Senior Veterinary Epidemiologist – Economist at African Union - InterAfrican Bureau for Animal Resources

The consultant will support related activities of the LICs project, working together with the rest of the FAO and AU-IBAR team.

Specific Tasks for The Consultancy

The indicative tasks to be undertaken for this consultancy include:

• Liaise with LICs team for full details and mechanism for implementation of this consultancy
• Support training of the Liaison Officer on the analysis using LIRA
• Use and further develop LIRA if necessary to analyze all major livestock production systems for cattle and small ruminants in Africa.
• Refine or establish investment plans by identifying the production parameters that most affect herd/flock productivity through sensitivity analyses for each targeted system.
• Compile findings from baseline and sensitivity analyses into concise, accessible reports highlighting key production parameters for productivity improvement.
• Working with the LICS team to integrate reporting capacity into the online LIRA tool.

Academic Requirements

• At least a Doctoral degree in Veterinary epidemiology and economics, and a degree in Veterinary Medicine

Experience

General experience

• The candidate must have at least 10 years of proven practical experience in veterinary epidemiology, with experience in field investigations, data collection, analysis and interpretation. He/she must have worked for at least five (5) years in an international organization.
• The ability to clearly and effectively interpret and disseminate findings, as well as collaborate with diverse stakeholders.
• The capacity to develop and recommend for implementation, effective solutions to improve animal health and prevent disease outbreaks.
• Working effectively with multidisciplinary teams, including veterinarians, researchers, and public health officials.
• The ability to work in a multicultural environment and to work in diverse environments.
• Adherence to ethical principles in research and practice, including data integrity.
• Practical understanding of the operations of the FAO/AU and its relations with MSs and RECs.

Specific experience

• A strong understanding of animal health, diseases, and their impact on populations is crucial.
• The ability to analyze information, evaluate evidence, and make sound judgments based on scientific data.
• Demonstrated advanced knowledge of disease surveillance, outbreak investigation, risk assessment, and disease prevention and control strategies.
• Proven proficiency in using biodynamic models like LIRA and statistical software (e.g., SAS, R, SPSS) and interpreting data to identify patterns and trends is essential.
• Demonstrated the ability to conduct related research, publish findings in peer-reviewed journals, and contribute to the advancement of knowledge in the field.