Technical Expert in Operation and Maintenance of Diesel Generators

About Chemonics

Chemonics International is an international development company based in Washington, D.C. Our mission is to promote meaningful change around the world to help people live healthier, more productive, and more independent lives. Since 1975, we have worked in 150 countries around the world, and we are currently implementing 118 projects in 84 countries. Our main partner is the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), and we also work with foreign donors such as the United Kingdom’s Department for International Development (DFID) and the Global Fund. We have more than 4,000 staff in our project offices around the world, and more than 500 staff based in our headquarters in Washington, D.C.

1.  Project Background

The Lebanon Community Support Program (CSP) is a multi-year project funded by USAID to support municipalities and underserved and vulnerable communities in providing better services and enhanced economic opportunities to improve lives and reduce tensions that contribute to conflict and violence, primarily in Lebanon’s North, South, and Beqaa regions. Under Task Order No. 3 (TO 3), the project will provide technical assistance to municipalities, civil society organizations (CSOs), the private sector, or other entities to increase capacity and ensure sustainable impact in providing key essential services. The main objective of this 5-year task order is to support Component 3 (Capacity Building) of the CSP Program by delivering technical assistance to enhance the sustainability of CSP interventions under Component 1 (Community Stabilization Support) and Component 2 (Community Development Support), and if required, under future Task Orders.

2.  Summary of Position

CSP/Task Order 2 has provided several municipalities with diesel generators as a back system for the continuous shortages in the electric current provided by the government. In addition, TO3 will be soon launching a Community of Practice for the management of generators to support the municipalities that have received them in adapting to the evolving economic crisis so they can continue the provision of power supply to their residents and consequently sustain the generators.

The Technical Expert in Operation and Maintenance of Diesel Generators is expected to provide CSP’s local actors and the Generators’ Management Community of Practice (GCoP) members with the technical know-how on the diesel generators’ understanding and operation/programming knowledge for optimum operation.

S/he is expected to provide information, technical assistance and guidance on preventive maintenance, safety measures and understanding of the operation of all components of a standby generator.

3.  Specific Duties and Responsibilities

• Work closely with the CSP team to advise the (GCoP) on any issue related to the education aspects on the operation & maintenance of a diesel generator, in addition to the required safety measures and to deliver the technical assistance interventions that would respond to the established program goals, purpose, and strategic priorities.
• Build the capacity of the CSP relevant local actors in conducting a preventative and scheduled maintenance, on standby generator sets and associated systems, through providing them with tools, checklists, and guidelines on preventive maintenance, if needed in addition to the technical assistance previously provided by the service provider who initially trained on the operation and maintenance of the generator.
• Build the capacity of the CSP relevant local actors in the operation of all components of a standby generator set and its associated systems and provide them with the related tip sheets and guidelines, if needed in addition to the technical assistance previously provided by the service provider who initially trained on the operation and maintenance of the generator.
• Based on the current nationwide electricity crisis and shortage, guide the CSP’s relevant local actors on the optimal operation of the generators (such as maximum operation hours, alternation hours etc.), how to ration the electricity provision to ensure optimum, safe operation and sustainability of the diesel generator.
• Build the capacity of the relevant CSP’s local actors on how to guide the residents and the community on the electricity consumption, whenever needed.
• Provide the relevant CSP’s local actors with guidelines and tip sheets to help them identify early malfunctioning signs and enable effective faultfinding of the standby generators and associated systems
• Provide the relevant CSP’s local actors with safety measures guidelines and tip sheets allowing them to operate the generator in a safely manner through respecting all the necessary safety measures and wearing all the necessary PPEs.

 4.  Qualifications

• Qualified service engineer capable of working on generators up to 500KVA with a minimum of 5 years of relevant experience in fault-finding and servicing of diesel engines and generator sets. OR a skilled technician on generators up to 500KVA with a minimum of 7 years of relevant experience in fault-finding and servicing of diesel engines and generator sets.
• Experience in training provision and capacity building is preferred
• Excellent Arabic writing skills to develop technical assistance material
• Excellent communication skills with a flexible, adaptable approach to working
• Willingness to conduct field visits, whenever requested
• Proven ability to work collaboratively across diverse sets of stakeholders
• Fluency in spoken and written Arabic and English is a must

 5.  Location of the Assignment

The Technical Expert in Operation and Maintenance of Diesel Generators will be traveling to project field locations to assist in the activities’ implementation.

 6.  Reporting

The Technical Expert in Operation and Maintenance of Diesel Generators will be reporting to TO 3 Municipal and CSO Capacity Building Managers.

 Chemonics is an equal opportunity employer. All applicants that can legally work in Lebanon will be considered for employment based on their qualifications without discrimination.