Public Health Specialist (Laboratory Quality Assurance Team Lead)

Number: 082/2013      Date: 11/19/2013

OPEN TO:    All Qualified Candidates
POSITION:   Public Health Specialist (Laboratory Quality Assurance Team Lead); FP-4 FSN-11                                               OPENING DATE:   November 19, 2013
CLOSING DATE:   December 2, 2013
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 Organizations (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 non-governmental 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 
• Provides Technical Assistance in the planning and Implementation of National External Laboratory Quality Assurance Schemes
• Provides Technical Assistance to MoH, on the organization and technical requirements for the acquisition and maintenance of national and international laboratory accreditation.
• Collaborates with host country senior scientists on the design of new public health laboratory diagnostic approaches that are based on latest research findings.  
• Recommends procedural modifications as warranted to align with quality requirements and investigative protocols.  
• Maintains contacts with medical staff to provide updated information on quality improvement and new laboratory protocols and procedures as appropriate.  
• Monitors and evaluates progress and quality of projects, identifying policy, organizational and personnel, logistical, and financial problems and makes or recommends revisions as necessary to overcome obstacles and constraints to progress.  
• Identifies training needs and participates in the development/implementation of training for MoH and partner organizations.
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 onhttp://kampala.usembassy.gov/job_opportunites.html