Epidemiologist
Caption MSF epidemiologist, Saleem, providing care to people displaced by conflict in the Bunia region of the Democratic Republic of Congo. © Remco Bohle
Epidemiologists play essential roles in our teams.
In the midst of an outbreak, our project teams look to our epidemiologists to learn where and how fast a disease is spreading, and how it can be stopped. From Ebola outbreaks in Liberia to predicting cholera outbreaks in Haiti after an earthquake, Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders (MSF) epidemiologists save lives.
Responsibilities
MSF epidemiologists work in a variety of contexts, and may be either based in a country coordination centre or out in a field project. They may support one or many projects, and work on a variety of issues, from mortality surveys to mapping the spread of diseases.
It’s a diverse role and you would be responsible for some or all of the following:
1. Conducting surveys in the community
2. Creating reports to be used for project planning
3. Helping plan appropriate responses to outbreaks of disease, such as active case finding, vaccination campaigns, WATSAN interventions (e.g. meningitis, measles or cholera) or conducting mortality surveys
4. Setting up surveillance systems in MSF hospitals or in the community
5. Building the capacity of the medical teams to analyse and interpret the results to support evidence-based decision making
Role requirements
6. Degree or Masters’ Degree in Epidemiology, or an MPH with extensive epidemiology training
7. Proven practical skills in design/implementation / evaluation of quantitative and qualitative epidemiological research methods
8. Ability to design and implement surveillance and other data collection systems for disease and outbreak monitoring, including mortality and nutritional surveys, and to train others in appropriate data collection and analysis
9. Proven practical skills with software for epidemiological database and statistical analysis (Microsoft Excel and at least one statistical program)
10. A minimum of one year working in a low- and/or middle-income country or similar environment
11. Ability to be a team leader i.e. supervising, managing and training others
12. Ability to work with others in a multi-cultural and multi-disciplinary setting
13. Able to organise and prioritise workload, using initiative when necessary
14. Willingness to work in an unstable environment
15. Available to work for up to nine months (there are opportunities for three to six-month roles depending on the current work contexts arising)
16. Fluency in English
Assets
17. Medical/biomedical background
18. Familiarity with tropical diseases / infectious diseases
19. Previous experience in a similar role with another non-governmental organisation
20. Previous experience in a similar role in an unstable environment
Languages
We're currently looking for epidemiologists with good French or Arabic skills.
If you can speak French or Arabic you're much more likely to be accepted onto our register.
Your language level may be tested during the recruitment process.