Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) is an international, independent, medical humanitarian organization created in 1971 that delivers emergency aid to people affected by armed conflict, epidemics, healthcare exclusion and natural disasters. MSF offers assistance to people based only on need and irrespective of race, religion, gender or political affiliation. MSF is present in over seventy countries.

 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.

BRAMU is an independent medical unit within MSF, funded and accountable only to MSF-Brazil directorate. Since its creation in late 2007, BRAMU has changed its portfolio and approach. In the early days, it focused on TB, HIV, training, having progressively changed to pediatrics, emerging infectious diseases (with strong focus on Chagas, dengue and arboviruses). In past years, the growing challenges around migration, other situations of violence, environmental health challenges and emerging health conditions have made the unit move towards a comprehensive, interdisciplinary approach through applied social sciences, medicine and epidemiology.

Its level of autonomy allows room for strong initiatives, challenging the status quo, out of the box thinking and innovative approaches. It also bounds us to a greater accountability, engagement and measurable outcomes towards the missions, the office and the movement.

The position is hierarchically linked to the BRAMU and technically to Epicentre.

 Activities

1.      General activities as epidemiologist

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

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

·        Teach epidemiology and public health during training sessions

·        Assist the Médecins Sans Frontières field teams in the monitoring of health programmes or other relevant epidemiological interventions

·        Participate in training sessions

·        Provide support in terms of advanced data management and statistical analysis for field applied epidemiology investigations and evaluations.

2.      Research activities

In the scope of one or several defined research domains, he/she will:

·        Identify relevant research issues, review the literature on the subject, and translate them into research questions

·        Establish and follow an annual research agenda in collaboration with the Director of Intervention Epidemiology and Training and Bramu

·        Develop and write research protocols

·        Organise and conduct studies in the field

·        Clean, organise and analyse data sets

·        Conduct advance statistical analysis

·        Write study reports

·        Communicate results through presentations at scientific conferences and in publication in the scientific literature

·        Participate in meetings of experts at international level

·        Develop and maintain a network of relevant partners

In the scope of this position, the epidemiologist will work on :

·        Project monitoring and evaluation, tools development, implementation and analysis

·        Epidemiology of violence

·        Outbreak surveillance and epidemiological analysis

·        Feeding regional epidata into the ArcGIS Latam for mapping of small and medium emergencies and pockets of exclusion (in collaboration with Bramu GIS officer and in addition to other variables like migration routes, toxic hotspots, violence, food insecurity, etc.)

·        Data collection/analysis in support to Operations in Brazil (TB/mental health in prisons in Rio, Venezuelan migrants in Roraima, HepC), operational research, etc

·        Participation/support in the Scientific Days Latam

o   Master epidemiology or public health 

o   Medical background preferably (medical doctor, nurse) 

o   Laboratory background will be an asset 

o   Relevant professional experience of at least 2 years at MSF and / or another NGO

o   Advance training in applied epidemiological methods

o   Advance knowledge in statistics and infectious diseases modelling, including programming in R Software 

o   Advanced capacities in mapping (Quantum GIS or ArcGIS) 

o   Fluent in English, Spanish or Portuguese, French is a plus

o   Very good oral and written communication skills 

o   Autonomy in field work and in report and article writing 

o   Willing to make frequent field trips, sometimes with a short notice (at least 50% of working time)

Conditions

-       Position based in Rio, Brazil with field visits.

-       Open ended contract

-       Starting date: as soon as possible

-       Remuneration: Gross annual salary (on 13 months) between R$ 159.616 and R$ 169 .591 depending on experience

To apply : 

Deadline for application January 27th 2021. Only selected candidates will be contacted.