Epidemiologist, Research Associate

Job Summary

The Epidemiologist, Research Associate designs and scales disease surveillance systems, performs epidemiological analyses on malaria and NTD data, and supports health information tools (DHIS2, Tableau). This associate conducts operational research, authors surveillance guidelines and M&E plans, translates findings for government partners to inform health policy, and provides technical training to national health staff.

Key Roles & Operational Responsibilities

1. Epidemiological Analytics & Surveillance System Design

• Surveillance Implementation: Execute surveillance projects covering malaria and NTD epidemiology, vector control intervention, commodity tracking, and entomological monitoring.
• Advanced Analytics: Conduct high-quality epidemiological, entomological, and spatial analyses to evaluate intervention effectiveness, model disease transmission dynamics, and inform national strategic plans.
• Platform & Dashboard Rollout: Support the deployment and optimization of surveillance platforms (e.g., DHIS2, Tableau) to automate data collection, reporting, management, and visualization.

2. Capacity Building & Data Institutionalization

• Data Culture Cultivation: Strengthen the capacity of national disease control programs to analyze and utilize epidemiological and programmatic data for evidence-based decision-making.
• Institutionalized Reviews: Establish and support regular data review cycles across all administrative levels, developing custom collection tools and analytical dashboards.
• Technical Guidance: Draft critical national program documents, including surveillance SOPs, epidemic preparedness/response plans, M&E frameworks, and operational manuals.

3. Operational Research, Translation & Stakeholder Engagement

• Research Execution: Design, execute, analyze, and disseminate operational research projects focusing on vector control, intervention coverage, and surveillance accuracy.
• Evidence Translation: Translate complex statistical and spatial findings into clear, actionable summaries for government health officials, producing policy briefs, reports, and peer-reviewed publications.
• Partner Collaboration: Represent CHAI at external technical working groups and maintain strong working relationships across ministries of health, academic institutions, and international public health agencies.

Foundational Capabilities & Prerequisites

Required Technical Profile & Qualifications

• Academic Baseline: Master’s degree in Public Health (MPH), Epidemiology, Biostatistics, or a closely related field.
• Professional Experience: Minimum of 2 years of progressive professional experience in epidemiology, public health analytics, or health program management.
• Infectious Disease Knowledge: Demonstrated knowledge of malaria, Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs), or major global infectious disease challenges.
• Statistical & Analytical Software: Hands-on experience conducting data management and epidemiological analysis using statistical software (R, STATA, or equivalent).
• M&E & Information Systems: Familiarity with monitoring and evaluation frameworks, disease surveillance evaluation, and health management information systems.
• Travel Flexibility: Ability and willingness to travel up to 50% of the time across the region.
• Language Fluency: Professional fluency in written and spoken English with exceptional presentation skills.

Desired Skills & Advantages

• Experience working in fast-paced, output-oriented environments or resource-limited settings in Africa.
• Exposure to working within decentralized or multi-country teams.
• Programming proficiency (Python, JavaScript) and hands-on experience with surveillance platforms (DHIS2), digital data collection tools (ODK, SurveyCTO), or visualization software (Tableau, PowerBI, Metabase).

What CHAI Offers

• High-Impact Mission: Direct engagement in saving lives and strengthening health systems across Africa.
• Global Exposure: Collaborate with leading international epidemiologists, ministries of health, and academic researchers.
• Inclusive Culture: Join an equal opportunity employer committed to diversity, equity, and sustainable global development.

Skills Required:

• Health / Medical