Epidemiologist

Overview

Ensure effective outbreak management and health emergency preparedness.

You have:

• An advanced university degree (Master's level or above) in epidemiology, public health, medicine or related field.
• At least seven years of relevant experience in developing and promoting collaborative partnerships in outbreak prevention and response.
• Specialized training in communicable disease epidemiology and risk assessment.
• Expert knowledge of written and spoken English.
• Experience in managing and coordinating health programmes in sudden-onset emergencies.
• Pacific experience is an advantage.

Contract

This is a P-4 contract. This kind of contract is known as Professional and Director staff. It is normally internationally recruited only. It's a staff contract. It usually requires 7 years of experience, depending on education.

Salary

The salary for this job should be between 122,446 USD and 157,868 USD.

Please keep in mind that the salary displayed here is an estimation by UN Talent based on the location and the type of contract. It may vary depending on the organization. The recruiter should be able to inform you about the exact salary range. In case the job description contains another salary information, please refer to this one.

OBJECTIVES OF THE PROGRAMME

The Pacific Health Security and Communicable Diseases unit covers three main areas of work - (1) WHO's Health Emergencies Programme (WHE), (2) communicable diseases, and (3) reproductive and maternal health/gender and equity.

The mission of WHE is to build the capacity of Member States to manage health emergency risks and, when national capacities are overwhelmed, to lead and coordinate the international health response to contain outbreaks and to provide effective relief and recovery to affected populations. WHE brings together and enhances WHO's operational, technical and normative capacity in outbreaks, emergencies and risk analysis to address all health hazards across the risk management cycle in a predictable, capable, dependable, adaptable and accountable manner. It is designed to operate within the broader humanitarian and emergency management architecture in support of people at risk of, or affected by, outbreaks and emergencies, consistent with ways that strengthen local and national capabilities.

The Infectious Hazards Management programme area within the Health Emergencies Programme is responsible for providing support to countries in prevention and control of high threat diseases of pandemic and epidemic potential through forecasting, characterization of diseases and/or infectious risks and development of evidence-based strategies to management of infectious hazards.

DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES

The incumbent is assigned all or part of the following duties which are performed according to local needs and health security priorities:

1. Expand, strengthen and consolidate influenza surveillance through epidemiological and virological surveillance and provide project management support to the implementation of the Pandemic Influenza Preparedness Framework in the Pacific.

2. Provide day-to-day guidance to the PSC/NPO-Surveillance Officer to expand and strengthen national and Pacific regional indicator-based and event-based surveillance systems, risk assessment and response capacities in conjunction with implementing partners, and to detect, verify and assess the risk of potential and ongoing health emergencies.

3. Develop and support prevention and control strategies, tools and capacities for influenza and other high-threat infectious hazards, including data management, analytics and reporting to produce and disseminate timely emergency health information products.

4. Provide expert technical advice concerning influenza and other infectious diseases, and establish and maintain expert networks to detect, characterize and manage new or emerging infectious diseases.

5. Support countries to develop national plans and critical core capacities for all-hazards health emergency preparedness in accordance with the IHR, 2005.

6. Collaborate closely with the Project Manager, Pacific Health Security Coordination Plan, 2017-2022 in the implementation of planned IHR core capacity strengthening activities and of the IHR Monitoring and Evaluation Framework.

7. Provide secretariat support for the implementation of the IHR, 2005 and technical support to countries to monitor and objectively assess IHR core capacities and the implementation of the Asia Pacific Strategy for Emerging Diseases and Public Health Emergencies.

8. As required, support outbreak and disaster responses, including as a member of the DPS Incident Management System.

9. Participate in the design, implementation and, when appropriate, publication of action research supportive of communicable disease prevention and control.

10. Collaborate on cross-cutting issues (e.g. outbreaks of vaccine preventable, vector borne, diarrhoeal diseases etc.) with other DPS programme areas.

11. Undertake other duties as required by supervisors.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

Education

Essential: An advanced university degree (Master's level or above) in epidemiology, public health, medicine or international health or related field with postgraduate training in epidemiology from an institution or university recognized in the International Association of Universities' Worldwide Database of Higher Education Institutions, Systems and Credentials. Desirable: Specialized training in communicable disease epidemiology, risk assessment and/or emergency management. Completed field epidemiology training programme highly desirable.

Experience

Essential: At least seven years of relevant experience at national and international level, in developing and promoting collaborative partnerships in outbreak prevention and response, including experience in managing and coordinating health programmes in sudden-onset emergencies. Desirable: Relevant work experience in WHO, other UN agencies, relevant nongovernmental or humanitarian organizations. Experience in the delivery of adult education. Pacific experience an advantage.

Skills

-In-depth knowledge of communicable disease prevention and control.

-Demonstrated knowledge of rapid response operations and their implementation in emergencies as related to public health, complemented by demonstrated ability to identify and manage difficult situations, to lead and direct multidisciplinary and multinational staff.

-Sound knowledge and experience about disaster prevention and preparedness programmes and the incident management system.

-Excellent negotiation skills and ability to convene stakeholders and facilitate a policy process among national health authorities, supranational organizations, UN and donors.

-Ability to work harmoniously as a member of a team, adapt to diverse educational and cultural backgrounds and maintain a high standard of professional and personal conduct.

WHO Competencies

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

Use of Language Skills

Essential: Expert knowledge of written and spoken English.

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 74,913 (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 2535 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.

• Staff members in other duty stations are encouraged to apply.

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

• WHO is committed to workforce diversity.

• 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.

• 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.

Potential interview questions