Consultant in Infectious Disease Epidemiology

-Area of expertise

Respiratory disease surveillance and burden estimation.

Purpose of consultancy

To provide epidemiological support to strengthen surveillance and measure disease burden for influenza and COVID-19 in Europe on behalf of WHO Europe.

Background

On 30 January 2020, the WHO Director General declared the 2019-nCoV outbreak to be a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC) following the recommendations of The Emergency Committee on 2019-nCoV, under the International Health Regulations (IHR 2005).
COVID-19 has been responsible for significant morbidity and mortality across the European region.

Influenza remains an important infectious disease, which prior to the pandemic each season, resulted in a large impact on the health care system and the wider population in Europe. Following low levels of circulation of influenza for much of the pandemic, with the relaxation of public health and social measures across the region, influenza circulation has restarted in a number of countries with on-going SARS-CoV-2 transmission.

It is critically important countries have strong integrated respiratory surveillance systems to monitor trends, to estimate the burden of disease due to these two respiratory infections and to measure the impact of interventions such as vaccination. This will be critical to inform optimal influenza and COVID-19 prevention and control strategies.

Deliverables

Under the guidance of the High Threat Pathogens Team Lead, and in collaboration with the relevant WHO Country Offices and WHE Hub Coordinators, the consultant will:

• Deliverable 1: Support the strengthening of integrated respiratory surveillance (in particular sentinel surveillance and excess mortality monitoring) amongst countries of eastern and southeastern Europe, working closely with countries to assess existing systems and the relevant WHO/Europe surveillance and laboratory technical focal points. Establish regular calls with relevant partners;

• Deliverable 2: Provide direct technical support to Member states to strengthen integrated sentinel surveillance and excess mortality monitoring systems including development of standard protocols, ensuring optimal data and sample collection, epidemiological and laboratory analysis, interpretation and timely reporting at the national and health-care facility level. Development of relevant country SOPs by March 30 2023;

• Deliverable 3: Work with Member states and relevant external partners to strengthen international reporting of respiratory surveillance and excess mortality monitoring data. Five additional countries reporting regular data to WHO by 30 September 2023;

• Deliverable 4: Conduct country missions to provide technical support to strengthen influenza and COVID-19 surveillance and disease burden estimation. Participation in five country missions by 30 September 2023;

• Deliverable 5: Provide technical support to Member states to undertake respiratory disease burden estimates and to estimate cases averted through vaccination using available routine surveillance data. Production of four country and regional reports by 30 September 2023;

• Deliverable 6: Lead the writing of at least two scientific reports related to this work by 30 September 2023.

Qualifications

Educational Qualifications

Essential

• An advanced university degree (master's or above) in epidemiology or public health from an accredited/recognized institute.

Desirable

• An advanced university degree in health-related field and/or quantitative epidemiology/statistics; specialized training in communicable diseases.

Experience

Required

• At least 7 years relevant work experience, at the national and international levels, in implementation, evaluation and strengthening of public health surveillance.

Desirable

• Experience in developing countries.

• Experience in estimating disease burden.

• Experience in estimating programmatic impact.

• Previous experience working in collaboration with multiple actors in public health surveillance.

• Experience working with respiratory disease surveillance systems.

• Experience with working for WHO or another international public health organization

Skills/Knowledge

• Demonstrated knowledge, competency and professional skills on:

• Public health aspects of infectious disease control

• Epidemic and pandemic preparedness

• Principles of public health in communicable disease surveillance and response

• Strong writing skills

Languages

• Excellent knowledge of the English language.

Location

On site: WHO Regional Office, Copenhagen, Denmark

Travel

Country missions and other travel will be required

Remuneration

a. The contract is for 150 days’ work during the period December 2022 to September 2023. The level of remuneration is $400 per day corresponding to that of band level B ($350-$499) as governed by WHO policy guidelines and is determined by the complexity of the tasks and deliverables as defined in the terms of reference.
b. Living expenses
A living expense will be paid to on-site consultants who are internationally recruited

Expected duration of contract

The contract is for the period December 2022 to September 2023

Additional Information

• This vacancy notice may be used to identify candidates for other similar consultancies at the same level.

• Only candidates under serious consideration will be contacted.

• A written test may be used as a form of screening.

• If your candidature is retained for 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.

• For information on WHO's operations please visit: http://www.who.int.

• WHO is committed to workforce diversity.

• WHO has a smoke-free environment and does not recruit smokers or users of any form of tobacco.

• Applications from women and from nationals of non and underrepresented Member States are particularly encouraged.

• WHO prides itself on a workforce that adheres to the highest ethical and professional standards and that is committed to put the WHO Values Charter into practice.

• WHO has zero tolerance towards sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA), sexual harassment and other types of abusive conduct (i.e., discrimination, abuse of authority and harassment). All members of the WHO workforce have a role to play in promoting a safe and respectful workplace and should report to WHO any actual or suspected cases of SEA, sexual harassment and other types of abusive conduct. To ensure that individuals with a substantiated history of SEA, sexual harassment or other types of abusive conduct are not hired by the Organization, WHO will conduct a background verification of final candidates.

• Consultants shall perform the work as independent contractors in a personal capacity, and not as a representative of any entity or authority. The execution of the work under a consultant contract does not create an employer/employee relationship between WHO and the Consultant.

• WHO shall have no responsibility whatsoever for any taxes, duties, social security contributions or other contributions payable by the Consultant. The Consultant shall be solely responsible for withholding and paying any taxes, duties, social security contributions and any other contributions which are applicable to the Consultant in in each location/jurisdiction in which the work hereunder is performed, and the Consultant shall not be entitled to any reimbursement thereof by WHO.