Quantitative Epidemiologist - Consultant

Job Description

DESCRIPTION:
JSI Research & Training Institute, Inc. (JSI) is a public health management consulting and research organization dedicated to improving the health of individuals and communities throughout the world. JSI is currently seeking a Quantitative Epidemiologist consultant for the USAID-funded MOMENTUM (Moving Integrated, Quality Maternal, Newborn, and Child Health and Family Planning and Reproductive Health Services to Scale) Routine Immunization Transformation and Equity Project. The MOMENTUM awards seek to contribute to global technical leadership and evidence generation and dissemination around maternal, newborn, and child health (MNCH), family planning (FP) and reproductive health (RH) services. The project’s overarching goal is to sustainably strengthen routine immunization programs to 1) overcome the entrenched obstacles contributing to stagnating and declining immunization rates in USAID-supported countries, and 2) address the barriers to reaching zero-dose and under-immunized children with life-saving vaccines and other health services. In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the disruption of immunization services, the project will also support countries with the maintenance, adaptation, suspension, and/or reinstatement of immunization services.

SUMMARY
The Quantitative Epidemiologist is a 6 to 9 month consultancy located in [b]Brazzaville, the Republic of Congo[/b]. This role will be seconded to and based in the WHO Regional Office for Africa - Vaccine Preventable Diseases (VPD) Programme and the COVID-19 Vaccination Pillar.

The mission of the WHO Regional Office for Africa - Vaccine Preventable Diseases (VPD) Programme is to provide policy and programmatic guidance and build capacity of member states to help them plan and manage their Immunization programmes. It works to strengthen immunization services and primary health care systems to enable Member States reach children, adolescents and adults with lifesaving vaccines. It further works to strengthen country programmes to control, eliminate and eradicate Vaccine Preventable Diseases. Currently, the VPD programme primarily supports the COVID-19 vaccine rollout in the Africa region through providing strategic guidance and technical support to countries. And the mission of the COVID-19 Vaccination Pillar within the AFRO COVID-19 Incident Management System is to coordinate AFRO support to Member States in rollout COVID-19 vaccination. This includes but not limited to:

• Supporting the development of regulatory pathways for vaccine authorization, safety monitoring and to support countries in their implementation as well as to provide other technical supports as per country needs to contribute to access to COVID-19 vaccines.
• Providing guidance to Member states on strategies and tools for scaling COVID-19 vaccination and coordinating surge deployments to support COVID-19 vaccination rollout.
• Ensure partners’ coordination in supporting COVID-19 vaccination at regional and sub-regional levels.
• Coordinating the documentation of best practices in rolling out COVID-19 vaccination, knowledge sharing, as well as WHO support to member States in conducting studies of social and operational research related to COVID-19 vaccination.
• Conducting COVID-19 vaccine post-introduction evaluations.
• Providing needed support to Member to ensure that effective systems are in place for monitoring COVID-19 vaccination rollout.

This consultancy is funded by the MOMENTUM Routine Immunization Transformation and Equity Project and will work under the auspices and direction of WHO AFRO staff in Brazzaville. Only qualified candidates will contacted on a rolling basis until the consultancy is filled. RESPONSIBILITIES Under the direction of the WHO and within the operational framework, the consultant will be assigned all or part of the following duties which are performed according to needs:

• Conduct a rapid analysis of strengths and weaknesses of existing systems in countries for COVID-19 vaccine uptake data management.
• Provide tailored technical support to Member States to strengthen COVID-19 data management, analysis and use for decision-making.
• Conduct systematic review of publications related to COVID-19 vaccination in Africa and report to the WHO vaccination pillar.
• Provide guidance to data analysis on country specific deep epidemiological analyses.
• Write at least one scientific article on COVID-19 vaccination based on the findings of epidemiological analysis.
• Support documentation of best practices in countries in the management of data related to COVID-19 vaccination.
• Perform any other task related to COVID-19 vaccination data analysis upon request of the supervisor.

QUALIFICATIONS Required:

• Advanced (Masters level or higher) university degree in epidemiology or public health.
• At least 5 years of experience in public health or applied epidemiology in developing countries;
• Proven experience in epidemiological data analysis and programming using at least one statistical software.

Desirable

• Medical degree, degree on Immunization or Statistics.
• Prior experience in epidemiological analysis of immunization related data.
• Good track records of publication in peer-review journals.

Technical Skills and Knowledge:

• Ability to handle a large volume of work in an effective and timely manner. Excellent reporting, communication and interpersonal skills.
• Sound analytical and organizational skills.
• Thorough understanding of public health and international development issues.
• Excellent Computer Skills.

Salary commensurate with experience.

About the Organization

John Snow, Inc., and our nonprofit JSI Research & Training Institute, Inc., are public health management consulting and research organizations dedicated to improving the health of individuals and communities in the US and around the Globe.

JSI's mission is to improve the health of underserved people and communities and to provide a place where people of passion and commitment can pursue this cause.

For over 35 years, JSI and our affiliates have provided high-quality technical and managerial assistance to public health programs worldwide. JSI has implemented projects in 106 countries, and currently operates from eight U.S. and more than 40 international offices, with more than 500 U.S.-based professionals and 1,600 host country staff.