Job Title:  Senior Diagnostic Specialist

Project:EpiC

Location :  Bamako

Duration: 1 year renewable

 National, CDD/ Compensation Band : MM

 FHI 360 is a nonprofit human development organization dedicated to improving lives in lasting ways by advancing integrated, locally driven solutions. Our staff includes experts in Health, Education, Nutrition, Environment, Economic Development, Civil Society, Gender, Youth, Research, and Technology; creating a unique mix of capabilities to address today's interrelated development challenges. FHI 360 serves more than 60 countries, all 50 U.S. states, and all U.S. territories. We are currently seeking qualified candidates for the position of Senior Diagnostics Specialist.

Overview:

Meeting Targets and Maintaining Epidemic Control (EpiC) is an eight-year (2019–2027) global health initiative project funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). The project receives Global Health Security funding to strengthen global, regional, and local public health systems to effectively prevent, detect, and respond to infectious diseases, building on broad experience and existing capabilities that align with GHS priorities, National Action Plans for Health Security (NAPHS), and United States Agency for International Development (USAID) goals.

The Senior Diagnostic Specialist will lead the diagnostics systems capacity-building work for the USAID EpiC GHS project in Mali. EpiC GHS serves the Global Health Security and other related initiatives. EpiC GHS supports the Mali government and relevant ministries in the strengthening of the Mali human and animal health diagnostic systems for infectious diseases, and antimicrobial resistance (AMR). The work will focus primarily on public health systems but may also include private health and other non-governmental diagnostic facilities (laboratories and point-of-care facilities). The position will include in-country travel to diagnostic facilities and for diagnostic capacity-building activities and meetings. Technical responsibilities include working with the EpiC Country Director, USAID, EpiC Diagnostic Specialists, and FHI360 Mali office staff to implement agreed strategies to enhance diagnostic networks (both human and animal health and point-of-care facilities) in Mali.

The key role of the Senior Diagnostic Specialist is to provide timely technical assistance to the National Institute of Public Health to further build their technical capacity to serve as the leader of the diagnostics network in Mali.  

Technical Responsibilities:

EPHI Responsibilities

The Senior Diagnostic Specialist provides technical assistance to the National Institute of Public Health (INSP) and the laboratory diagnostic network to enhance or develop comprehensive systems at the national level to:

• Establish or upgrade diagnostic testing systems and SOPs for the detection of infectious diseases and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) concerning international expectations and requirements. This will include:
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  • Specimen acceptance and rejection criteria procedures
  • Specimen preparation and transportation procedures
  • Analytic procedures
  • Quality control and quality assurance systems with feedback mechanisms
  • Systems for recording and reporting results (individually and collectively into the national data management center at EPHI)
  • Source documentation systems
  • Archiving and repository systems for specimens and data
  • Mechanisms for management review of diagnostic system performance
• Enhance equipment management systems including providing technical assistance to finalize equipment-related national documents and guidelines and advocate for the submission and approval; equipment (or diagnostic methods) selection and qualification procedures; equipment’ use procedures; routine preventive maintenance; troubleshooting procedures; servicing and repair systems; and backup systems for equipment failure.
• Enhance diagnostic commodities management systems including selection and quality testing of commodities, inventory management, procurement, and forecasting systems.
• Enhance systems for checking the quality of diagnostic testing through the use and timely review of internal quality control results, external quality assurance scheme results, proficiency testing program results, and other sources of quality indicator data.
• Enhance INSP quality oversight systems including review of quality indicator data (test turnaround time, QC/EQA data, testing downtime and cause[s], etc.), management review, and internal audits.
• Establish systems for the training, competency, performance measurement, continuing education, and qualification of diagnostic testing staff and management.
• Enhance workforce resourcing and scheduling by monitoring the workload of functional areas concerning testing volumes over peak and slack periods and proposing operational or staffing adjustments.
• Enhances laboratory information systems (LIS) by identifying information needs (user requirements) and problems, recommending improvements setting activities, responsibilities, and timelines, and assist with the testing of new or refined systems (operational qualification).
• Enhances dialogue and the interface with the animal health sector for one health.

Experience:

A minimum of an MSc in clinical diagnostics.

• At least seven years of experience in diagnostics implementation (on-the-bench experience) and management in Ethiopia or similar developing country settings.
• Proven knowledge and experience in the diagnosis of infectious diseases (including TB) and anti-microbial resistance including specific hands-on clinical diagnostics experience.
• Competent in current developments in the diagnosis of infectious diseases including point-of-care and molecular methods.
• Experience with implementation of laboratory quality standards including against ISO 15189 and/or SLMTA/SLIPTA or in-country standards.

A demonstrated ability to work with multiple partners on collaborative projects.

• Experience implementing diagnostic network capacity building.
• Fluency in written and spoken English. Fluency in spoken and written Amharic will be highly desirable.

Supervision Given/Received:

Reports to EpiC country director and will supervise at least one Diagnostic Specialist.

Technology to be Used.

• Personal computer, Microsoft Office (Office 365, SharePoint, Word, Excel, PowerPoint), Skype/Zoom/Teams, cell phone/mobile technology, and standard office equipment.

Travel

• Up to 75% within the country

Language Requirements

• Must be able to read, write, and speak fluent English and country official and work language.