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Epidemiologist

Geneva

  • Organization: WHO - World Health Organization
  • Location: Geneva
  • Grade: Mid level - P-4, International Professional - Internationally recruited position
  • Occupational Groups:
    • Public Health and Health Service
    • Medical Practitioners
    • Malaria, Tuberculosis and other infectious diseases
    • HQ/GTB Global TB Programme (CDS)
  • Closing Date: Closed

OBJECTIVES OF THE PROGRAMME

The Global TB Programme aims to advance universal access to TB prevention, care and control, guide the global response to threats, and promote innovation. Specifically, it (1) provides global leadership on TB prevention, care and control through the WHO End TB Strategy; (2) develops evidence-based policies, strategies and standards for TB prevention, care and control, and monitors their implementation; (3) jointly with 6 WHO regional and country offices, provides technical support to Member States, catalyses change, and builds sustainable capacity; (4) monitors the global TB situation, and measures progress in TB care, control, and financing; (5) shapes the TB research agenda and stimulates the generation, translation and dissemination of valuable knowledge; and, (6) facilitates and engages in partnerships for TB action.The Tuberculosis Monitoring and Evaluation team (TME) is responsible for three major areas of work. These are (i) regular monitoring and reporting of the global epidemic of tuberculosis and progress in the financing and implementation of response efforts, in the context of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and WHO's End TB Strategy; (ii) leading and coordinating global efforts to improve measurement of the burden of tuberculosis disease via the WHO Global Task Force on TB Impact Measurement (convened by TME) and the Global Project on surveillance of anti-tuberculosis drug resistance, with results used to inform global, regional and national TB policy, strategy and programmatic action; and (iii) economic and financial evaluation relevant to the development, implementation and impact of international policies and strategies for TB control. This work is done in the context of global tuberculosis targets set as part of the SDGs and the End TB Strategy. The unit leads or contributes to the development of relevant policies, guidelines and tools, provides strategic and technical support to regions and countries, manages a global tuberculosis database, and widely disseminates findings from annual rounds of global tuberculosis data collection and analytical and policy-related work through high-quality written products including annual global tuberculosis reports. The team collaborates with multiple teams and departments within WHO and with many external partners including other UN agencies, Ministries of Health, multilateral and bilateral donors and NGOs, particularly partners that are members of the WHO Global Task Force on TB Impact Measurement and the Global Project on anti-tuberculosis drug resistance.

DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES

1. Develop and manage the implementation of an annual global plan for support to national TB epidemiological reviews and assessments of the performance of TB surveillance, including preparation of regular reports of progress to donors and preparation of a quarterly update of progress that can be widely shared. 2. Conduct missions to countries to provide guidance and strategic support for the strengthening of national notification systems, in particular through use of the WHO TB surveillance checklist, and ensure follow up of recommended actions needed to strengthen TB surveillance. 3. Provide guidance and support for the design, implementation, analysis and reporting of national TB inventory studies to measure the level of underreporting of detected TB cases.4. Lead or contribute to global and regional syntheses of national TB epidemiological reviews results and lessons learned, for publication in reports, books and/or journal articles. 5. Help to develop and maintain a global network of internal and external expertise and capacity related to strengthened TB surveillance and related sharing of new knowledge and evidence, including via workshops, technical meetings, and presentations at meetings and scientific conferences.6. Participate in collaborative projects and initiatives at all levels within WHO and with partners on issues related to the analysis and use of data, in particular with the Health Data Collaborative. 7. Contribute to other work in TME, as appropriate, in particular the unit's work on global TB monitoring.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

Education

Essential\: Advanced university degree (Masters level ) in epidemiology, statistics or international public health (with specialization in epidemiology).
Desirable\: PhD based on epidemiological research, Excellent understanding of TB epidemiology, learned through courses or on-the-job training.

Experience

Essential\: At least seven years of experience working in public health and epidemiology, including experience of communicable disease surveillance and surveys; included in these 7 years at least five years of experience related to strengthening TB surveillance. Experience of using the WHO TB surveillance checklist and of the design, implementation, analysis and reporting of national inventory studies to measure under-reporting of TB cases. Track record of publications on tuberculosis in peer-reviewed journals.


Desirable\: Excellent knowledge of the work of the WHO Global Task Force on TB Impact Measurement. Participation in workshops and meetings organized by this Task Force. Experience of working with WHO and an excellent knowledge of its mandate and of field work of tuberculosis.

Skills

Excellent knowledge of principles and methods related to epidemiology. Excellent knowledge and understanding of best practices in national TB surveillance systems, and of studies relevant to assessing their performance. Excellent coordination, planning and organizational skills, and capacity to establish effective working relationships within WHO, with technical partners and with national TB programmes and those working on health information systems in ministries of health. Excellent data management and analytical skills, including a high level of competence in a statistical package (either Stata or R). Excellent oral and written communication skills, including proven ability to prepare high-quality presentations and papers for publication. Proven ability to develop project proposals and to prepare progress reports on funded proposals. Proven ability to work in a wide variety of countries, and to coordinate and lead country missions, especially in Africa and Asia. Ability to be proactive/take initiative, and to work independently. Excellent at working as part of a multidisciplinary team. Computer literacy.

WHO Competencies

Teamwork
Respecting and promoting individual and cultural differences
Communication
Producing results
Building and promoting partnerships across the organization and beyond

Use of Language Skills

Essential\: Expert knowledge of English.
Desirable\: Intermediate knowledge of French.

REMUNERATION

WHO salaries for staff in the Professional category are calculated in US dollars. The remuneration for the above position comprises an annual base salary starting at USD 71,332 (subject to mandatory deductions for pension contributions and health insurance, as applicable), a variable post adjustment, which reflects the cost of living in a particular duty station, and currently amounts to USD 4292 per month for the duty station indicated above. Other benefits include 30 days of annual leave, allowances for dependent family members, home leave, and an education grant for dependent children.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

  • This vacancy notice may be used to fill other similar positions at the same grade level
  • Only candidates under serious consideration will be contacted.
  • A written test may be used as a form of screening.
  • In the event that your candidature is retained for an interview, you will be required to provide, in advance, a scanned copy of the degree(s)/diploma(s)/certificate(s) required for this position. WHO only considers higher educational qualifications obtained from an institution accredited/recognized in the World Higher Education Database (WHED), a list updated by the International Association of Universities (IAU)/United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The list can be accessed through the link\: http\://www.whed.net/. Some professional certificates may not appear in the WHED and will require individual review.
  • Any appointment/extension of appointment is subject to WHO Staff Regulations, Staff Rules and Manual.
  • WHO is committed to workforce diversity.
  • WHO has a smoke-free environment and does not recruit smokers or users of any form of tobacco.
  • WHO has a mobility policy which can be found at the following link\: http\://www.who.int/employment/en/. Candidates appointed to an international post with WHO are subject to mobility and may be assigned to any activity or duty station of the Organization throughout the world.
  • Applications from women and from nationals of non and underrepresented Member States are particularly encouraged.
This vacancy is now closed.
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