Epicentre is a non-profit organization, created in 1986 by Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) dedicated to research, field epidemiology and training in line with both MSF programmes and Epicentre’s Research Centres in Uganda and Niger. Epicentre is a World Health Organization Collaborating Centre. Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) is an international, independent, medical humanitarian organisation that delivers emergency aid to people affected by armed conflict, epidemics, natural disasters and exclusion from healthcare.

The epidemiologist is under the supervision of Epicentre and integrated in the South Sudan MSF mission. The main purpose of the position is: assessing, implementing and maintaining the epidemiological surveillance systems/monitoring (if needed) according to Epicentre and MSF protocols, standards and procedures to contribute to evidence-based decision making with routine and emergency data. This includes:

·       Preparing and/or adapting routine data in projects (registers, survey forms, training materials, letters of request/notification, locally appropriate consent forms etc.) with support of HQ epidemiologist.

·       Support medical teams to use data systems (Praxis included) and to produce accurate, high quality databases; as needed but not routinely, support teams to review the analysis and prepare written reports on progress and findings for medical coordinator/HQ and when appropriate to external collaborators/networks (MoH, other NGOs, etc.).

·       Providing training sessions to medical teams on relevant aspects of epidemiology to enhance team analysis and response capacity.

·       Implementing key epidemiological activities in outbreak investigation (description including time, place, people with emphasis on mapping when it is needed) and advising on the operational response;

·       Guiding activities of medical staff for surveillance and/or active case finding, including ensuring understanding of the need for consistent case definitions and data recording (briefing of all new staff). In some cases, implementing and/or maintaining surveillance systems to monitor epidemiological trends of relevant outbreak-prone diseases.

·       Monitoring and Implementing initial assessment (for emergency situations), rapid health assessments and (baseline or follow-up) surveys.

·       This position does not include full-time direct supervision, but needs may arise that require managerial oversight of staff, as in the case of vaccination campaigns. In that case, as needed: planning and supervising the associated HR processes of staff under his/her responsibility (recruitment, training/induction, evaluation, potential detection, development and communication) and ensuring that staff exhibits required skills after training and pilot test.

Profile requirements

·       Medical doctor (preferable), nurse or biomedical background

·       Degree in epidemiology (not only public health)

·       Experience with NGOs (MSF/Epicentre is a plus)

·       At least 2 years of tropical medicine experience (having assumed coordination position is a plus)

·       Experience in field epidemiology

·       Fluent English

·       Knowledge of epidemiology related analytical software (Excel, Epi-info, RedCap, STATA or SPSS)

·       Skills in teamwork and cooperation, flexibility, stress management

·       Results and quality orientation

·       Commitment to MSF/Epicentre principles

Conditions

Position based in Juba coordination with extensive travel to the fields when necessary.

Expat position of 12 months, full time. Remuneration according MSF salary grid.