Medical Epidemiologist Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF)
Effective immediately the Public Health Department of Médecins Sans Frontières is looking for a: Medical Epidemiologist 100% based in Amsterdam, the Netherlands The overall purpose of Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) is to preserve life and alleviate suffering while protecting human dignity and seeking to restore the ability of people to make their own decisions. MSF accomplishes this through the provision of medical aid and a personal commitment to act as witness to events surrounding populations in danger. This work is essentially performed in periods of crisis, when a situation is no longer held in balance and the very survival of a population may be threatened. The underlying basis for realising its objectives is respect for medical ethics, humanistic ideals, human rights and international humanitarian law. The Public Health Department (PHD) of the MSF Operational Centre Amsterdam (OCA) supports the overall purpose of MSF, providing medical and public health leadership for the organisation. The department is responsible for providing strategic direction and integrated advice on medical and public health issues to the field and headquarters. The PHD plays a key role in developing and maintaining the medical humanitarian identity and image of MSF-OCA, and in continuing to develop and improve intervention strategies so as to be relevant and effective. The department is made up of a group of generalist Health Advisors (based in Amsterdam and Berlin) and medical and public health specialists (paediatrics, nutrition, water and sanitation, mental health, HIV/TB, etc.) so as to provide expert support in a range of fields. The Manson Unit, a medical unit based in MSF-UK, focuses on support to tuberculosis and epidemiology. The strategic vision for MSF-OCA prioritises maintaining a coordinated strategy for utilising epidemiology to aid our work. The long-term goal of this strategy is to both strengthen current epidemiological service provision, and to implement a more proactive role in providing epidemiological input throughout the project cycle. This broader strategy will be aimed at not only strengthening the evidence base for existing activities, but also at providing objective criteria on which to evaluate programmatic decision-making and future strategy. The medical epidemiologist’s role in operational research will include giving supportive input to several studies, serving as a member of the OR team of selected projects, and developing a couple of studies as principal investigator. Position within the organisation The Medical Epidemiologist will be line managed by the Coordinator of Medical Specialists, Public Health Department in Amsterdam. The post holder will work as part of a team consisting of two epidemiologists and a medical editor in the Manson Unit. This team works in close collaboration with Health Advisors and relevant Specialists on technical support issues, supports surveillance and response in emergencies (e.g. disease outbreaks, natural disasters, and population displacement) and provides direct support to field epidemiologists. Main objectives of the post * Strengthen the quality and utility of operational research carried out by MSF-OCA * Provide epidemiological expertise for rapid response to outbreaks * Improve medical surveillance and monitoring Key tasks: · Contribute to development and implementation of the epidemiology strategic plan and annual plans in collaboration with the epidemiologists in the Manson’s Unit · Provide and support training in epidemiology for HQ and key field staff · Provide ongoing direct epidemiological expertise to the field · Support functionally selected field epidemiologist positions: brief them, provide timely answers to their questions, and support them in their activities · Provide additional epidemiological capacity for the emergency support desk (ESD) support in emergencies - willing and able to support emergencies up to six weeks per year, at short notice · Develop/enhance linkages with Epicentre and other relevant institutions e.g. KIT, universities · Stimulate development of operational research concepts and protocols and provide technical support to ongoing studies · Give expert advice and technical support to PHD colleagues and others (e.g. operations, selected field staff) to enable use of evidence base in key programmatic decisions CANDIDATE CRITERIA Education and experience: * Medical professional with specialization in epidemiology (Masters or PhD level) * Experience in resource poor settings, preferably with MSF and/or another similar organization * Experience in data management, surveillance systems, field epidemiology, and operational research in MSF-type contexts (resource-poor, conflict, epidemics, etc.) * Good knowledge and experience in the use of common statistical software packages, including Microsoft Excel, Epi-Info, Epidata and Stata (or similar) * Knowledge of other software programmes e.g. FUCHIA is an advantage * Willingness to visit and support emergency/field projects at 48 hours notice * Fluent English essential; French desirable Capacities and skills: * Good oral and written communication skills * Proven ability to train/coach other medical and non-medical staff * Ability to take the initiative and to work as part of a team * Ability to spend up to 30% of time in the field * Strong analytical and problem-solving capacity WE OFFER
More information? If you are interested in this post and would like additional information, please contact Debbie Cunningham, Coordinator of Medical Specialists, at +31 (0)20 520 8724. Application Please send your letter of application and CV before 23 February 2012 to the attention of Ms Jaline Wijkhuizen (Personnel Officer HQ) by email toofficejobs@amsterdam.msf.org mentioning “Medical Epidemiologist” in the subject line. Please also mention where you came across this vacancy. |
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