Epidemiologist - Training

The Pacific Community (SPC)·Suva

Other·Contract

FJD 10,028 - 12,535 per year·Posted 3 days ago

About the company

The Pacific Community (SPC) is the principal scientific and technical organisation in the Pacific region, supporting development since 1947. It is an international development organisation owned and governed by 27 country and territory members, working across more than 25 sectors. The Public Health Division (PHD), which employs around 42 staff based in Noumea and Suva, supports members in developing healthier Pacific Island people and communities through scientific and technical assistance.

About the role

This role will strengthen and contribute to public health surveillance, preparedness and response, and research across Pacific Island Countries and Territories (PICTs) and the wider region. It works closely with Fiji National University and other stakeholders to deliver the Strengthening Health Interventions in the Pacific - Data for Decision Making (SHIP-DDM) programme. Core areas of focus include strengthening capacity for coordinated regional surveillance, team management and communication, enhancing evidence-based service delivery through research, and strengthening national and regional preparedness and response to public health threats. The position also involves supervising research activities under the SHIP-DDM programme, including the PGDAE course, and developing in-country capacity to analyse health data for decision making. This is a 3-year contract, subject to renewal depending on funding and performance.

Key responsibilities

• Form effective relationships with member countries and partner agencies to implement the SHIP-DDM programme in the Pacific.
• Consult with crosscutting technical bodies within PHD and SPC to support identified public health priorities in the SHIP-DDM course and develop joint approaches for action.
• Lead development of capacity development plans for SHIP-DDM implementation, in coordination with PHD, SPC, and PICT priorities.
• Support planning and scaling up training in field epidemiology, including surveillance, outbreak investigations, and data use among PICT health professionals.
• Contribute to monitoring and evaluation of capacity development activities, and provide technical inputs into concept papers, protocols and proposals.
• Supervise research activities under the SHIP-DDM programme, including the PGDAE course, and document research findings for appropriate forums.
• Develop in-country capacity to systematically analyse health data for decision making and policy development.
• Support development of in-country surveillance and response capacities, and provide technical support for enhanced surveillance during mass gatherings and emergency response.

About the successful candidate

• MBBS and a master's degree in public health, epidemiology, or a related discipline, or an equivalent body of knowledge and experience.
• 10 years of experience in public health surveillance, including communicable and non-communicable disease surveillance.
• Experience in outbreak preparedness and response.
• Experience providing capacity building or on-the-job training in field epidemiology.
• Experience in operational research and writing scientific reports and papers.
• Cross-cultural skills and ability to work with colleagues from different cultural backgrounds.
• Highly developed oral and interpersonal communication skills.
• Willingness to travel frequently (up to 30% of the time) in the Pacific region and internationally.