The Emergency Support Department (ESD) is part of the operations department and plays a key role in responding to humanitarian emergencies. The ESD conducts exploratory assessments, initiates and manages large scale or complex interventions to support people in precarious situations. The ESD provides support to existing country programs and the wider organisation to promote and improve emergency preparedness and response capacity. The ESD consists of a headquarter based Emergency Desk (E Desk) of managers and an Operational Support Team (OST) of advisors and officers, and an Emergency Team of approximately 24 country programme based medical and non-medical profiles.
We are re-opening the position of:
MEMBER AMSTERDAM EMERGENCY TEAM
Epidemiologist (with Medical/Operations profile)
(90% country programme based/10% Amsterdam office)
This is a country programme-based position. Emergency Team Members spend about 90% of their work days (so excluding holidays) inside country programme locations, often travelling with short notice to any required area. Approximately 10% at the headquarters (or working from home) for briefing/debriefing/trainings/specific tasks.
Place within the organisation
Overall: reports to the Emergency Health Manager in Amsterdam.
During country programme assignments reports to the relevant Coordinator, or directly to the Emergency Health Manager in Amsterdam, depending on the response set-up.
Liaises with relevant Advisors in OCA for technical guidance, including a team of epidemiologists and public health specialists working on resources, research and learning tools for our programmes.
Main objectives of the role
To provide epidemiological support to emergency responses and potential assignment to non-emergency missions for providing support.
In the event where epidemiological support is not immediately required, they may be deployed in other roles based on their background (Project Coordinator or Medical Team Leader or Medical / Nursing Activity Manager), hence OCA is looking for a polyvalent profile.
Description of the role
In new emergencies, assist with background research on country profiles and epidemiological risks. Use knowledge and information gained in a specific context to provide input into the health and humanitarian response strategy.
Conduct rapid assessments- in collaboration with other team members.
Design and implement health surveys. Make suggestions for surveys in specific contexts.
Design and implement diseases surveillance systems in order to generate a comprehensive understanding of population dynamics and movements, existing livelihoods in these communities (access to water, shelter, food), disease burdens of greatest concern, early warning systems and the detection of unusual health events.
Analyse the available medical data together with the medical team to orient emergency interventions being implemented.
Conduct epidemiological follow-up with regards to epidemics and implementing specific monitoring systems and databases for diseases with outbreak potential.
Strengthen project capacity for outbreak detection and investigation to facilitate outbreak responses.
Strengthen existing methods of surveillance within emergency responses, supporting emergency medical teams in collecting and analysing health-related data. Implement and adapt the MSF-OCA Health Information System for emergency interventions as required.
Contribute to emergency support activities including: scanning, emergency preparation, guideline maintenance, MSF trainings etc.
When deployed as Medical Profile (Team Lead / Activity Manager): Participates in defining, planning and monitoring medical activities and programs in the project in accordance with MSF's protocols as well as coordinates human and material related resources needed in order to ensure the quality of care provided by MSF
When deployed as Project Coordinator: Being responsible for MSF’s operational response in the project and coordinating MSF’s programme execution and identifying the population’s health needs and the humanitarian issues at stake. Ensuring compliance to MSF’s charter, ethical standards and policies in order to realize organizational objectives and improve the target population’s health conditions and humanitarian situation.
Candidate profile
Essential:
Graduate or post graduate qualification in Epidemiology;
Knowledge of emergency public health, infectious and communicable diseases, non-communicable diseases programming;
Minimum 12 months country programme experience with one of the MSF sections and country programme experience with one of the MSF sections in more than 3 different contexts, of which at least one emergency project and one high security setting. Similar non-MSF experience might be considered;
Additionally, MSF experience / validation in any of the following pools (Project Coordinator, Medical Team Leader, Medical / Nursing / Midwife Activity Manager)
Basic knowledge of standards in MSF projects, including emergencies and epidemics, rapid assessment, closed and open setting health surveillance, design and implementation of survey methodologies;
Experience with one or more of the following emergency responses: cholera outbreak, VHF, meningitis or measles outbreak, mass vaccination, nutritional crisis;
Good knowledge and experience with regards to IT software for processing texts, and standard software within MSF-OCA (Excel, Epi info, R, Stata, OCA HIS tools);
Proven organizational skills, diplomatic skills and experience with the representation of MSF;
Strong people management skills;
English language skills (additional French language skills highly desirable);
Proven flexibility and solution-oriented mentality;
Ability to work independently and be decisive in chaotic circumstances;
Positive, can-do attitude. Focuses on the possibilities and not the barriers;
Willingness to travel to any required area, frequently at short notice;
Able to work in teams and under stressful conditions.
Desirable:
Qualified Medical Practitioner or Registered Nurse or Midwife.
Master's degree in Public Health or similar.
Good knowledge of R software.
French, Spanish and/or Arabic language skills.
We offer
A fulltime appointment for 1 year with a potential option to renew
Salary depends on three main factors: domicile, level of responsibility and experience on the job.
Candidate’s domicile determines which MSF section will act as employer
45 holidays per year
Completion bonus of 1.5 month of extra salary after completion of every 12 months commitment;
Prioritization for trainings in MSF (external trainings also considered and supported
A challenging position within the emergency desk/team that seeks to support and grow its team members with direct one-to-one coaching support, trainings and keeping updated with developments and discussions from within the organization
Application
If you recognize yourself in the profile, please apply directly by clicking on the 'apply' button. Please upload a letter of motivation and Curriculum Vitae as one combined document.
The application deadline is the 15th of February 2026
Information
If you are interested in this post and would like additional information, please contact Alan Pereira (Emergency Health Manager) at alan.pereira@amsterdam.msf.org
For any question about the recruitment process please contact Masha Petrovic (Recruitment Specialist) at masa.petrovic@amsterdam.msf.org
***No agencies please***