Epicentre is an organisation created by Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) in 1986. We conduct field epidemiology, training, and research activities for MSF interventions. Our activities for populations in precarious situations are led from Uganda, Niger, and France, and through the programs of MSF and others. They mainly concern infectious diseases and undernutrition.

MSF’s emergency cell oversees and supports directly the interventions in situation of emergency, responding to certain typologies: violence and conflict, epidemics, displacements and natural catastrophes. Besides managing emergency responses, the emergency cell also supports the other operational cells and MSF programs in general, by assisting the analysis of confirmed or suspected emergencies and by suggesting strategies and/or innovations in emergencies.

 Under Epicentre’s Department Director of Epidemiologic Intervention and Training, the Epidemiologist, based in the emergency cell of MSF OCP, as a member of it, and also responding to the cell managers, takes part in the following activities:

 1- Applied epidemiology

·       Support the emergency cell in determining the terms of reference of the epidemiologic studies for the missions managed by the cell

·       Carry out short-term (1 to 4 weeks) applied epidemiology missions, in the field, regularly. These missions include surveys, outbreak investigations, rapid health assessments during emergency situations and opening of new missions, implementation and evaluation of epidemiological surveillance systems as well as evaluation of health programs

·       Write the mission reports under brief delays and publish the results in the scientific literature when relevant

·       Support and follow epidemiologist deployed in the frame of emergency interventions by the cell.

 ·       Assist and participate in the analysis of the emergency contexts and the deployment of operations, with the field teams and the emergency cell.

·       Participate with Epicentre in the development of new tools of surveillance and surveys, tailored to emergency contexts with limited access and to remotely managed projects and/or urban areas.

2- Training, Teaching

·      Teach on the use of epidemiology in operations during training sessions organized in France or abroad, for MSF managers (in the field or in MSF sections).

·       Brief, build awareness and support the continuous training of field coordinators on epidemiological analysis.

3 –Collaboration

·       See to the good completion of projects of research and support to the operations developed by Epicentre, in collaboration with the managers of Epicentre’s department of support to intervention.

·       Collaborate and connect Epicentre’s epidemiologists who develop projects relevant to emergency operations, with the emergency cell.

·       Collaborate and network with the epidemiologists who support the emergencies of other MSF sections.

·       Collaborate with the medical department of MSF, think tank, communication department

4- Participation in Epicentre’s and MSF’s Emergency cell’s general operations

·       Participate in the exchange of information and know-how within Epicentre

·       Participate in the activities of the emergency cell and MSF: cell meetings, information focus, operational meetings and contribution to the definition of the operational strategy of the cell.

·       Master in epidemiology or public health,

·       Medical training (General Doctor, certified nurse) preferred.

·       Epicentre experience ideal.

·       Relevant professional experience of at least 2 years with MSF and/or another NGO, more specifically in emergency settings.

·      Fluent in French and English.

·       Good communication skills, oral and written.

·       Autonomy.

·       Willing to travel regularly, sometimes under short notice.

This position is based in Paris and runs on a short-term work contract for a period of 18 months. The salary will be set following the Epicentre salary scale, on a 13 months basis, 22 extra days-off per year, additional healthcare covered 100% by Epicentre, reimbursement of 50% of the public transport title, meal voucher.

Position to be filled as soon as possible.