Background

Under the International Health Regulations, Papua New Guinea (PNG) is required to maintain functional laboratory core capacities for the timely detection, confirmation, and reporting of public health events. The Central Public Health Laboratory (CPHL) is the national reference laboratory supporting outbreak detection, surveillance verification, and emergency response across priority diseases.

CPHL supports laboratory confirmation for Acute Flaccid Paralysis (AFP) surveillance and environmental surveillance for poliovirus, Acute Fever and Rash (AFR) surveillance for measles and rubella, and other diseases under national surveillance. These functions depend on reliable specimen receiving, cold chain management, diagnostic testing, quality systems, biosafety, and international specimen referral.

Recent public health events, including detection of circulating vaccine derived poliovirus type 2 (cVDPV2-n) and the threat of measles resurgence, demonstrate the critical role of laboratory readiness in outbreak response. To support these essential services and strengthen the national laboratory system, laboratory support is required to ensure timely testing, accurate reporting, and uninterrupted surveillance operations during both routine conditions and public health emergencies.

Objective of the Position

To provide laboratory support at the Central Public Health Laboratory by ensuring timely testing, secure specimen handling, reliable specimen referral, and compliance with laboratory quality and biosafety standards.

Summary of Assigned Duties

Under the direct co-supervision of the WHO Laboratory Technical Officer and VDI Team Lead and the overall guidance of the WHO Representative in Papua New Guinea.

1. Environmental Surveillance (ES) Laboratory Support
   • Support poliovirus environmental surveillance concentration activities, including sample receipt, preparation and processing in accordance with SOPs
   • Pack ES samples and coordinate shipment to Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM) in compliance with international shipping regulations.
   • Maintain updated ES testing and database.
   • Support inventory monitoring of ES consumables and reagents.
2. Laboratory Testing Support (Serology and Molecular Diagnostics)
   • Support serology testing for measles, rubella, and other pathogens
   • Support PCR testing, including sample preparation and extraction assistance (as assigned)
   • Encoding of laboratory results
   • Ensure testing and reporting timelines are consistently met to support timely outbreak response.
3. Specimen Receiving, Storage, and Shipment
   • Complete the CPHL sections of the AFP/AFR /other CIFs, scan the AFP CIF and share it with the NDOH EPI team and Health Security team for data entry and analysis. Support specimen receiving, verification of sample integrity and review of documentation
   • Support local and international shipment of specimens
   • Support distribution of empty specimen containers to Provincial Health Authorities (PHAs) to ensure continuity of surveillance.
   • Maintain and update all shipment logs, airway bills, and confirmation records.
   • Support CPHL in sharing laboratory results and providing routine feedback to PHAs.
4. Temperature Monitoring and Cold Chain Support
   • Conduct routine temperature monitoring of stool specimens using log tags.
   • Promptly escalate cold chain breaches and deviations for corrective action.
5. Laboratory Quality Management Systems (LQMS) Support
   • Support LQMS implementation at CPHL, including equipment and maintenance logs and temperature monitoring charts
   • Support readiness for supervisory visits, assessments, and external quality assurance activities
6. Biosafety and Biosecurity Support
   • Support compliance with biosafety and biosecurity standards, including appropriate use of personal protective equipment (PPE), waste management and decontamination
7. Reporting, Coordination, and Other Duties
   • Contribute to weekly and monthly laboratory surveillance summaries.
   • Support coordination between CPHL, national surveillance units, PHAs, and WHO on sample tracking and testing updates
8. Perform other tasks assigned by CPHL and supervisors in support of outbreak response and routine operations.

Expected Outputs:

• Samples accurately encoded, tracked, and reported in national surveillance databases.
• Consistent and timely testing and reporting of surveillance and outbreak samples.
• Specimen accountability and tracking for both domestic and international referrals maintained.
• Strengthened temperature monitoring, LQMS documentation, and biosafety compliance at CPHL.
• Up-to-date laboratory surveillance summary reports routinely produced and shared.

Qualifications, experience, skills and languages
 

Educational Qualifications

Essential: Bachelor’s degree in a health-related field such as Medical Laboratory Science, Microbiology, Biology, Public Health, or other relevant health sciences.
Desirable: Degree in Medical Laboratory Science or equivalent laboratory-focused training is highly preferred.

Experience

Essential: At least one (1) year of experience working in a diagnostic or public health laboratory, preferably in serology testing.
Desirable: Experience in molecular diagnostics, including PCR techniques, is desirable.
Experience handling clinical or surveillance specimens, including specimen reception, storage, documentation, and shipment, is an advantage.
Familiarity with laboratory quality management systems (LQMS), biosafety procedures, and cold chain management is desirable.
Experience working in public health surveillance or national reference laboratories will be considered an asset.

Languages

Essential: Fluency in English.
Desirable: Working knowledge of Tok Pisin.

Duty Station / Location

The position will be based at the Central Public Health Laboratory (CPHL), Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea.

Travel Requirements

The incumbent may be required to travel to provinces within Papua New Guinea to support surveillance activities, laboratory coordination, specimen shipment, and outbreak response as required.

Remuneration and budget 

Remuneration: The monthly remuneration for this position is PGK 9,000.42, payable monthly, equivalent to the NO-A level.
Duration: The proposed start date is 1 April 2026, with the contract running until 31 December 2026, subject to satisfactory performance and availability of funds.

Additional Information:

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