Epidemiologist – WHO jobs in Switzerland

• Location: Geneva, Switzerland
• Vacancy No: N/A 
• Salary: N/A
• Organization: WHO
• Gender: Both
• Deadline:  2024-04-05

OBJECTIVES OF THE PROGRAMME

The mission of WHO’s Health Emergencies Programme (The Programme) is to help countries, and to coordinate international action, to prevent, prepare for, detect, rapidly respond to, and recover from outbreaks and emergencies. The WHE Response division (WRE) is responsible for rapidly detecting and responding to health emergencies while leveraging relevant national and international partnerships, ensuring that emergency-affected populations in acute and protracted emergencies have access to essential health services and that systems are maintained and strengthened in fragile, conflict and vulnerable settings while implementing at scale, proven prevention strategies for priority pandemic/epidemic-prone diseases. The HEI Department is responsible for ensuring that emergency-affected populations have access to timely and effective health services, ranging from humanitarian interventions, Universal Health Coverage (UHC) in Fragile, Vulnerable and Conflict Affected Settings (FCVs) to key high impact epidemic diseases including Cholera, Meningitis, Viral Hemorrhagic Fevers (VHFs) and Yellow Fever. The Department prioritizes support to the most vulnerable and low-capacity countries.

DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES

Within the framework of the delegated authority, in close collaboration with the Cholera outbreak response cell, WHO HQ cholera programme and regional counterparts, the incumbent is assigned all or part of the following responsibilities:

1. Collate and verify data on reported outbreaks and signals received from multiple sources, conduct retrospective analysis, determine trends, distribution patterns.
2. Contribute to the monitoring and analyse the occurrence and the impact of cholera globally including epidemiological analysis, risk assessment, global situational reports, and briefing notes as required and to generate situational reports at ad hoc frequency.
3. Contribute to the set-up of the global and regional strengthening of the cholera surveillance and response system, in collaboration with WHO Regional Offices, and International and national partners
4. Provide technical support to WHO regional and country offices for the investigation and management of cholera outbreaks and improve the documentation of the dynamics of cholera transmission and the impact of control measures.
5. Support the development and implementation of early detection, early confirmation of cases and outbreaks, epidemiological analysis, risk assessment, monitoring and evaluation.
6. Perform any other related duties, as required by the functional supervisor.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

Education

Essential: First level university degree in epidemiology, public health , statistics, biostatistics, or related field; complemented by a degree or diploma in medicine, pharmacy, veterinary science, midwifery, nursing, medical biology, or a related discipline.
Desirable: In-service training in field epidemiology such as Field Epidemiology and Laboratory Training Programmes (FETP), or equivalent experience, and/or an advanced university degree in public health, epidemiology or a related field.

Experience

Essential:

• At least 5 years of relevant experience, at the national and international levels, in implementation of public health surveillance, outbreak investigation and response;
• Documented experience in cholera or intestinal disease surveillance, risk assessment or response; field experience in infectious diseases control in resources limited countries;
• Documented working experience on indicator- based surveillance and event-based surveillance.

Desirable:

• A previous experience with WHO organization and knowledge of its mandate, goals and practices, would be an asset.
• Previous experience working in collaboration with multiple actors in public health surveillance is desirable.

Skills

• Strong expertise in epidemiology, infectious disease surveillance and control; good knowledge of cholera epidemiology and control.
• Strong analytical skills and ability to clearly synthesize and present findings to different audiences; and field experience in developing countries.
• Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to interact in a multicultural environment.
• Good knowledge of the principal stakeholders as well as a good understanding of the UN system.
• Proven ability to multitask across various planning and implementation processes within a highly demanding environment.

WHO Competencies

• Teamwork
• Respecting and promoting individual and cultural differences.
• Communication
• Producing results
• Knowing and managing yourself

Use of Language Skills

Essential:

• Expert knowledge of English.
• Intermediate knowledge of French

Desirable:

• Intermediate knowledge of Arabic.
• Intermediate knowledge of Portuguese.

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 64,121 (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 4793 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.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

• This vacancy notice may be used to fill other similar TA (Temporary Appointments) positions at the same grade level
• Only candidates under serious consideration will be contacted.
• A written test and/or an asynchronous video assessment may be used as a form of screening.
• In the event that your candidature is retained for an interview, you will be required to provide, in advance, a scanned copy of the degree(s)/diploma(s)/certificate(s) required for this position. WHO only considers higher educational qualifications obtained from an institution accredited/recognized in the World Higher Education Database (WHED), a list updated by the International Association of Universities (IAU)/United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The list can be accessed through the link: http://www.whed.net/. Some professional certificates may not appear in the WHED and will require individual review.
• According to article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity. Due regard will be paid to the importance of recruiting the staff on as wide a geographical basis as possible.
• Any appointment/extension of appointment is subject to WHO Staff Regulations, Staff Rules and Manual.
• Staff members in other duty stations are encouraged to apply.
• The WHO is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect. The WHO recruits and employs staff regardless of disability status, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, language, race, marital status, religious, cultural, ethnic and socio-economic backgrounds, or any other personal characteristics.
• The WHO is committed to achieving gender parity and geographical diversity in its staff. Women, persons with disabilities, and nationals of unrepresented and underrepresented Member States (https://www.who.int/careers/diversity-equity-and-inclusion) are strongly encouraged to apply.
• Persons with disabilities can request reasonable accommodations to enable participation in the recruitment process. Requests for reasonable accommodation should be sent through an email to reasonableaccommodation@who.int
• An impeccable record for integrity and professional ethical standards is essential. WHO prides itself on a workforce that adheres to the highest ethical and professional standards and that is committed to put the WHO Values Charter into practice.
• WHO has zero tolerance towards sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA), sexual harassment and other types of abusive conduct (i.e., discrimination, abuse of authority and harassment). All members of the WHO workforce have a role to play in promoting a safe and respectful workplace and should report to WHO any actual or suspected cases of SEA, sexual harassment and other types of abusive conduct. To ensure that individuals with a substantiated history of SEA, sexual harassment or other types of abusive conduct are not hired by the Organization, WHO will conduct a background verification of final candidates.
• Mobility is a condition of international professional employment with WHO and an underlying premise of the international civil service. Candidates appointed to an international post with WHO are subject to mobility and may be assigned to any activity or duty station of the Organization throughout the world.
• WHO also offers wide range of benefits to staff, including parental leave and attractive flexible work arrangements to help promote a healthy work-life balance and to allow all staff members to express and develop their talents fully.
• The statutory retirement age for staff appointments is 65 years. For external applicants, only those who are expected to complete the term of appointment will normally be considered.
• Please note that WHO’s contracts are conditional on members of the workforce confirming that they are vaccinated as required by WHO before undertaking a WHO assignment, except where a medical condition does not allow such vaccination, as certified by the WHO Staff Health and Wellbeing Services (SHW). The successful candidate will be asked to provide relevant evidence related to this condition. A copy of the updated vaccination card must be shared with WHO medical service in the medical clearance process. Please note that certain countries require proof of specific vaccinations for entry or exit. For example, official proof /certification of yellow fever vaccination is required to enter many countries. Country-specific vaccine recommendations can be found on the WHO international travel and Staff Health and Wellbeing website. For vaccination-related queries please directly contact SHW directly at shws@who.int.
• WHO has a smoke-free environment and does not recruit smokers or users of any form of tobacco.
• For information on WHO’s operations please visit: http://www.who.int.
• *For WHO General Service staff who do not meet the minimum educational qualifications, please see e-Manual III.4.1, para 220.
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