Epidemiologist, OEPA At Carter Center

Epidemiologist, OEPA

POSITION DESCRIPTION

Background

The Carter Center’s Onchocerciasis Elimination Program for the Americas (OEPA) is a Regional Initiative whose objective is to assist the ministries of health to eliminate onchocerciasis (“river blindness”) in the region’s remaining endemic countries: Brazil and Venezuela. In 1993, at the beginning of the OEPA program, there were six endemic countries in the Americas, four of which have successfully eliminated the disease (Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico, and Guatemala).

The still affected population of nearly 40,000 individuals, mainly of the Yanomami ethnic group, reside in a vast Amazon savannah and rainforest area that straddles the border between Brazil and Venezuela.

The OEPA strategy has been to provide effective ivermectin mass drug administration in treatment rounds given semiannually or quarterly.

The epidemiologist provides technical support to the Onchocerciasis Elimination Programs in the Americas (OEPA) and National Ministries of Health by leading the design, implementation, and analysis of Program activities. This includes protocol development and ethics review processes, support for in-country training and supervision, and data collection, analysis, and management procedures. The incumbent supports impact evaluation surveys including human serological assessments and entomology assessments, operational research studies, surveillance, and other monitoring and evaluation activities. May assist with the design, implementation, and updating of program interventions such as mass drug administration (MDA), entomological monitoring, laboratory capacity development, and information systems.

The Epidemiologist will report to the Director of the Onchocerciasis Elimination Program for the Americas (OEPA). This position is Guatemala-based with international travel required approximately 15% of the time. Due to the travel locations, vaccination for Yellow Fever will be required.

Primary Responsibilities

1. Schedule, plan, supervise, review, and report the results of all epidemiological assessments (programmatic or extraordinary) conducted in and coordinated with the countries that make part of the OEPA Regional Initiative and ensure that those assessments meet standard technical norms and observe stipulations of the WHO Guidelines.
2. Perform analyses of epidemiological and treatment data to assess program impact, and produce data, graphics, maps, and documents in support of those findings with the assistance of the Information Systems Advisor and by using state-of-the-art programs and tools.
3. Work in team coordination with the rest of OEPA’s and TCC’s staff, especially, with the Information Systems Advisor, the Health Education Advisor, the Assistant Director for Operations, and the Deputy Director/Financial Officer to monitor and present an integrated approach to onchocerciasis programs’ activities in the countries, to develop and monitor database structures of standardized data and guarantee the quality of this data so that it could be used globally through publications, and to assist in the design and documentation of systems and processes to help advance in the goal of elimination of the disease.
4. Periodically present progress reports and analysis of all activities within his/her scope of work and prepare monthly epidemiologic and treatment advance reports for each country program.
5. Attending conferences, meetings, evaluation activities, and other events OEPA deems necessary to support the development of a research network in the region.
6. Work with national and regional programs and organizations, especially, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), the Mectizan Donation Program, the CDC, the Global Health Infectious Disease Research Center, the National Reference Laboratory for Simulidae, Onchocerciasis and Mansonellosis of Fiocruz, and other collaborating entities to ensure the implementation of these standardized methods in each country and observe that guidelines for verification of elimination of onchocerciasis are followed.
7. The Advisor will provide technical assistance and training to associates, consultants, or country programs on properly conducting epidemiological assessments and data processing to obtain indicators in observance of the WHO Guidelines of 2001 and 2016.
8. Propose short-term consultancies in epidemiology to be conducted in the endemic areas, as recommended by OEPA’s Steering Committee (PCC) or following his/her advice, to properly respond to countries’ needs and evaluate their performance through specific reports from the consultancies and ensure that the WHO verification of elimination of onchocerciasis guidelines of 2016 are strictly observed.
9. Give special follow-up to all bi-national activities Brazil-Venezuela to assist in fulfilling the agenda of onchocerciasis elimination in the region.
10. Be familiar with the standard technical norms of epidemiological, entomological, ophthalmological, and parasitological characterization of onchocerciasis in the Americas in treatment, post-treatment (PTS), and post-elimination (PES) phases and WHO’s Onchocerciasis Elimination Guidelines of 2001 and 2016.
11. Write and collaborate in preparing peer-reviewed articles as requested by the Director of OEPA.
12. Perform any other task or activity as appointed by the Director of OEPA.

Minimum Qualifications

A doctoral degree in a field related to the area of Public Health or an equivalent combination of education, training, and experience. International travel required.

Preferred Qualifications

• A doctoral degree (PhD, MD, DrPH, DVM) in epidemiology, medicine, and a related public health field.
• At least five years of fieldwork experience in neglected tropical disease program monitoring and implementation. Adequate quantitative skills, statistical software (Stata, R, or SAS), and mapping expertise (ArcGIS) are desirable.
• Strong writing and communication skills
• Ability to work in a team environment
• Competency with Microsoft-suite computer applications (Word, Outlook, PowerPoint, Excel).
• Demonstrated record of scientific publications.
• Fully bilingual English – Spanish is strongly preferred
• Knowledge of Portuguese is desirable.