Technical Officer (Public Health Laboratory)

• Country: Lyon, France
• No of vacancies: N/A
  
• Salary: N/A 
• Organization: WHO
• Gender: Both
• Deadline: 2024-02-12

OBJECTIVES OF THE PROGRAMME

The mission of WHO’s Health Emergencies Programme (The Programme) is to build the capacity of Member States to manage health emergency risks and, when national capacities are overwhelmed, to lead and coordinate the international health response to contain outbreaks and to provide effective relief and recovery to affected populations. The objectives of the Country Readiness Strengthening Department (CRS) include the development and strengthening of core national capacities necessary to mitigate and respond to emergency risks and vulnerabilities. The Department prioritizes support to the most vulnerable and low-capacity countries. The Public Health Laboratory Strengthening (PHL) Unit develops global strategies, mechanisms, guidance documents, manuals, and learning programmes aiming at strengthening public health laboratory policies, governance and regulations, infrastructure, workforce, networking, quality, safety, and diagnostic capacity for epidemic-prone diseases. The unit will provide leadership and coordination across partners and regional offices to propose interventions aiming at ensuring that public health laboratory systems are ready to operate in a safe, secure, timely and reliable manner for the detection of, and response to disease outbreaks and other emergencies.

DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES

Within the framework of the delegated authority, the incumbent is assigned all or part of the following responsibilities:

1. Support and monitor international projects enhancing laboratory capacity, biosafety, quality, networks, and/or workforce in resource-limited countries.
2. Contribute to the organization of technical meetings and conferences, to the development and selection of appropriate guidelines, tools and resources to be made available in the resource-limited laboratories.
3. Assist in the design and implementation of/participate in laboratory evaluations, trainings and laboratory External Quality Assessment programme, etc. in support to laboratory capacity strengthening activities.
4. Support the team in its multi-disciplinary and cross-cutting activities to facilitate full participation within and outside WHE/WPE and key partners.
5. Perform other related responsibilities.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

Education

Essential: First level university degree in medical, pharmaceutical or life sciences.
Desirable:

Experience

Essential: At least 2 years of experience in laboratory practice. Demonstrated experience at the international level.
Desirable: Experience of work in international organizations.

Skills

1. Knowledge of public health or clinical laboratory, especially in resource-limited countries.
2. Interpersonal and diplomatic skills.
3. Communications skills in liaising with multiple internal and external stakeholders.
4. Ability to address multitasks and to manage competing demands with tact and discretion.

WHO Competencies

1. Teamwork
2. Respecting and promoting individual and cultural differences
3. Communication
4. Producing results
5. Build in and promoting partnerships across the organization and beyond

Use of Language Skills

Essential: Expert knowledge of English.
Desirable: Intermediate knowledge of French. Intermediate knowledge of Other UN language.

REMUNERATION

WHO salaries for staff in the Professional category are calculated in US dollars. The remuneration for the above position comprises an annual base salary starting at USD 50,377 (subject to mandatory deductions for pension contributions and health insurance, as applicable), a variable post adjustment, which reflects the cost of living in a particular duty station, and currently amounts to USD 2078 per month for the duty station indicated above. Other benefits include 30 days of annual leave, allowances for dependent family members, home leave, and an education grant for dependent children.

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