Epidemiology and Laboratory Services Advisor at Odyssey Systems

Position Summary

Odyssey Systems is currently seeking an Epidemiology and Laboratory Services Advisor for the International Technical Operational and Support Services (ITOPSS) contract mechanism, for the Centers for Global Health (CGH) mission of the CDC. This position is located in Ghana.

Position is contingent on contract award

Responsibilities

Duties include, but not limited to:

• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with various Ministries, departments, partners, and other related governmental agencies, academic institutions, non-governmental organizations, and international health organizations to identify public health issues related to the prevention and control of avian and seasonal influenza and other respiratory viruses of public health importance including the middle east respiratory syndrome coronavirus, SARS-CoV2, and RSV as well as any newly emerging respiratory viruses.
• Monitor and measure the outcomes of these programs through evaluations of surveillance and respiratory virus mitigation activities in meeting World Health Organization and national recommendations and policies.
• Provide focused technical support on surveillance enhancement within ECOWAS and WHO AFRO nations.
• Assure optimal participation of countries in WA and CA where CDC works, in the submission of specimens through the WHO Global Influenza Surveillance and Response System (GISRS) network. Support intra-agency collaborations that promote the successful implementation of programmatic goals and objectives (e.g., CDC Ghana, CDC headquarters initiatives and other CDC programs).
• Conduct regular meetings and ad hoc communications with global, country, and local agencies to effectively facilitate the completion of programmatic and reporting goals and objectives, to include telephone, email, face-to-face meetings, and trainings.
• Coordinate with Noguchi Memorial Medical Research Institute to complete tasks assigned. Establish and maintain a point of contact in each MoH and/or National Lab in each West Africa and Central Africa country where CDC currently works.
• Assess each MOH/Lab to determine their capability and their needs, encourage them to conduct influenza and other respiratory viruses of public health importance surveillance.
• Develop an action plan in English, French, or both languages for each country to prioritize the support that can be offered by CDC.
• Strengthen MOH technical capability through direct Technical Assistance for each MOH/Lab both on laboratory and epidemiology aspects.
• Organize regional collaboration among countries that will be supported by CDC to increase capacity of countries through training, networking, and information sharing of influenza methodologies.
• Organize or conduct regional trainings, e.g., epi surveillance training and lab/polymerase chain reaction (PCR) training. Serve as Flu Advisor on Global Health Security (GHS) initiatives associated with influenza and other respiratory viruses of public health importance (e.g., SARS-CoV2) surveillance and laboratory.
• Participate as member of Global Health Security team as subject matter expert on influenza laboratory and surveillance. Determine feasibility of CDC providing assistance in the event of an outbreak.
• Collectively with in-country actors/points of contacts determine need, identify resources available to fulfill need, and provide support as available and appropriate.
• Contribute to enhanced sentinel surveillance in Ghana thorough technical assistance in collaboration with Noguchi Institute. Strengthen the WHO/AFRO Influenza Lab Network in West Africa, Central Africa, and other African countries; support new NICs through cross-training national reference labs for base flu diagnostics.
• Provide outbreak response and support in the West Africa region with USG (CDC or USAID), FAO, and WHO/AFRO.
• Confirm reporting of seasonal, avian, and novel influenza reports to WHO Global Influenza Surveillance and Response System (GISRS) and CDC Atlanta for West African and Central Africa countries and other African countries.
• Provide scientific and/or technical advice on cooperative agreements awarded by CDC’s Influenza Division.
• Provide scientific and/or technical advice and assistance in the development of criteria and standards for the planning, implementation and evaluation of influenza proposals or protocols.
• Provide technical support to countries in West Africa, Central Africa, and other African countries to analyze and interpret data and produce abstracts for scientific meetings and manuscripts for publication.
• Translate and transcribe documents including correspondence, presentations, and training materials as appropriate.
• Produce influenza and other respiratory viruses of public health importance sentinel surveillance studies, with the goals of determining the circulating strains of influenza viruses, the epidemiology and seasonality of influenza, the burden of influenza at selected health facilities through the establishment of ILI (Influenza like Illness)/SARI (severe acute respiratory illness) surveillance.
• Conduct trainings for country teams on Rapid Response and Outbreak/Pandemic Preparedness, multi-disciplinary team composition, key steps for outbreak response, post-response.
• Provide technical support to the Africa Region through engagement with WHO-AFRO region and WHO headquarters on prevention and control activities including vaccine implantation and other special initiatives. (e.g., PIP Framework).
• Complete and maintain up to date certification for all CDC- and Noguchi-required trainings to include, but not limited to, Security Awareness and High Threat Security Overseas Seminar (HTSOS) training.
• Attend Integrated Conference Approval Portal (ICAP)-approved conferences and make presentations as required.
• Provide technical support to West African countries participating in CDC/Task Force for Global Health initiative to vaccinate health workers and other priority groups against influenza.
• Provide assistance with research efforts of influenza and other respiratory viruses of public health importance (e.g., SARS-CoV2) in West Africa, Central Africa, and other African countries including epidemiological study design, implementation, data analysis, and coordination of laboratory testing for influenza and other respiratory viruses including novel pathogens such as SARS-CoV-2.
• Provide technical support to African partners on virus epidemiological and virological aspects of systems to ensure partners incorporate diagnostic capacity for newly emerging SARS-CoV2 into existing platforms.
• Provide assistance to the Regional Influenza Director and CDC staff in the preparation of briefings for Congressional and Executive delegations, VIP visitors.
• Participate as a member and advisor on national committees for surveillance/epidemiology issues to provide expert advice and recommendations to ensure implementation of best practices for health management information systems (HMIS).
• Conduct knowledge, attitude, and practices surveys among health workers in West Africa country programs to determine how pre-pandemic adult vaccination programs impacted acceptability of COVID-19 vaccines; to assess worker likelihood of recommending COVID19 vaccine to patients; and to apply lessons from influenza and COVID vaccination programs to improve life-course immunization programs

Qualifications

Minimum Required Qualifications:

Citizenship: Must be a US citizen

Clearance : Ability to obtain a Secret Clearance

Education: MD and specialized degree in virology

Experience

• Five (5) years minimum experience in health or public health program management.
• Five (5) years) in animal and human influenza in an African setting.
• Ability to work independently, while seeking advice and support when necessary.
• Willingness & Ability to converse with various groups using French and English languages.
• FSI Level 4 required in French language (Level 5 is desired)

Preferred Qualifications

Clearance : Active Secret Clearance

Skills

• FSI Level 5 in French language