WASH Engineer in UN Volunteers

About the organization

UNICEF supports children and families affected by the war in Ukraine, particularly in the areas of health, education, protection, and access to safe drinking water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH).

Context

The full-scale war has caused significant destruction of civilian infrastructure, including water supply, drainage and centralized systems. heat supply Shelling, power outages, population displacement and winter conditions significantly affect the continuity and safety of basic services, increasing the health risks for children and vulnerable groups.

In response, the UNICEF Ukraine WASH program is moving from purely emergency measures to a hybrid model of humanitarian aid and resilience, combining urgent repairs and winter preparations with medium-term investments in energy efficiency, decentralization and capacity building of utility companies. In the western region, UNICEF supports water and heat supply companies, local authorities and partners to restore and stabilize services for households, health care facilities, schools and collective centers.

The UNICEF Lviv field office is looking for a Local WASH Expert (UNV National Specialist) to provide practical technical support to needs assessments, monitoring the implementation of vital WASH and heat interventions and preparing completion reports

About the role

Under the leadership of the WASH Officer in the Lviv Field Office, the WASH Engineer will provide technical support for humanitarian WASH/heat interventions: field assessments, planning, monitoring, quality control, documentation and contributing to reporting to ensure accountability to affected communities.

Main Responsibilities 1) WASH assessments and planning with humanitarian focus

• Conduct field assessments of water supply, drainage/sanitation and heating systems in locations affected by shelling in the area of responsibility of the Lviv Federal District.

• Identify critical technical gaps, risks and priorities for infrastructure recovery and support (including winterization measures) for service continuity.

• Support preparation/review of technical scope of work, basic BoQ (statement of scope of work) and estimates together with UNICEF engineers and partners.

• Coordinate the timely procurement/distribution/monitoring of WASH supplies for continuous support of the population and program activities.

2) Monitoring the implementation and maintaining the quality of humanitarian of interventions

• Monitor WASH interventions of partners: tracking progress, basic quality control, compliance with agreed technical and humanitarian standards.

• Participate in field monitoring and joint missions, document observations, good practices, gaps and necessary follow-up actions.

• Timely identify and escalate technical risks/delays that may affect people's access to safe water, sanitation and hygiene; participate in the development of practical corrective measures together with the UNICEF team.

3) Documentation, accountability and reporting

• Collect and verify documentation from the field: photos, checklists, partner reports — so that assistance correctly reflects the needs and priorities of communities.

• Help document completed activities and transfer/handover processes in accordance with UNICEF procedures, ensuring transparency and sustainability of services for children and families.

• Prepare contributions to internal and donor reporting: updates, summary of progress, challenges and humanitarian impact of interventions.

4) Coordination and daily operational support

• Maintain coordination with partners, local authorities and service providers.

• Provide daily operational and technical support to the WASH team (follow-up action points, responses to information requests).

• Participate in coordination meetings and technical discussions related to the implementation of the WASH program.

Requirements for the candidate

Education

• Master's degree in the field of civil/water/environmental/mechanical engineering or related technical areas relevant to water supply systems, sanitation or heating.

• Additional postgraduate courses preferred.

• Bachelor + relevant experience/training may be considered in lieu of Masters.

Experience

• Minimum 3 years progressive experience in WASH Engineering/Municipal Infrastructure/Utilities, including field work.

• Experience in water supply, drainage/sanitation and/or heat supply, in particular:

  • damage assessments, emergency or early recovery repairs;

  • pumping stations, sewage treatment plants, networks, heat supply systems.

• Experience in working with water utilities/heat utilities, local authorities or communities - a significant advantage.

• Experience in humanitarian/post-conflict contexts and/or donor infrastructure projects (EU, KfW, IFIs, etc.) - an advantage.

Languages

• Ukrainian - fluent.

• English - working level.

Skills

• Strong communication and reporting skills; attention to detail.

• Proficient in MS Office (Excel, Word, etc.), email/internet; preferably - databases.

• Independence, ability to work in difficult conditions and in a multicultural team; security awareness.

• Interest in child rights and work in the UN system.

Conditions

• Type of contract: National UN Volunteer Specialist (UCoS until March 2026), full-time.

• Duration: 9 months with the possibility continued.

• Location: Lviv (UN Premises), offline.

Financial and social guarantees

• Monthly Volunteer Living Allowance (VLA) — 1690 USD (equivalent in UAH).

• One-time payment entry lump sum — 400 USD.

• Medical and life insurance for the duration of the contract.

• Leave (annual/learning/sick leave) — according to the policies of UN Volunteers.