Public Health Specialist (Laboratory Quality Assurance Team Lead)

VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT

OPEN TO          : All Qualified Candidates

POSITION          : Public Health Specialist (Laboratory Quality Assurance Team Lead);

FP-4 FSN-11 OPENING DATE : May 28, 2014 CLOSING DATE : June 09, 2014 WORK HOURS : Full-time; 40 hours/week

ALL ORDINARILY RESIDENT (OR) APPLICANTS MUST HAVE THE REQUIRED WORK AND/OR RESIDENCY PERMITS TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR CONSIDERATION.

“The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is an international public health agency engaged in HIV prevention and care programs and research activities in Uganda. CDC offers excellent career opportunities for professional growth, training, and collaboration with other health professionals. The main CDC offices are located at the Uganda Virus Research Institute (UVRI) in Entebbe. CDC is an agency of the United States Mission in Uganda.” The Centers for Diseases Control is seeking an individual for the position of Public Health Specialist (Laboratory Quality Assurance Team Lead). BASIC FUNCTION OF POSITION:

The Public Health Specialist (Laboratory Quality Assurance Team Lead) works under the leadership of the Laboratory Branch Chief as a senior laboratory program advisor to programs under the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). The incumbent provides comprehensive technical, administrative and managerial advice and assistance in support of building laboratory capacity which includes surveillance, research and investigation activities of host government ministries, International Organizations, Non-Governmental Organeations (NGO) and host ministry of health partners involved in treatment of HIV/AIDS in country.

The incumbent supervises Public Health Specialists responsible for quality assurance) and Biosafety (Laboratory Quality Assurance and Biosafety and Biosecurity Officer Officers respectively) Job holder serves as a senior advisor to the host country Ministry of Health, partners and non­governmental organizations (NGOs) in the implementation of laboratory quality assurance programs and activities. The incumbent provides technical assistance to the MoH and other partners in the implementation of laboratory quality systems leading to national and international accreditation. The Job holder will provide technical assistance in capacity building activities, will assess all PEPRAR supported proposals which use testing algorithms, ensuring that human subject’s requirements are met, standard operational procedures and protocols are followed appropriately and make recommendations, amendments/approval to supervisor. Incumbent will provide technical assistance in the coordination, management and implementation of national and international accreditation processes and programs including the WHO Stepwise Laboratory Improvement Process (SLIPTA), Strengthening Laboratory Management Toward Accreditation (SLMTA) and Laboratory Quality Management Systems training.

Incumbent

These roles and responsibilities require knowledge, as well as public health technical and leadership, negotiation, advocacy, constant and clear communication with CDC, USG laboratory and other programs and other laboratory implementing partners and stakeholders.

A copy of the complete position description listing all duties and responsibilities is available on

http://kampala.usembassy.gov/job_opportunites.html

QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED:

NOTE: All applicants must address each selection criterion detailed below with specific and comprehensive information supporting each item.

Comprehensive knowledge of the host government laboratory facilities, health care system and structures, including familiarity with MOH policies, program priorities and regulations is required. Good working knowledge of USG public health programs, strategies, methods, processes and techniques used to plan, develop, implement and evaluate results is required. Good working knowledge of team management techniques to plan, organize and direct multi- disciplinary project teams and activities and overall administrative requirements, budgeting and fiscal management in support of contracts/cooperative agreements/grants/purchase requisitions is required.

The incumbent will be expected to exercise considerable ingenuity and tact in applying guidelines to unique and different settings, as the work is highly complex and can be threatening to stakeholders. Considerable innovation will be required to influence other collaborative organizations engaged in laboratory programs to adopt appropriate strategies for their program activities and to work with partners on national strategic planning for laboratory programs.

Intermediate user level of Word processing, Spreadsheets and Databases is required. Advanced knowledge of statistics and data analysis is required. SELECTION PROCESS:

After an initial application screening, applicants will be invited to a testing process that may include a written examination and oral interviews. The selected candidate must pass pre-employment medical and security investigations before beginning work. The initial appointment period is one year, subject to renewal.

Normally, candidates for employment are hired at the first step of the designated pay grade. In some instances, candidates may be hired at a higher step when exceptional qualifications or previous governmental service and pay level so warrant. The Human Resources Officer will make the decision with the concurrence of the employing section. ADDITIONAL SELECTION CRITERIA:

HOW TO APPLY:

Interested candidates for this position must submit the following for consideration of the application:

SUBMIT APPLICATION TO:

Human Resources Office By email atKampalaHR@state.gov. ONLY ELECTRONIC SUBMISSIONS WILL BE ACCEPTED AND ONLY SHORT LISTED CANDIDATES WILL BE CONTACTED.