Engineering Advisor, Energy Sector at Chemonics International

Chemonics International, a global consulting and international development firm, seek an Engineering Advisor, Energy Sector, short-term position, for the USAID-funded Competitive Economy Program (CEP).The USAID Competitive Economy Program (CEP) is a seven year, $170M program, which promotes a strong, diverse, and open economy by enhancing the business environment for Ukrainian enterprises, improving the competitiveness of emerging and high-growth industries and their firms in international markets and equipping the Ukrainian workforce with skills necessary for reconstruction and rebuilding the economy.

The goal of the Project is to increase domestic market competition and support the competitiveness of Ukrainian firms in international markets. As part of this goal, CEP will support medium and large enterprises that utilize heat and electricity in their production processes. The Project plans to select 25 enterprises that require procurement and installation of cogeneration units (CGUs).  It is expected that the CGUs will run on natural gas and have an energy output of at least 0.5MW up to 1.0MW.

CEP has hired a Ukrainian engineering firm to conduct assessments of businesses identified as potential candidates for this activity. The assessment process involves evaluating these firms to determine their suitability for receiving assistance under the Project. The engineering firm is tasked with providing recommendations on the size of equipment to be installed, fuel usage requirements, and preparatory steps for businesses to receive, install, operate, and maintain the equipment. This assessment is ongoing and is expected to conclude by early January 2025.

Following the completion of this assessment, CEP will proceed with the procurement of approximately 20-25 cogeneration units (CGUs) for distribution to the selected companies. This phase of the activity is anticipated to have a duration of 6 months from the date of purchase to arrival in Ukraine at the business locations throughout Ukraine.

 CEP does not have engineering expertise on staff and so the Project has identified the need to hire an Engineering Advisor to advocate for the project and act as a liaison between the Engineering Firm and CEP. It is expected the Engineering Advisor will assist in deciphering the technical language and terminology in the reports from the Engineering Firm and provide recommendations to the CEP Procurement Department. The Engineering Advisor will also assist CEP Procurement staff with drafting an RFP for CGU equipment, evaluate offers, and assist in selecting appropriate manufacturers to provide CGU equipment to the selected beneficiaries.  The Engineering Advisor will also inspect the installation of CGUs during installation and after installation is complete.

Position Description

The Engineering Advisor will serve as an advocate for the CEP project on a procurement process for the purchase of CGUs. The Engineering Advisor will consult CEP personnel on questions related to the legal framework or other peculiarities of installment of co-generation units at manufacturing enterprises. The Engineering Advisor will also assist the CEP Procurement Department with technical advice for the drafting of a Request for Proposals (RFP) which will identify manufacturers of such equipment and serve as an advisor in the selection of the correct manufacturers to provide CGUs to identified beneficiaries. The Engineering Advisor will also monitor the progress of the Beneficiaries to make-ready to receive the CGUs, properly install the equipment, and provide periodic reports and recommendations to CEP technical staff on the progress of and challenges faced by the Beneficiaries.

Specific Tasks and Responsibilities

• Provide written consultations to the CEP Procurement Department on questions related to the legal framework or other peculiarities of installment of co-generation units at manufacturing enterprises.
• Be ready to liaise with beneficiaries as needed, using the information from the Engineering Firm to develop an installation plan for the cogeneration units (CGUs).  Confirm beneficiary constraints identified by the Engineering Firm.
• Review previously submitted reports by the Engineering Firms and provide analysis as needed, including potential oversight of recommended improvements or preparatory steps the beneficiary should undertake before installation.
• Assist in drafting contracts for selected CGU Manufacturers by providing technical specifications for the equipment to be purchased.
• During and after installation of the CGUs, the Engineering Advisor shall provide an interim progress report and a final post-installation report to CEP for each Beneficiary.

Timing and Level of Effort 

USAID CEP expects that the Engineering Firm will complete their initial assessment of potential beneficiaries by the early January.

The RFP for CGU equipment will be released in January 2025 with offers due in February 2025.

CGUs will require up to 6 months of manufacturing time. It is expected that the manufacturing process and delivery will be completed in July 2025.

The Engineering Advisor will begin work in mid-January 2025 and provide intermittent support to CEP for the duration of the activity through the end of August 2025.

Supervision and Reporting 

The Engineering Advisor reports to the Strategic Investment Fund (SIF) Director.

Deliverables:

The Engineering Advisor will:

• Consult the CEP Procurement Department on questions related to the legal framework or other peculiarities of installment of co-generation units at manufacturing enterprises.
• Review previous reports from the Engineering Firm and confirm in writing the specifications are complete and accurate.
• Refine specifications from the Engineering Firm that can be used in the RFP to solicit offers from companies that manufacture CGUs.
• Evaluate offers in response to the RFP for CGU equipment. Provide written analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of each offer. Present those findings in evaluation meetings as requested by the SIF Advisor or his/her designee.
• Assist the CEP Procurement Department in drafting technical requirements in the purchasing contracts for CGUs.
• Provide post-installation reports on all Beneficiary businesses to CEP.
• Final report on the activity to include observations on successes of the activity, challenges overcome, and recommendations for any future CGU procurements managed by CEP.

Qualifications

The required and/or preferred qualifications for the position are:

• A bachelor’s degree or the same level technical degree in engineering, energy systems, or a related field is required.
• A minimum of five years of engineering experience with installation, operation, and maintenance of cogeneration equipment or similar equipment.
• Knowledge of the Ukrainian energy sector, including regulations and market conditions is required.
• Experience with procurement processes, including drafting RFPs, evaluating proposals, and selecting equipment manufacturers, is preferred.
• Strong leadership capabilities, including organizational and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to work quickly and creatively without sacrificing compliance or quality.
• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision, prioritize multiple work assignments in an extremely fast-paced environment, to meet deadlines, and to exercise strong professional judgment that reflects positively on the image of the CEP program.
• Strong and clear written and verbal communication skills.
• Fluent Ukrainian is required with a working proficiency in English preferred.

Application Instructions:

Please submit your application by 11:59 pm on Monday 23 December, 2024.

Please note the position is open for Ukrainian citizens only. Candidates will be reviewed and interviewed on a rolling basis until position is filled. No telephone inquiries, please. Finalists will be contacted.

Chemonics is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate in its selection and employment practices on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, or other non-merit factors.

2024-12-06T17:26:42.000 2024-12-23T23:59:59.000 Part time TELECOMMUTE Ukraine Chemonics Inc./CEP