JOB ANNOUNCEMENT

Health Builders, in partnership with Gould Family Foundation (GFF), is seeking a Biomedical Equipment Technician (BMET) to be based in Kigali, Rwanda.

Background

Health Builders is a non-profit organization registered in Rwanda to strengthen primary healthcare. Through a close and collaborative partnership with the Rwandan Ministry of Health and the local governments, Health Builders provides training and mentorship to health care providers on basic clinical and managerial skills; constructs comprehensive health facilities where access is limited; and equips them with life-saving technology. See www.healthbuilders.org

Key Responsibilities of the BMET

The BMET will be responsible for providing biomedical support to all Health Builders supported health facilities based in Rwamagana, Rulindo, Nyabihu and Rubavu districts in Rwanda.

The primary purpose of this role is to ensure that the lifecycle of equipment donated by Health Builders’ partners, including GFF and DAK Foundation, is prolonged through implementation of biomedical maintenance plans for the equipment.

Responsibilities of the BMET

• Identify general “gaps” in medical equipment or user training at Health Builders supported health facilities and provide necessary support to bridge these gaps
• Train clinicians and medical equipment users on the proper use of biomedical equipment through equipment operation demonstrations and videos; design quick start user guides (to be placed on all equipment)
• Receive and inspect new GFF (DAK) equipment, prepare installation inventory, reports, ensure equipment received meet the specifications as per Local Purchase Order (LPO) or delivery note and upload to GFF database
• Plan for installation of equipment and support the GFF Biomedical Engineer (BME)/ Supervisor during installation of GFF and DAK Foundation donated equipment
• Provide monthly plans for all Health Builders supported facility visits, yearly maintenance schedules for equipment, spares budget and activity reports to GFF BME or supervisor for review and guidance
• Make periodic rounds of assigned clinical areas to assess operation of medical devices and systems. Note trends and work with GFF supervisor to develop and implement solutions to address recurring problems
• Troubleshoot, inspect, service and repair all medical equipment and provide first line troubleshooting for specialized equipment
• Communicate with users (doctors, nurses, surgeons etc.), health facility, Health Builders and GFF management regarding status of equipment and repairs. Coordinate onsite visits for the GFF supervisor or Biomedical Engineer. Receive calls for repair and address issues in time
• Recommend vetted companies for servicing and complex repair of medical equipment
• Document all work performed including equipment inspections, corrective and preventive maintenance and special requests as required. Maintaining all documentation in a GFF BMET file in an accurate and timely manner. Utilize GFF service, inspection and inventory forms for documentation.
• Complete GFF monthly BMET M&E tools like equipment utilization to track performance and use of critical equipment at partner sites. Report issues affecting equipment usage to Health Builders and GFF management e.g. underutilization of equipment because of lack of reagents, poor/lack of infrastructure, management purchase and budgeting procedures, etc.
• Document all work performed including new equipment inspections, corrective and preventive maintenance and special requests as required. Maintaining documentation in an accurate and timely manner.
• Develop standard operating procedures for use, management, disposal of medical equipment when special needs arise
• Develop, when directed by GFF BME, preferred suppliers for medical equipment spares and consumables
• Schedule and follow up on service visits from contracted service engineers and or manufacturers/ distributors
• Ensure all equipment have service stickers with details of service personnel and SOPs in the locations of use. Ensure that servicing and preventive maintenance are done on time.
• Identify and recommend medical equipment that is obsolete, has an extensive repair history, no longer has service support from the manufacturer or has identified safety problems.
• Support GFF BME with coordination and distribution of equipment to partners in country.
• Upgrade equipment software as per GFF BME recommendations

Skills and Requirements

• Ability to utilize basic electrical and mechanical tools for testing and repair
• Can communicate effectively; prefer someone who can speak and write in French, English and Kinyarwanda
• Organized; can properly plan and implement activities
• Ability to train staff in proper utilization of biomedical equipment
• Must have competence in repair of mechanical, electro-mechanical, electronic, and/or computer medical technology to sufficiently diagnose and repair medical devices and systems
• Can utilize a computer to document reports
• Must be willing to learn how to operate, test and repair a variety of medical equipment

Experience and Qualifications

• At least one-year experience required maintaining key equipment in hospitals like patient monitoring devices, oxygen concentrators, sterilizers and autoclaves, radiant warmers, incubators, height and weight scales, knowledgeable in electrical wiring, repair of computers/ TVs etc. and not more than 3 years of experience
• Candidate with Diploma in biomedical equipment technology and any other form of education in this field is desirable or;
• A candidate with more than one-year experience working on medical equipment in a hospital with education background in electrical or mechanical fields
• A candidate with no educational background in electrical or mechanical fields with 3 years’ minimum experience working on a variety of medical equipment in a hospital is required.

APPLICATION EXPIRY DATE: 1st August 2022

REQUIREMENTS; CV & application letter

The application should address how the candidate’s background/experience relates to the specific duties of the position applied for. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for interview. Applicants should therefore clearly indicate their contact telephone number(s) and/or email address for easy contact.