Technical Officers – Laboratory Scientist

Full Time

Overview

Through funding from the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Jhpiego is implementing the project ‘Expanding Efforts and Strategies to protect and improve public health globally’ in Zimbabwe and 16 other countries globally. Jhpiego seeks to use technical assistance (TA) resources to improve the quality and accelerate achievement of programs and grants associated with the Global Fund’s COVID-19 Response Mechanism (C19RM). Jhpiego, an affiliate of Johns Hopkins University, is seeking three (3) Technical Officers-Laboratory Strengthening to provide technical and implementation support to the MOHCC for improved lab capacity, quality diagnostics and management systems in Manicaland, Mashonaland East and Mashonaland Central. These positions will sit with the Provincial offices and work closely with the relevant counterparts, primarily the Laboratory Scientists.   These positions will report to Jhpiego’s Program Manager for Surveillance and Laboratory strengthening.

 

This is a contractual position and is renewable based on availability of funding and scope of work. 

 

Responsibilities

  • Work in close collaboration with provincial Chief Lab Scientists for the implementation of decentralized lab capacity as prioritized by the COVID-19 response pillars
  • Refine and/or develop guidelines, standard operating procedures (SOPs), and tools for strengthening laboratory capacities at provincial and district level
  • Support the MoH in the implementation of quality management systems, identification of supply/equipment/training gaps, planning and collaborative delivery of training workshops
  • Coordinate Laboratories’ External Quality Analysis
  • Strengthen sample transport systems
  • Coordinate with surveillance focal points to ensure data is aligned
  • Collaborate with provincial health management teams to ensure prioritized activities related to COVID-19 surveillance and laboratory strengthening activities are implemented timely
  • Represent Jhpiego in forums that deal with laboratory matters provide feedback to national-level teams

Required Qualifications

  • Undergraduate degree in Laboratory Science with postgraduate degree/Diploma in any of the biological sciences including molecular biology, microbiology, medical laboratory technology or biochemistry.
  • Certification in laboratory quality management systems (ISO 9001:2005, ISO 15189:2012,
  • Strengthening Laboratory Management Toward Accreditation (SLMTA), Stepwise Laboratory Improvement Process Towards Accreditation (SLIPTA)) or biosafety/bio risk management
  • At least 5 year of experience working as a laboratory technician or a pharmacist biologist.
  • At least 1-year experience working in the laboratory in response to epidemics and other health emergencies.
  • Experience in diagnosis of emerging infectious diseases including influenza, severe acute
  • respiratory infections (SARI), Meningococcal meningitis, viral haemorrhagic fevers, arbovirus, norovirus or Coronavirus (SARS – CoV-2) diseases
  • Familiarity with common serological, molecular and microbiology diagnostic testing methods.
  • Experience working as a laboratory quality manager, biosafety officer, supervisor or director.
  • Demonstrated technical and management skills.
  • Supply and reagent forecasting competencies
  • Proficiency in laboratory biosafety and risk assessment
  • Ability to support quality assurance (QA) and quality control (QC) initiatives
  • Ability to travel up to 40%
  • Fluent in written and spoken English

Preferred Qualifications

  • Previous experience working on CDC-funded projects
  • Experience in development of protocols and implementation of public health evaluations