About the Role
As a UW employee, you have a unique opportunity to change lives on our campuses, in our state and around the world. UW employees offer their boundless energy, creative problem solving skills and dedication to build stronger minds and a healthier world.
UW faculty and staff also enjoy outstanding benefits, professional growth opportunities and unique resources in an environment noted for diversity, intellectual excitement, artistic pursuits and natural beauty.
International Training and Education Center for Health (I-TECH) envisions a healthy world in which all people and communities flourish. Join a multi-disciplinary team consisting of local and global staff who are working closely together to foster healthier communities, and equitable partnerships in research, training, and public health practice.
I-TECH is a center in the University of Washington’s Department of Global Health. I-TECH has projects in more than 20 countries, and its worldwide staff work in partnership with local ministries of health, universities, non-governmental organizations, medical facilities, and other partners. I-TECH supports development of skilled work forces and overall health systems strengthening with a focus on sustainability and transition to local ownership. As reflected in the I-TECH Diversity Statement, I-TECH is committed to being anti-racist and promotes health and equity in health for all people worldwide.
The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in collaboration with I-TECH has been supporting the Malawi Ministry of Health (MOH) through the Public Health Institute of Malawi (PHIM) to implement field epidemiology training programs (FETP) for public health workers at national and subnational levels of the health systems. FETPs are field based trainings with participants spending 25% of the time in the classroom and 75% in the field providing public health services while acquiring core competencies in field epidemiology that include public health surveillance, interpretation, outbreak investigation and response, epidemiologic methods and scientific communication. To address the need to improve field epidemiology capacity for early detection and rapid response to infectious disease outbreaks and other public health threats at all levels of the health system, US CDC and partners developed a three - tiered pyramid model for FETP implementation. At the base of the pyramid is the 3-months Frontline FETP that targets public health workers at the local level, the middle of the pyramid is the 9-months intermediate FETP for regional level health workers and at the peak is the 2- years Advanced FETP for national level public health managers. Malawi has been implementing the Frontline FETP since 2016 with technical support from I-TECH Malawi and launched the Intermediate FETP in 2022 with technical support from the African Field Epidemiology Network (AFENET). I-TECH working with the US CDC intends to continue providing technical support to the Malawi FETP intermediate program.
I-TECH is recruiting for a Malawi-based, full-time FETP Resident Advisor (RA). The RA will work with PHIM, Ministry of Health and other stakeholders to build and strengthen the public health capacity in disease surveillance and outbreak response through training public health leaders in applied epidemiology.
The RA plays an important leading role in the development and implementation of an FETP, especially in the early years. The RA is responsible for facilitating development/adaptation and implementation of the curriculum, maintaining the scientific excellence of the program, consulting on epidemiologic methods, evaluating the performance of the residents, accompanying them on outbreak investigations, providing technical support to field supervisors, and serving on technical committees to improve surveillance systems.
Duties and Responsibilities
Technical Program Support (35%)
• Collaborate with PHIM leadership, CDC, and other partners in Malawi to develop an implementation plan for the Intermediate Field Epidemiology Training Program for surveillance officers and other public health professionals in Malawi.
• Assist PHIM to develop adequate and timely field investigations in response to acute public health problems such as epidemic outbreaks, clusters of disease cases, and case investigations.
• Participate in disease surveillance and outbreak investigation and response activities of the MoH/PHIM together with the trained public health officers.
• Develop, manage and monitor quarterly and annual budget and expenditure and evaluate them against planned activities, deliverables and target.
• Support PHIM in the organization of steering and technical committees to guide and validate FETP implementation of Frontline and Intermediate, as well as make incremental progress towards institutionalization and sustainability of One FETP in Malawi.
• Coordinate the organization and facilitation of all stakeholder and dissemination meetings in the country.
• Support the development and maintenance of an updated database for all the FETP alumni in the country.
• Provide quarterly and other periodic reports to highlight activities and achievements, cohort implementation data and document best practices and lessons learned.
• Regularly update partners at, CDC, MoH/PHIM and local stakeholders in Malawi as appropriate and necessary for decision making, information sharing and communication.
• Support the effort to increase the visibility of FETP through advocacy, marketing strategies, and communication with partners inside and outside of Malawi.
• Build capacity and mentor FETP staff at PHIM to strengthen quality of implementation of Frontline and Intermediate FETP.
• Any other duties assigned by implementing partner (I-TECH/PHIM) to ensure seamless implementation of FETP.
Training and Instructional Design (35%)
• Review and adapt the existing intermediate FETP curriculum as may be required in consultation with CDC, PHIM, the Ministry of Health and other local partners in Malawi
• Participate in the process of identifying and selecting participants for the intermediate FETP.
• Work with partners to identify experienced epidemiologists/public health professionals in Malawi and organize training of trainers and mentors’ workshops to build their capacity to serve as trainers and mentors for the Intermediate FETP participants in Malawi.
• Support coordination with PHIM, MoH, I-TECH, CDC and other identified partners to ensure availability of all the required logistics for the didactic and field trainings of selected participants are in place.
• Together with PHIM, MoH, CDC, and other technical partners teach the planned Intermediate field epidemiology trainings for selected public health workers in Malawi.
• Provide guidance to the national mentors and FETP trainees at intermediate level, in the design and implementation of applied epidemiological projects to fulfil the requirements of the training.
• Provide scientific and technical guidance to trainees.
• Evaluate trainees’ learning and deliverables.
Mentorship, Supportive Supervision and Dissemination (30%)
• Provide supportive training, mentorship and coaching for MoH/PHIM supervisors and mentors for Frontline and Intermediate FETP trainees.
• Assist national mentors and FETP fellows of intermediate level in the design and implementation of applied epidemiological research projects
• Provide technical guidance to trainees in preparing presentations for national dissemination of their findings and recommendations of course projects from field attachments.
• Facilitate coordination of FETP graduates network and development of abstract by trainees for every cohort and possible publication in journals and conferences.
• Coordinate with PHIM, MOH and other training institutions to integrate content of Frontline and Intermediate field epidemiology training into in-service curriculum for appropriate MOH staff
Minimum Requirements
• Master’s degree in Epidemiology, Public Health, Biostatistics or related field and/or any other relevant qualifications from an Advanced Field Epidemiology Training Program is required.
• At least 4 years of experience working in the field as a practicing field epidemiologist
Equivalent education/experience will substitute for all minimum qualifications except when there are legal requirements, such as a license/certification/registration.
Additional Requirements
• Demonstrated commitment to valuing diversity and contributing to an inclusive working and learning environment.
• Demonstrated ability to facilitate communication between professionals in a manner that respects cultural differences and contributes to effective partnerships.
Preferred Qualifications
• An advanced FETP qualification
• At least 3 years’ experience in implementing Field Epidemiology Training Programs as a Resident Advisor and or Field Coordinator/Mentor in low-resource settings.
• Knowledge and experience of WHO standards and policies such as the Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response strategy (IDSR) and International Health Regulations (IHR) and other global health initiatives related to workforce development.
• Extensive knowledge and understanding of the functionality of surveillance systems at national, sub national, local and community levels of the health systems in Africa.
• Excellent track record of teaching and mentorship in any of the Field Epidemiology Training programs including facilitating of in-service trainings of public health workers.
• Experience with participatory learning activities and adult learning theories and practices.
• Experience cleaning, managing, and analyzing public health surveillance and epidemiologic data.
• Experience writing scientific abstracts and manuscripts and developing scientific PowerPoints and presentations for presentation at international conferences.
• Experience in coordinating multi-agency public health programs at regional, national, sub national, local levels.
• Training and experience in public health emergency management and incident command will be an added advantage.
• Proficiency in the use of Microsoft Office: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Online platforms such as Zoom, Teams.
• Experience with the following Statistical Packages: Epi Info, STATA, SPSS.
• Ability to work collaboratively with multiple partners and teams at international, national and sub national levels.
• Excellent English proficiency (written, verbal).
WORKING ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS
This full-time 100% position is based in Malawi and seconded within PHIM with occasional meetings at the I-TECH Malawi office. The RA requires up to 20% travel to areas that often lack adequate public health and safety infrastructure. Travelers must be prepared to follow the UW and US government recommended precautions and prophylaxis for travel safety and disease prevention. The RA may require participation in early morning and late evening telephone conference calls in order to accommodate time zone differences between Seattle and its country project sites. I-TECH operates within a grant-funded environment. Due to this, the total amount of this position’s FTE may fluctuate based on program funding and needs.
Application Process:
The application process for UW positions may include completion of a variety of online assessments to obtain additional information that will be used in the evaluation process. These assessments may include Work Authorization, Cover Letter and/or others. Any assessments that you need to complete will appear on your screen as soon as you select “Apply to this position”. Once you begin an assessment, it must be completed at that time; if you do not complete the assessment you will be prompted to do so the next time you access your “My Jobs” page. If you select to take it later, it will appear on your "My Jobs" page to take when you are ready. Please note that your application will not be reviewed, and you will not be considered for this position until all required assessments have been completed.