Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), is an International Humanitarian Organization providing medical aid to populations in distress, victims of natural and man-made disasters and victims of armed conflict, regardless of race, religion and political believes. For more information, visit our Arabic website, www.msf-me.org

Médecins Sans Frontières Belgium is looking for Yemeni nationals to recruit for the following position:

EPIDEMIOLOGIST

Location: Aden - Coordination office 
Contract duration: One year renewable
Contract type: Full time contract
Reporting to: Epidemiology Activity Manager/ Medical Coordinator in the absence of EAM

Main Purpose:

Assessing, implementing, maintaining and monitoring the epidemiological activities at mission level, in-cluding data and surveillance systems/monitoring (if needed), and support ongoing or initiate new opera-tional research according to MSF protocols, standards and procedures in order to contribute to appropri-ate evidence-based decision making using well managed health data in outbreak and emergency MSF programmes. 

Key of responsibilities:

• Carrying out key epidemiological activities in outbreak investigation (description including time, place, people with emphasis on mapping when it is needed) and advising on the operational response.
• Designing or improving and implementing or maintaining a surveillance system to monitor epidemiological trends of relevant outbreak-prone diseases. Guiding activities of medical staff for surveillance and/or active case finding, including ensuring understanding of the need for consistent case definitions and data recording (briefing of all new staff) aligned with the medical team and supported by Epidemiology advisor.
• Monitoring, designing/support in the design and implementing initial Assessments (for emergency situation), rapid health assessments,  baseline or follow-up surveys or any other type of surveys/assessments based on mission needs. Where standard protocols are not available or appropriate, developing a protocol seeking extensive feedback and pilot testing of tools to ensure the objectives will be met robustly with support of HQ epidemiologist.
• Preparing and adapting routine documentation (survey forms, training materials, letters of request/notification, locally appropriate consent forms etc.) with support of epidemiology advisor. 
• Planning and supervising the associated HR processes of the staff under his/her responsibility (recruitment, training/induction, evaluation, potential detection, development and communication) and ensuring that staff exhibits required skills after training and pilot test.
• Improving, maintaining and managing data systems and ensuring accurate, high quality data; analysing/support analysis of mission data  and overview the quality of the data used in different reporting. Prepare regular written reports on progress and findings for medical coordinator/HQ and when appropriate to external collaborators/networks (MoH, other NGOs, etc.) as informed by the medical coordinator. When necessary, designing and implementing epidemiological tools and data collection to meet new epidemiological needs.
• Providing appropriate training sessions to data and medical teams based on gaps/needs on relevant aspects of epidemiology to enhance team epi/data related capacity.
• Overviewing the operational research activities at mission level together with the operational research focal point. Support the team in implementation of research or initiation of new research activities following the MSF processes and with the support of the Epidemiology advisor.

MSF Section/Context Specific Accountabilities

-    Improve/maintain the data management strategy and support the different projects’ data monitoring and reporting system.

• Continusously review the existing data management processes (indicators, collection tools, analysis tools, etc.) in different projects and support the team in improving based on projects’ needs/changes in activities and strategy. This includes paper and electronic tools as well as analysis and reporting dashboards used for routine or emergency monitoring of indicators.
• Provide technical support to the data team in the projects to ensure the accuracy and timely available data for monitoring and informed operational decision-making. This includes provision of trainings as needed and potential direct coaching of specific data team memebers to improve their data capabilities. As well as support in establishing proper SOPs and data quality measures.
• Provide technical support to the project in refining logframe, specifically reviewing/adapting selection and implmentation of indicators and reflection of the indicators in the reports.
• Analyse or support in the analysis of the data of the projects (routine or ad-hoc) according to the need of the projects and the coordinations.

Capacity building activities

• Conduct a regular needs assessment and capacity building training for data teams in the project.
• Conduct a regular refreshment/orientation training sessions for data system and (eg. DHIS 2) and other monitoring tools. (logframe and standard list of indicators).

QUALIFICATIONS AND SKILL REQUIREMENT

Education:          

• Essential degree in Epidemiology or Public Health with a para/ biomedical back-ground 
• Desirable medical or nursing degree.

Experience:        

•  At least 3 years of humanitarian field experience  in the of field epidemiolo-gy/public health. 
• At least 1 year experience in MSF or other I/NGOs.

                        
Languages:          

• Fluency in English & Arabic languages is required.

Knowledge: 

• Practical use of epidemiology/statistical analytical software (eg: STATA, SPSS, R or other)
• Strong skills in excel features, including data analysis and pivot tables, and other MS  office tools.

COMPETENCES

• Results and Quality Orientation 
• Teamwork and Cooperation 
• Behavioural Flexibility
• Commitment to MSF Principles 
• Stress Management