Senior Public Health Researcher

Salary: Per MOF Contract Staff salary scale

Terms of employment: Contract

Duration of contract: One year with possibility of extension

Place of Work: Ethiopian Public Health Institute, Addis Ababa 

Reporting to: National Data Management Center for health (NDMC), Lead

Quantity: One

Background 

The Ethiopian Public Health Institute (EPHI) has received financial support from the World Bank for Africa CDC Regional Investment Financing project to strengthen regional infectious disease detection and response systems. EPHI is the technical wing for the FMoH re-established as an exciting and dynamic autonomous federal government institute having its own legal entity in charge of three main objectives as expressed in the regulation number 301/2013: 1) Research on priority public health and nutrition issues (based on national public health research agendas), generate, translate and disseminate scientific and technological knowledge; 2) Surveillance for the early identification and detection of public health risks and prevent public health emergencies through adequate preparedness, alert, timely information to respond effectively and timely and ensure rapid recovery of the affected population from the impact of public health emergency; 3) national laboratory services on emerging and re-emerging public health emergency threats including referral diagnostic, back up services and analytical tests and support the capacity building of health and food science laboratories at the national level for quality laboratory services. In 2018, the institute has established a National Data Management Center for health (NDMC) to transform its data systems, evidence generation and data use for public health emergency responses. 

NDMC is responsible to centrally archive health and health related data; ensure data governance and security; create platforms for data sharing, access and use; process and manage data by applying robust data analytic technics, integration of datasets and apply data science to generate and synthesis evidence; and ensure evidence utilization for decision making by the Federal Ministry of Health (FMoH) and other relevant stakeholders at local, sub-national and national continental and international levels; ensure relevant capacities are built at local, national and regional levels and to serve as canter of excellence. 

The NDMC  has the responsibility of implementing Africa CDC Regional Investment Financing Project (ACDCP) functions related to developing innovative interconnected and interoperable disease surveillance and reporting systems, networking regional and continental partners and with Africa CDC and to build data analytic, disease surveillance and reporting, undertaking integrated data analysis, evidence translation, and database development and evidence synthesis, digital platforms and data sharing and, will also serve as a regional and continental information hub. EPHI is therefore looking for a high calibre Senior Public Health Researcher with strong qualification and experience to contribute for the effective implementation of its aforementioned responsibilities. 

 Objective                                                                                                                                             

The objective of this post is to ensure the deployment of high caliber Senior Public Health Researcher who leads the overall national and subnational burden of diseases study. In line with its intended purposes, who can contribute to network regional and continental partners and with Africa CDC on the producing of advanced public health methodologies and research outcomes to tackle public health challenges of the country. To this end, EPHI wants to recruit a Senior Public Health Researcher.

 Roles and Responsibilities                                                                                                                 

• Leads public health research of the center with considerable application of advanced statistical and epidemiological techniques and working closely with local, sub-national and national partners;

• Coordinates national public health research, research strategies/ research themes in public Health Emergency areas;

• Articulates national research strategies, research questions and action plans that require public health research leadership skills;

• Designs different types of public health research, research proposals and protocols that use secondary public health data;

• Assesses the quality of public health data collected from different sources and determine its use for generating evidence to support health policy decision;

• Provides technical support to the burden of disease researchers and technical groups in developing evidence-based research outcomes at national and regional levels;

• Disseminates research findings using different scientific and media outlets including organization of workshop, scientific presentations, producing evidence briefs, communication through mass media;

• Writes scientific manuscripts and technical reports and publish on reputable journals.

• Engages in national research and public health data source collaborators network and routine epidemiologic data source collaborators networks;

• Facilitates mapping, centralizing, digitizing epidemiological and public health emergency data collected from different sources and working with the technical teams together;

• Provides technical support to burden of disease team on epidemiological data management and analyses techniques, tools, methods and in setting indicators for evidence generation and visualization platforms;

• Provides advanced public health research methodologies, data management and analysis trainings;

• Presents and represents the activities of NDMC at national and international fora;

• Conducts mentorship and supervision of public health data reviewers, researchers, data science fellows and junior staffs;

• Develops and publishes technical reports, guidelines, standard operating procedures and manuscripts;

• Creates network with ACDC, FMoH, regional health bureaus, regional public health institutes and partners;

• Supports grant and proposal writing initiatives of the center;

• Provides substantial contribution in the scientific advisory committee, research technical working groups and other activities;

• Develops plan, monitor, and evaluate project progress and outcomes;

• Performs other assigned activities as necessary.

Deliverables                                                                                                                                        

• Develop and implement a national public health research agenda and strategy in alignment with national health priorities and NDMC plan.

• Provide quarterly progress reports on ongoing public health research activities, studies, and findings to the NDMC.

• Publish and assist junior staffs in publishing articles annually in peer-reviewed journals on public health research conducted at EPHI.

• Conduct regular training and mentoring of junior researchers and data analysts on advanced research methodologies and data analysis.

• Develop research protocols and write grant proposals to secure funding and support for priority public health research

• Represent EPHI research at national and international scientific conferences and forums

• Establish research partnerships and collaborations with key national, regional and global research institutes and partners.

• Facilitate the centralization, digitization, and analysis of national public health data sources to generate evidence.

• Synthesize research findings into policy briefs, evidence briefs, and other formats for decision-makers on a quarterly basis.

• Support the development of national guidelines, tools, and SOPs to strengthen the country's public health research ecosystem.

Reporting                                                                                                                                            

• The Senior Public Health Researcher will report to the NDMC Coordinator
• The Senior Public Health Researcher will base in EPHI/NDMC in Addis Ababa

  Qualification and Experience                                                                                                          

• Background in public health, health sciences, epidemiology, tropical disease, biostatistics and epidemiology, demography.
• PhD in Public health and 8 years’ experiences Or 
• MSc/MPH in Public health and 10 years of experiences 

Desired Skills and Experiences

• Published at least 10 articles in reputable and peer reviewed journal;
• Experience in grant proposal writing; 
• Ability in conceptualizing, devising and leading national public health research, research strategies/ research themes
• Ability to work with multiple public health data systems and multiple data sources and teams;
• Ability to work with research institutes, academia and the health sector, with local and international collaborators;
• Demonstrated ability in advanced public health methodologies and quantitative science;
• Demonstrated experience in the current burden of public health challenges of Ethiopia’s priority and health risk factors;
• Demonstrated experience in designing different types of surveys and research programs, research proposals, grants and protocols;
• Ability to supervise junior researchers, data managers, data analysts and different experts;
• Be familiar with local and international research ethics;
• Be able to provide substantial contribution in the scientific advisory committee, research technical working groups and others;
• Demonstrated research communication and interpersonal communication skills;
• Experience working with existing health policies, strategies and plans of the country;
• Demonstrated research experience working on different data sources such as GBD, EDHS, DHIS-II and HDSS;
• Ability to negotiate with funding organizations, research institutes and individual researchers;
• Able to facilitate and assist in mapping, centralizing, digitizing, manage and analyze existing and new data sources in the country;
• Demonstrated ability to produce policy relevant findings from rigorous systematic reviews, in-depth analysis of studies etc.;
• Ability to identify evidence demands and supplies of FMoH and having excellent knowledge of Sustainable development Goals Agenda of 2030;
• Ability to assess the quality of different sources of evidence to facilitate for health policy decision;
• Ability to develop evidence use tracking mechanisms at national and regional levels
• Demonstrated ability in disseminating research findings with different means including publication, technical report, evidence briefs, policy briefs;
• Excellent oral and written communication and presentation skills in Amharic and English required;
• Experience and having scientific research publications on the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) estimates is a plus.

Contract Duration and Remuneration

• The contract will be for one year with possible extension upon satisfactory performance.

How To Apply

Note  Interested applicants can register in Online through only  ethiojobs.net   send their CVs and relevant documents at the address given below within 7 days from the first appearance of the announcement

Remarks: Please attach copies of transcripts, academic degree or recommendation letters together with the application. If not attached the copies you may be not short listed.