National Epidemiologist, Lab Support

Organizational Setting

The post is typically located in the Office of the FAO Representation in Liberia of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.

Supervision Received/Exercised

The incumbent will work within the framework of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) Emergency Centre for Transboundary Animal Disease Operations (ECTAD), under the overall supervision of the Chief Veterinary Officer (CVO)/Chief, Animal Health Service (AGAH)/, the functional and administrative supervision of the FAO Representative in Liberia, and the direct supervision of the ECTAD Country Team Leader in Liberia, and in collaboration with the ECTAD regional team for West and Central Africa.

The Entomologist/National Consultant will support for FAO Liberia Office duties contributing to the timely and effective accomplishment of the preparation of country strategies and programme for the management of high impact emerging and re-emerging zoonotic and non-zoonotic disease in lie with the national priorities and FAO’s Strategic objectives.

Tasks and Responsibilities

• Participate in and support the design and implementation of national strategies and programmes/projects following EMPRES/ECTAD strategies, in line with the FAO/ OIE Global Framework for the Progressive Control of TADs and Regional priorities
• Establish a functional national epidemiology and laboratory network
• Support the design, coordination and implementation of surveillance activities relevant to emerging and re-emerging zoonotic and non-zoonotic diseases at the livestock-wildlife-human interface to mitigate the high (current/potential) impact of diseases in Liberia. These include\:
• Supporting appropriate stakeholder workshops and facilitate discussion and development of a surveillance approach that addresses national and regional priority diseases to target through a surveillance program
• Support the drafting of a concept note, LoA, preparation and implementation of national surveillance plan for livestock
• Contribute to development and the implementation of surveillance protocols (epidemiological sampling) from livestock in targeted livestock farming systems, value chains and at domestic animals-wildlife interfaces
• Plan, organize and implement capacity development of in-service professionals through the use of field epidemiology and laboratory training, and participatory epidemiology approaches targeting veterinarians, animal health technicians, community animal health workers, farmers, and where appropriate, public health or other stakeholders/partners
• Contribute to risk assessments at the human/livestock/wildlife interface and Supervise in- country expert missions on epidemio-surveillance to ensure that high quality samples are collected.
• Contribute to epidemiological intelligence at National and Regional levels
• Support the Organization of stakeholders meetings and the development of animal health and related policy instruments in Liberia
• In close consultation with relevant sectors and stakeholders, initiate a national zoonotic disease control program to serve as an entry point for a functional intersectoral One Health collaboration
• Facilitate closer linkages of the EPT-2 program with relevant Ministries and other technical partners
• Work with epidemiologsts to provide regular updates of TADs epidemiology situation in the country, bi-weekly project activity updates, and prepare draft web articles on technical accomplishments as needed
• Participate in animal health emergency preparedness and contingency planning exercises, or table top scenarios
• Assist in the organization of planned training workshops, simulation exercise and technical meetings.
• Develop, supervise and lead the implementation of activities relevant to laboratory aspects of the FAO GHSA programme to build capacity in the fight against high impact emerging and re-emerging zoonotic and non-zoonotic disease (rEIDs) in the country. This includes;
• implementation of internationally accepted laboratory testing protocols and support to strengthen laboratory quality assurance and biosafety/biosecurity;
• support/supervision of in-country expert missions for trainings, troubleshooting or installation of equipment, and training of veterinary laboratory technicians to conduct core tests for selected priority diseases;
• support networking/linkages with regional and international laboratories for international sample shipment/confirmatory diagnosis; contribute to enhanced collaboration with Public Health laboratories under the One Health approach and assist in the Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) FAO GHSA programme team in collecting laboratory data for the programme M&E data calls;
• Support the implementation of RESOLAB-AO/RESEPI-AO networking activities;
• Provide immediate notification to GLEWS and the Country Team Leader, of any significant epidemiological events
• Contribute to the preparation of regular reports on the progress of the implementation of projects implemented by the ECTAD Liberia, for FAO, donors or other stakeholders
• Submit a final technical report upon completion of the assignment to the ECTAD Liberia Team Leader and the FAO
• Perform other related duties as required.