Epidemiologist(Port Sudan) – MSF Holland

Job Description

Section/Unit:	Medical and Paramedical
Supervisor:	Epidemiology Activity Manager
Location:	Port Sudan
Salary:	1,205 USD
Deadline:	22 Jan 2024

Background:

Assessing, implementing, and maintaining the epidemiological surveillance systems/monitoring (if needed) according to MSF protocols, standards, and procedures to contribute to appropriate evidence-based decision-making using well-managed health data in the outbreak and emergency MSF programs.

Duties and responsibilities:

• Carrying out key epidemiological activities in outbreak investigation (description including time, place, and people with emphasis on mapping when it is needed) and advising on the operational response 
• Implementing and maintaining a surveillance system to monitor epidemiological trends of relevant outbreak-prone diseases. Guiding activities of medical staff for surveillance and/or active case finding, including ensuring understanding of the need for consistent case definitions and data recording (briefing of all new staff)
• Monitoring and Implementing initial Assessments (for emergencies), rapid health assessments, and (baseline or follow-up) surveys. Where standard protocols are not available or appropriate, developing a protocol seeking extensive feedback and pilot testing of tools to ensure the objectives will be met robustly with the support of HQ epidemiologist
• Preparing and adapting routine documentation (survey forms, training materials, letters of request/notification, locally appropriate consent forms, etc.) with the support of the HQ epidemiologist. Preparing an appropriate sampling frame and sample selection guidelines with the support of HQ epidemiologist
• Planning and supervising the associated HR processes of the staff under his/her responsibility (recruitment, training/induction, evaluation, potential detection, development, and communication) and ensuring that staff exhibits required skills after training and pilot test
• Conceive, design, implement, and disseminate operational research projects and assessments, as needed
• Support the evaluation of programmatic activities at the project level, as needed
• Managing data systems and ensuring accurate, high-quality databases; analyzing results and preparing regular written reports on progress and findings for medical coordinator/HQ and when appropriate to external collaborators/networks (MoH, other NGOs, etc.)
• Providing training sessions to medical teams on relevant aspects of epidemiology to enhance team response capacity

 MSF Section/Context-Specific Accountabilities

General outline:

• My main responsibility is scanning and analysis of outbreak-prone diseases and ensuring high-quality data collection and analysis processes are in place for possible outbreak-prone diseases, emergencies, and possible responses. 
• Provide technical support for rapid assessment, risk mapping, and development of preparedness/contingency plans for projects. 
• Maintain a database of reported outbreaks and public health incidents, at the project level, and document all steps taken in the verification and response process.
• Support the production of the weekly epidemiological update by reviewing and summarizing the weekly epidemiological situation at the project level.
• Train and supervise mission data supervisor and data encoders on data entry, and crosscheck data to ensure accuracy of the data entered.
• Prepare tables and interpretation of surveillance data monthly as part of their monthly medical report (MMR) contribution

1. Surveillance 

• Supervise surveillance data collection procedures and conduct periodic data quality checks, as needed 
• Monitor, evaluate, and improve the performance of surveillance processes and platforms, and contribute to the formulation of surveillance guidelines, SOPs, and training materials.
• Advise and provide timely reports to the project medical teams about potential or active epidemic trends and disease patterns, their characteristics, developments, possible causation, and control procedures
• Establish early warning systems for epidemic-prone diseases for early detection, verification, and response to public health events, as needed.
• Collaborate with epidemiologists from other MSF sections in Sudan to share and receive epidemiologic updates, and monitor and report on intersectional data tools including nutrition surveillance, measles dashboard, and others.

2. Operational assessments/research

• Design, implement, analysis, and dissemination of operational research/assessment projects related to surveillance and medical programmatic effectiveness in collaboration with coordination and HQ epidemiologists
• Conduct in-depth analysis of routine medical data to guide decision-making
• Conduct surveys (nutrition, mortality, morbidity, KAP, LQAS, etc), as requested by the mission or assist the project teams in doing so

3. Training/mentoring

• Provide training of medical data processing and medical teams on surveillance-related topics and data management issues, as needed

4. Emergency Intervention / Implementation

• Conduct and lead outbreak investigations whenever there is an alert for an outbreak 
• Ensure daily/weekly data follow-up and analysis during outbreak and outbreak intervention 
• Conduct routine data analysis and provide routine updates/SitRep during emergency response 

5. Reporting and planning

• Contribute analysis and interpretation of surveillance/outbreak and research data to MMRs
• Ensure appropriate and timely data analysis on potential emergency of outbreak diseases in the projects based on need (depending on the availability of data collected via partner/projects)
• Contribute to MYR and AP discussions
• Together with the medical coordinator, MTL, and the medical team, liaise with the partners and WHO/MoH towards epidemiological findings and trend analysis of potential outbreak emergencies.

6. Lobby, Advocacy and Networking

• Regular participation in the meetings organized by the community, WHO, and MOH at project and federal levels when necessary. 
• Support other related activities as needed by the projects.

Minimum Qualification, Skills, and Experience Required:

Education	Essential, medical or para-medical related diploma.Essential, degree (or masters) in Epidemiology or Public Health with training in statistics and epidemiology.
Experience	Essential, working experience of at least one year in epidemiology-related jobs.Desirable, working experience with MSF or other NGOs.Desirable, Field Epidemiology Training Programme (FETP) diploma.
Languages	Mission language essential (English), local language desirable (Arabic).
Knowledge	Essential, medical or para-medical related diploma.Essential, degree (or master’s) in Epidemiology or Public Health with training in statistics and epidemiology.
Competencies	Results and Quality OrientationL2        Teamwork and Cooperation L2Behavioural Flexibility L2                      Commitment to MSF Principles L2 Stress Management L3

How to apply

Interested candidates are requested to send their CVs & copies of educational and experience certificates online through MSF Holland Port-Sudan office.