Quantitative Epidemiologist / Data Scientist – Data Integration and Analytics Department – WOAH HQ – Paris, France
Paris, France
| Context |
| The World Organisation for Animal Health is a leading intergovernmental organisation representing 183 Members worldwide. Through its activities, WOAH makes a decisive contribution to improving animal health, protecting animal welfare and strengthening Veterinary Services. The Organisation provides transparent information on world’s animal health situation, and promotes international standards, particularly in terms of the safety of trade in live animals and animal products. More information can be found on WOAH’s website .Joining WOAH means taking part in the development of one of the leading international organisations, recognised and associated with other multilateral institutions, in the field of worldwide health. It means helping to build a global approach to health, combining animal and human health in a “One Health” approach.Animal health threats are evolving in complexity. Climate change, land-use shifts, globalised trade, and increased human-animal interface are intensifying the frequency and geographic spread of emerging animal diseases with potential zoonotic and socioeconomic consequences. In this environment, WOAH’s strategic value increasingly depends on its ability to anticipate threats — not just detect and report them once they appear.WOAH is currently strengthening its Epidemic Intelligence (EI) Framework to build a more anticipatory and data-driven approach. A central pillar of this effort is the systematic integration of advanced data analytics, AI and machine learning, and robust forecasting methodologies into EI processes — moving beyond traditional surveillance towards predictive situational awareness.WOAH’s headquarters is based in Paris. The Organisation is present on every continent through 13 Regional or Sub-regional Representations.This position is located in Paris. |
| Job description |
| ReportingThis position is under the authority of the Deputy Director ‘Standards Setting and Implementation’ and the direct supervision of the Head of the Data Integration and Analytics Department Gilles Guillot g.guillot@woah.org |
| Under the supervision of the Head of the Data Integration and Analytics Department, and working within the DIAD Epidemic Intelligence team, the staff will conduct the following activities: Epidemic Intelligence Framework implementation :– Contribute to the operationalisation of the WOAH Epidemic Intelligence Framework by translating identified strategic priorities into concrete analytical processes, deliverables and workflows.– Develop and maintain protocols to integrate official data sources (e.g. WAHIS) with non-official and informal sources (e.g. media scanning, social media, news aggregators).– Support the development and maintenance of horizon-scanning methodologies to systematically identify, assess and rank emerging threats to animal health and at the human-animal-environment interface. Forecasting and AI integration: – Lead the design and implementation of a structured forecasting methodology embedded within WOAH epidemic intelligence processes, including selection, validation, and documentation of appropriate quantitative methods.– Apply and evaluate machine learning and statistical modelling approaches for risk estimation, including predictive models for disease emergence, geographic spread, and impact.– Contribute to the responsible integration of AI tools into analytical workflows, including governance considerations (model explainability, bias assessment, uncertainty quantification). Early warning and situational awareness products:– Support the production of regular early warning and situational awareness products integrating official and non-official data sources.– Support the development and maintenance of operational dashboards providing real-time or near-real-time visibility on animal health events, trends, and risk indicators.– Contribute to the development of data standards, shared taxonomies, and interoperability frameworks to improve the consistency and comparability of analytical outputs across WOAH and with partners. |
| Expected impactThis position will contribute to a structural shift in WOAH’s operational activities, from reactive detection to anticipatory risk approach, including:– Strengthened anticipatory capacity: WOAH will be better positioned to identify and characterise emerging threats earlier, reducing response lag and enabling more timely guidance to Members.– Data-to-decision integration: forecasting and AI-driven analytics will be embedded within core EI processes, shortening the delay between signals identification and strategic decisions.– Increased resilience to complex threats: improved ability to model multi-driver scenarios (climate, trade, land use, pathogen spread) will support more robust preparedness planning.– One Health epidemic intelligence: tighter linkage between animal, human, and environmental health intelligence will strengthen WOAH’s contribution to One Health surveillance globally. |
| Requirements |
| Qualifications and experienceWOAH seeks an expert who combines rigorous technical skills in data science and forecasting with operational experience in epidemic intelligence and international animal/public health. The expert must be able to operate at the interface between advanced analytics and strategic decision-making, translating complex data into actionable epidemic intelligence. – Essential Qualifications Advanced degree (MSc or PhD) in data science, biostatistics, epidemiology, computational biology, or a related discipline with strong quantitative component.– At least 10 years’ experience in forecasting and predictive analytics, including one or more of the following: time-series modelling, machine learning-based risk prediction, probabilistic risk assessment, or scenario-based modelling.– Proficiency in at least one analytical programming environment (e.g. Python, R) and familiarity with data pipelines, API-based data ingestion, and reproducible analytical workflows.– Experience working with international organisations, national governments, or global health initiatives, ideally with exposure to One Health, animal health, or zoonotic disease programmes. Desirable Skills – Demonstrated experience in epidemic intelligence: systematic collection, integration, and analysis of heterogeneous data sources (official, informal, environmental) to detect and assess health threats early.– Familiarity with AI and machine learning frameworks applied to epidemiological or environmental data.– Experience with geospatial analysis and visualisation.– Knowledge of natural language processing (NLP) or event-based surveillance for informal signal detection.– Experience designing or contributing to early warning dashboards and decision-support tools, including interactive data visualisation (e.g. Power BI, Tableau, R Shiny, Plotly Dash).Proven ability to communicate complex analytical outputs to non-specialist audiences, including senior decision-makers and Member governments. |
| Additional information |
| Working conditionsThis position is a full-time office-based position and requires long hours in a seated position at a computer. – Salary: The monthly salary ranges from 3,500 to 4,200 euros (depending on experience and qualifications) with allowances based on eligibility. The salary is exempt from income tax in France. – Contract type: WOAH Staff – Fixed-term contract. – Duration: 2 years, renewable Location: WOAH HQ, Paris, France |
| General informationWOAH places high value on a multicultural and positive work environment. WOAH is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes all qualified candidates, irrespective of their origin, gender, opinions or beliefs. If you are interested in the position, please complete your application online at the latest by August 4th, 2026All applications will be reviewed after the closing date of the publication |
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