Laboratory Technologist, Kabul

## Laboratory Technologist, Kabul - Organization:UNAMA - United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan - Office:UNAMA Kabul, Afghanistan Description of assignment title:Laboratory Technologist Assignment country:Afghanistan Work location:On UN premises Expected start date:01/01/2027 Expected end date:06/30/2027Long-term benefits and allowances Sustainable Development Goal:16. Peace, justice and strong institutions Volunteer category:Specialist UCoS from Apr2026 Work schedule:Full-time Number of Assignments:1 Mission and objectives: - UNAMA was established in 2002 as a Political/ Peacebuilding Mission, exceptionally) directed and supported by the UN Department of - Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO). - This mandate tasks UNAMA with the promotion and support of humanitarian assistance in line with humanitarian principles, human rights, equality for women and girls, inclusive governance, resilience, and economic stability, and with the use of our good offices for principled and constructive engagement with all national, regional, and global stakeholders in the pursuit of Afghanistan’s peace and stability. - UNAMA reaffirms its strong commitment to the sovereignty, independence, territorial integrity, and national unity of Afghanistan; as well as its continued support for the people of Afghanistan, within the framework of the UN Charter and other international laws and instruments. - UNAMA's vision is for a stable and prosperous Afghanistan that lives at peace with itself and its neighbours, where the rights of all the people of Afghanistan are upheld, without discrimination. - On 15 June 2026, UNAMA’s mandate was extended for another year by UN Security Council Resolution 2727 (2026). - UNAMA Medical Section is the primary provider of reliable, client-oriented, cost-efficient, and prompt primary health care to all personnel from participating UN entities. The Section aims to protect and promote staff health, sustain, and improve their working capacity, contribute to a safe and healthy working environment, and promote the adaptation of work to the capabilities of staff, taking account of their health status. - Under the direct supervision of the Chief Medical Officer (CMO), the UN Volunteer laboratory technologist/manager will perform a broad range of duties, including but not limited to the following key responsibilities: - 1. Laboratory Testing: Perform a wide range of routine and diagnostic laboratory procedures, including but not limited to phlebotomy, hematology, clinical biochemistry, serology, urinalysis, stool analysis, parasitology, PCR, and others, on available automated, semi-automated, and manual platforms in accordance with ISO 15189 standards for quality and competence in medical laboratories. Review, validate, and communicate laboratory testing results on a timely basis, as well as report any critical test results in accordance with internal procedures for critical test identification and communication. When testing is requested or tests are not available on-site, coordinate and facilitate referral to accredited external laboratories. - 2. Blood Bank: Maintain an emergency response local blood bank as well as an on-site walking blood bank program, which includes pre-screening mission personnel and identifying eligible walking blood donors, to ensure that blood is available in an emergency. Perform donor screening, blood testing, and pre-transfusion testing as needed. - 3. Inventory Management: Maintain a laboratory inventory management system for mission headquarters and regional field office MERT clinics, which includes demand forecasting, stock control, procurement coordination, storage, and disposal of equipment, reagents, consumables, and supplies to ensure laboratory service continuity. Maintain accurate inventory records and ensure proper receipt, labelling, storage, traceability, custody, and accountability for laboratory equipment, reagents, consumables, and supplies. Participate in demand planning and support the end-to-end procurement and supply management of laboratory equipment, reagents, consumables, and supplies, including acquisition planning, requirement preparation and review, shopping cart and purchase order creation, coordinating delivery receipt and inspection, storage and disposal, liaising with vendors, suppliers, and contractors, and contributing to vendor performance evaluation. - 4. Equipment Maintenance: Follow the manufacturer's recommendations for equipment maintenance protocols to ensure continuous laboratory operations, timely maintenance, and the availability of required services and supplies. Oversee the preventive maintenance and service of laboratory equipment, as well as the periodic contractor performance appraisal. - 5. Training: Provide training on relevant point-of-care (POC) testing procedures to Joint Medical Service (JMS) and Medical Emergency Response Team (MERT) personnel in regional field offices, including proper use, quality control, interpretation, and documentation of POC test kits. - 6. Documentation and Records Management: Follow all relevant United Nations policies, procedures, administrative issuances, and guidance, as well as ISO 15189 standards, to ensure proper documentation, records management, data protection, and medical confidentiality. - 7. Periodic Reporting: Work closely with the Office of the Chief Medical Officer (CMO) to compile, analyse, and submit periodic laboratory operational reports and statistics, such as test volumes and distributions, workload indicators, quality-control data, occurrences and incidents, inventory status, equipment downtime, referral-testing activity, and other key laboratory performance indicators (KPIs) such as turnaround time. - 8. Laboratory Quality Management System (LQMS): Create and maintain a laboratory quality management system that addresses pre-analytical, analytical, and post-analytical processes such as documentation, specimen traceability, method implementation, quality control, result reporting, equipment and inventory management, occurrence management, corrective action, and continuous improvement. Create, review, update, and apply standard operating procedures (SOPs), work instructions, and job aids for all laboratory processes. - 9. Laboratory Safety: Establish and maintain a laboratory safety program in accordance with the WHO Laboratory Biosafety Manual, which includes hazard identification, risk assessment, control measure implementation, safe biological material handling and containment, decontamination, waste management, incident reporting, and staff biosafety training. - 10. Other responsibilities: Support relevant medical administrative functions; participate in work planning and operational reviews; contribute to continuing medical education and in-service training activities; support preparedness for medical emergencies; and undertake other related duties as assigned by the CMO. - Candidate must be a national of a country other than the country of assignment. Assignment requirements - English, Level: Fluent, Required Required education level: - Bachelor's degree in Medical Laboratory Technology, Medical Laboratory Sciences, Transfusion Medicine, Laboratory Safety, Laboratory Quality Management Systems (LQMS) or an equivalent . Competencies and values: - • Adaptability and flexibility - • Planning and organizing - • Technological Awareness Skills and experience: - • At least five years of progressively responsible experience in medical laboratory technology. - • Strong technical skills in laboratory testing, quality assurance, and quality control, as well as knowledge of ISO standards and WHO guidelines for laboratory quality and safety. - • Valid license to practice as a medical laboratory technologist in your home country. - • Experience with procurement, inventory management, and transfusion medicine is required. - • Proficiency with Microsoft applications and laboratory information management systems (LIMS) is require