GFF Lead Biomedical Engineer

• Manage biomedical technicians and apprentices stationed at GFF partners’ health facilities.
• Provide technical training and mentorship to biomedical technicians, apprentices to achieve 80% proficiency in user training, maintenance, servicing and troubleshooting of medical equipment. Conduct timely assessments and develop training plans, both online and in person. Strategically plan for, manage, coordinate and implement GFF Biomedical Development activities; Continuous Biomedical Education (CBEs) from in-house and external persons, experts in the Biomedical field, manufacturers, and experienced/ experts in the medical field to address gaps identified in competence and training.
• Implement GFF biomedical maintenance programs, processes and procedures at existing partner clinics and hospitals; recommend best practices to improve medical equipment management through utilisation and sustainability.
• Instigate positive change and influence top management to improve budgeting for spares, procurement of medical devices, service contract management, manufacturer support for equipment and donors and funders of medical devices to address critical gaps in medical equipment technology management and patient outcomes. Regularly engage, meet and report to top management and staff supervised. Create sustainability of biomedical programs through the development of local BME managers at health partner sites.
• Plan and manage the activities of biomedical apprentices and technicians. Review technician and apprentice weekly, monthly plans and reports and provide guidance, direction on implementation, and continuously improve them.
• Prepare annual critical service plans for GFF partner health facilities and ensure their implementation every month.
• Utilise and develop existing BME tools and Computerised Maintenance Management System (CMMS) to improve tracking of medical equipment, usage and documentation of biomedical activities. Manage the GFF CMMS system for Biomedical and procurement activities, including critical reporting. Develop documentation to address needs, develop BME SOPs for use, track and report on KPIs weekly and review performance of BME KPIs every week. Identify gaps in staff KPIs and address them.
• Support Biomedical apprentices and technicians with first-line troubleshooting and biomedical support for equipment in GFF partner health facilities. Recommend approved service companies for specialised medical equipment;
• Ensure timely completion of preventive maintenance schedules, following manufacturer’s instructions for inspection, testing and servicing; Review and approve proper medical equipment inventory reports with health facility managers and BMET technicians and apprentices. Ensure that health facilities manage their biomedical programs by having and implementing up-to-date inventory, critical equipment service schedules and budgets for biomedical support.
• Periodically evaluate equipment needs at GFF partner facilities and report “gaps” to GFF Manager, Biomedical programs and operations. Address any biomedical issues and needs pointed out from facility site visits with GFF partners.
• Train 100% of clinicians, medical equipment users and biomedical apprentices and technicians on the proper use of biomedical equipment following the GFF User Training program through equipment operation demonstrations and videos; support the biomedical technicians and apprentices to develop quick start user guides (to be placed on equipment) and tools required to address user training gaps in the facilities served.
• Review new or proposed medical equipment, install, calibrate, update software, repair and provide technical support for biomedical equipment at GFF partner clinics and hospitals; schedule repairs on malfunctioning equipment during site visits or remotely with biomedical technicians and apprentices when not in country; Test all GFF equipment received in Uganda and provide test reports with recommendations to GFF, manufacturers and donors of the equipment.
• Review all requests for medical equipment, develop specifications and match equipment to the needs of the health facility (GFF partner). Develop specifications for equipment to be procured, approve equipment to be procured and support the procurement officer with the purchase of medical equipment. Update and review the GFF BME equipment plan.
• Develop standard operating procedures for use, management, and disposal of medical equipment when special needs arise, e.g. develop pandemic SOPs like COVID-19 cleaning and disinfection procedures for the health facility and equipment;
• Develop a preferred suppliers list for spares, reagents and consumables; Update specifications for GFF typical deliverables.
• Develop yearly and quarterly work plans for visits to GFF partners in the countries supported.
• Conduct timely appraisals for staff supervised biannually.
• Provide a weekly report on daily work activity and a monthly report to the GFF programs and operations manager.

Skills and Requirements

• Must have a Biomedical Engineering Degree
• At least 2 years of technical experience working in NICU and maternity department with equipment(Incubators, IRW, CPAPs, comprehensive delivery table), OR (anaesthesia machines, OR tables, ORlights) and Lab equipment (CBC, Microscope, chemistry analysers) preferred.
• Preferred: Management experience of at least 2 BME (T), engaging with top-level management, is confident, a collaborator and passionate about biomedical support to health facilities.
• Works independently in both routine and complex tasks. Should be able to strategically prioritise work and initiate new work and tasks.
• Should have a proven record of being a passionate, humble, focused, adaptive and determined manager and leader (effectively supporting staff under them to achieve the organisational goals)
• Ability to coordinate and manage projects from start to completion, performing any necessary communication and follow-up with clinicians, health facility management and GFF Supervisors.
• Can communicate effectively
• Ability to use computer-based tools at a high level, e.g. should be able to use a database and online tools for record keeping and reporting.
• Ability to train, mentor and coach staff (technicians and users of equipment) in proper utilisation of biomedical equipment;