MSF is a humanitarian medical organization providing emergency medical aid to populations in need.
Main objective
Implement and monitor epidemiological and operational research in the mission in accordance with MSF protocols, standards and procedures to help mitigate the effects of diseases in which MSF is present. Assess, implement and maintain epidemiological surveillance systems in accordance with MSF protocols, standards and procedures.
Responsibilities:
As applicable, participate in defining socio-epidemiological and operational research objectives, develop research protocols and methodologies, including inclusion criteria for participation, sampling and recruitment, and data management processes, and identify the human resources needed to conduct research to obtain information relevant to medical or humanitarian intervention. Where applicable, ensure compliance with MSF laboratory protocols.
Coordinate the execution of research with partners, ensuring compliance with MSF protocols.
Provide training and supervise the team involved in conducting the research. Provide training sessions to medical and non-medical teams on relevant aspects of epidemiology to improve the team’s response capacity. Ensure that individuals and communities involved in any research have freely given their consent to participate and have received accurate information in a format they can understand.
Review data collection, implement quality assurance for data processing at the research site level, and undertake statistical analysis where necessary, reporting regularly to the functional manager on the progress of the study and any information important to the mission/project.
Write clear research reports that fully document the methods and results, and draw appropriate conclusions supported by the results. If applicable, participate in writing scientific articles.
Ensure the dissemination of results to the community and authorities as described in the study protocol. Implementation and maintenance of a surveillance system to monitor epidemiological trends of relevant epidemic-prone diseases. Directing the activities of medical staff for surveillance and/or active case finding, including ensuring understanding of the need for consistent case definitions and data recording.
Monitoring and implementation of initial assessment (in case of emergency), rapid health assessments and surveys (baseline or follow-up).
Managing data systems and ensuring an accurate and high-quality database; analysis of results and preparation of regular written reports on progress and conclusions for the medical coordinator/staff and, as appropriate, for external partners/networks (Ministry of Health, other NGOs, etc.)
Operational Research and Investigations: Submission of approved protocols to relevant ethical review boards (KEMRI, AMREF), the National Commission for Science, Technology and Innovation (NACOSTI) and management of the implementation, analysis and scientific communication of studies.
Alert Identification and Alert Investigation: Conduct epidemic analysis and intelligence activities to identify potential disease outbreak alerts and investigate specific alerts in the country and in nine counties as part of MSF’s EPREP OCG response. Epidemic investigation and monitoring: Perform outbreak investigations in accordance with MSF protocol, investigate cases, implement line lists for relevant diseases. Plot and visualize the case distribution. Participate in the risk assessment of disease transmission and other health threats among the target population during outbreak responses in MSF’s OCG projects and in other countries in the OCG EPREP response.
Data collection, analysis and quality assurance: Support regular projects and emergency responses by reviewing existing data collection tools and data systems, including outbreak investigation forms, data reporting forms for data routinely collected, patient lists. Perform quarterly and ad hoc DQA between DHIS2 and SITREP data to ensure accurate and reliable data. Perform data cleaning and analysis of outbreak data and project survey data.
Regional Health Indicator Monitoring and Horizon Scanning: Analyze seasonality, trends and future projections of notifiable diseases of public health importance, including climate change affecting health in the East Africa region. In collaboration with the Medical Coordinator, incorporate anticipated scenarios into the intersectoral emergency preparedness plan and crisis management plan.
Requirements
Education
Medical, paramedical or biomedical degree with specialization in epidemiology or public health, Master’s degree (desirable).
Experience
At least 3 years of experience in field epidemiology in a medical or public health organization.
At least 3 years of research experience.
LANGUAGES
English, Swahili and Somali
Knowledge
Use of epidemiological analysis software (STATA, SPSS and/or R)
Database management, data quality control/assurance, statistical analysis, secondary data review, design and implementation of operational research/surveys, monitoring and evaluation of logical frameworks.
Knowledge of public health information management systems. Knowledge of DHIS2, QGIS, Osmand, PowerBI, KoboCollect, ODK, RedCap, reference management software (Zotero, Mendeley, etc.)
COMPETENCES
Qualitative orientation of L2 results
Cooperation in L2 teamwork
L2 behavioral flexibility
Commitment to the principles of MSF L2
L3 stress management.
If you meet the above requirements, please send your application letter and CV (CV and application letter in PDF format combined in one document and saved with your full names) via
MSFCH-Kenya-Recruitment@geneva.msf.org before January 16, 2025.
