Medical Specialist - Occupational Health

The Infrastructure and Project Management Group (IPMG) provides policy, standards guidance and support in three UNOPS service lines of Project Management, Infrastructure and Financial Management Services (Grant Support and Fund Management). IPMG leads the design and implementation of a project, programme and portfolio management (P3M) system centered around the needs of UNOPS partners, beneficiaries and frontline personnel. IPMG also drives UNOPS efforts to leverage sustainable, resilient and inclusive infrastructure and maximize local capacity through grant support management to achieve sustainable development. Through thought leadership, we aim to position UNOPS with its partners, foster innovative solutions for sustainable and inclusive development, and accelerate the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This includes speeding up the implementation of urgent infrastructure and scaling up infrastructure service delivery, particularly in relation to climate action and energy. Our delivery approach to project management, infrastructure and grant support management prioritizes development needs, empowers institutions and communities, builds partners’ capacity, champions gender equality and social inclusion and reduces environmental impact. IPMG translates policy into practice by providing strategic direction, standards and oversight, while facilitating knowledge sharing and capacity-building for UNOPS teams globally.

Occupational Health and Safety 

UNOPS is committed to minimising or preventing harm to workers and community members who interact with UNOPS activities. To meet this commitment, UNOPS established policies, standards, guidance, and implementation support that apply to projects and office activities. The UNOPS OHS system is based on international standards. 

Focus areas include risk assessment, implementation of critical controls, capacity-building support, incident management, and promotion of a mature OHS culture. Historically, occupational safety has been more established in UNOPS than occupational health. The purpose of this position is to strengthen occupational health services, thereby enhancing resilience to occupational health exposures. 

The incumbent will report to the Head of Occupational Health and Safety under the Environmental and Social Sustainability (ESS) Unit. 

This vacancy is for a full-time, open-ended position. However, as the contract modality for this Vacancy Announcement is an International Individual Contractor Agreement, UNOPS may also use the results of this recruitment process to offer a full-time, short-term, or retainer contract (for intermittent work, subject to budget availability and business needs).

Medical Specialist - Occupational Health will provide technical support and oversight covering medical services and occupational health. Areas covered include primary care, occupational health interventions and emergency services. The Medical Specialist  will also facilitate capacity building, oversee the measurement of occupational health performance and provide technical support for the management of occupational health incidents.

The incumbent is expected to contribute to the following results:

• Health Services and Occupational Health standards, processes, guidance  and tools in place and fit-for-purpose;

• Occupational health exposures identified and effective mitigation actions fully implemented;

• Performance monitoring programmes in place, supported by appropriate indicators and an established process to review and correct performance gaps;

• Technical support provided in low-capacity locations, including checking the effective completion of actions to correct performance gaps;

• Documented information maintained with appropriate considerations for data privacy and confidentiality; 

• Occupational health training needs assessed, training programmes delivered and the effectiveness of training checked;

• Collaboration with the global team of practitioners, line managers, and personnel effective and consistent;

• UN interagency expectations for health services and occupational health met.

Required

• Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) in Medicine and a postgraduate qualification (specialisation) in occupational health with 7 years of relevant experience OR

• Master’s degree (or equivalent) in Medicine and a postgraduate qualification (specialisation) in occupational health  with 5 years of relevant experience is required

Required

• A minimum of 5 years of experience as a fully registered, licensed and practising medical doctor is required.

• Within these 5 years, at least 3 years of experience as an occupational health doctor are required.

Desired

• At least 2 years of experience working in humanitarian, development, or fragile settings is a strong asset.

• Experience in developing medical fitness standards and a medical surveillance programme is desired.

• 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.