience developing and updating technical documentation, conducting large‑scale technical initiatives, and contributing to program implementation in complex health‑system environments.

Desirable:

·        Experience working with Ministries of Health, UN agencies, or similar organizations.

Skills/Knowledge:

Essential:

·        Strong communication and presentation abilities, with the capacity to prepare clear, concise technical documents.

·        Ability to provide technical advice considering diverse stakeholder perspectives in resource‑constrained settings.

·        Ability to foster collaboration, build consensus, address issues proactively, and clearly articulate progress and outcomes.

·        Strong interpersonal and multicultural communication skills for engagement with senior government officials and partner agencies.

·        Ability to work effectively under pressure, including during emergencies.

·        Technical proficiency in the analysis, installation, calibration, and maintenance of a wide range of medical equipment.

Desirable:

·        Familiarity with laboratory biosafety standards, NSF/ANSI 49 requirements, and oxygen system engineering principles.

·        Knowledge of health facility infrastructure requirements, HTM systems, and regulatory frameworks in LMIC contexts.

Languages and level required:

Essential:

Expert knowledge of Nepali (written and spoken).

Expert knowledge of English (written and spoken).

k.      Location

Home‑based (as applicable and agreed, with periodic in‑person engagements as required)

l.       Travel

The consultant is expected to travel.

·        Orientation and engagement activities in all provinces.

·        Field testing and validation of tools, guidelines, and technical frameworks.

·        Additional field visits or assignments as required, in line with the organization’s mobility policies and program needs.

m.    Remuneration and budget (travel costs are excluded):

a.      Remuneration:

NPR 94,600 per month   

b.      Expected duration of contract (Maximum contract duration is 11 months per calendar year):  

-        7 months

Additional Information:

        ·        This vacancy notice may be used to identify candidates for other similar consultancies at the same level.

• Only candidates under serious consideration will be contacted.
• A written test may be used as a form of screening.
• If your candidature is retained for interview, you will be required to provide, in advance, a scanned copy of the degree(s)/diploma(s)/certificate(s) required for this position. WHO only considers higher educational qualifications obtained from an institution accredited/recognized in the World Higher Education Database (WHED), a list updated by the International Association of Universities (IAU)/United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The list can be accessed through the link: http://www.whed.net/. Some professional certificates may not appear in the WHED and will require individual review.
• For information on WHO's operations please visit: http://www.who.int.

        ·        The WHO is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect. The WHO recruits workforce regardless of disability status, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, language, race, marital status, religious, cultural, ethnic and socio-economic backgrounds, or any other personal characteristics.

         ·        The WHO is committed to achieving gender parity and geographical diversity in its workforce. Women, persons with disabilities, and nationals of unrepresented and underrepresented Member States (https://www.who.int/careers/diversity-equity-and-inclusion) are strongly encouraged to apply for WHO jobs. 

·        Persons with disabilities can request reasonable accommodations to enable participation in the recruitment process. Requests for reasonable accommodation should be sent through an email to  reasonableaccommodation@who.int.
·        An impeccable record for integrity and professional ethical standards is essential. WHO prides itself on a workforce that adheres to the highest ethical and professional standards and that is committed to put the WHO Values Charter (https://www.who.int/about/who-we-are/our-values) into practice.

• WHO has zero tolerance towards sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA), sexual harassment and other types of abusive conduct (i.e., discrimination, abuse of authority and harassment). All members of the WHO workforce have a role to play in promoting a safe and respectful workplace and should report to WHO any actual or suspected cases of SEA, sexual harassment and other types of abusive conduct. To ensure that individuals with a substantiated history of SEA, sexual harassment or other types of abusive conduct are not hired by the Organization, WHO will conduct a background verification of short-listed candidates.
• WHO has a smoke-free environment and does not recruit smokers or users of any form of tobacco.
• Consultants shall perform the work as independent contractors in a personal capacity, and not as a representative of any entity or authority.
• WHO shall have no responsibility for any taxes, duties, social security contributions or other contributions payable by the Consultant. The Consultant shall be solely responsible for withholding and paying any taxes, duties, social security contributions and any other contributions which are applicable to the Consultant in each location/jurisdiction in which the work hereunder is performed, and the Consultant shall not be entitled to any reimbursement thereof by WHO.
• Please note that WHO’s contracts are conditional on members of the workforce confirming that they are vaccinated as required by WHO before undertaking a WHO assignment, except where a medical condition does not allow such vaccination, as certified by the WHO Staff Health and Wellbeing Services (SHW). The successful candidate will be asked to provide relevant evidence related to this condition. A copy of the updated vaccination card must be shared with WHO medical service in the medical clearance process. Please note that certain countries require proof of specific vaccinations for entry or exit. For example, official proof /certification of yellow fever vaccination is required to enter many countries. Country-specific vaccine recommendations can be found on the WHO international travel and Staff Health and Wellbeing website. For vaccination-related queries please directly contact SHW directly at shws@who.int.
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