Job Description
Defining, designing, coordinating, supervising, analysing and communicating on the epidemiological activities ensuring the development of appropriate methodologies in line with MSF standard tools and protocols. He/she contributes to the mission/project strategy regarding epidemiological and medical activities.
Defining, scheduling and organizing, in close collaboration with other medical team members, the annual epidemiological activity plan as well as its associated budget, in order to improve early detection of risk factors to better define treatment approaches and preventive practices. Leading the implementation of the protocols and epidemiological methodology, ensuring all related staff follows them in order to improve the epidemiology activities efficiency.
Supervising, according to annual plan, the epidemiological activities ensuring that contacts with community groups and authorities are aligned with the objectives of the those activities . Reporting on the progress of data collection, on ongoing analysis or on any issue causing delay, in order to achieve epidemiological goals on time.
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Defining in coordination with the MSF medical team on epidemiological activities that would contribute to the MSF social mission (eg. Surveillance, surveys, research, advocacy,).
Supervising the implementation of epidemiological activities (including for example data filing procedures), ensuring that all epidemiology software tools are properly used and are updated regularly, in order to ensure full data traceability and availability
Ensure that the outcomes/results of the epidemiological activities are analyzed, contextualized and used for the MSF social mission
Planning and supervising, in close coordination with the HR department and the MSF vision, policies and values, the associated processes (job description, recruitment, training, performance evaluation, development and internal/external communication) of the epidemiological staff in order to ensure both the sizing and the amount of knowledge required, to improve staff technical capabilities, contribution and commitment to MSF values.
Participating in operational reports and organizing and/or assisting medical staff in preparing epidemiological reports
The epidemiology activity manager should also assume the responsibilities of the Epidemiologist if required (view Epidemiologist job description).
Ensuring and maintaining technical collaboration with the Epidemiology Advisers in the Medical Department (HQ).
Participating in workshops organised by the Medical Department (HQ) on topics related to the Epidemiology domain.
While the final responsibility of the quality and analysis/interpretation of the routine data should remain on the PMR/MedCo, the Epidemiology Activity Manager could provide feedback and should work together with PMR/MedCo to improve the quality or the analysis/interpretation of the routine data.
Lead and strengthen integrated disease surveillance systems at project level (Begi Hospital, PHC sites, mobile clinics, and community level), ensuring early detection of epidemic-prone diseases such as malaria, cholera, measles, and malnutrition.
Develop and implement outbreak detection thresholds, alert mechanisms, and rapid response tools in line with the mission’s emergency preparedness strategy and recurrent outbreak context.
Ensure real-time data collection, analysis, and interpretation to inform medical decision-making, particularly in high-burden areas with malaria outbreaks, GAM rates, and communicable diseases.
Support the integration of surveillance into PHC, ICCM, and community-based activities, including population mapping, MUAC screening, and malaria test-and-treat strategies.
Coordinate and strengthen community-based surveillance systems, working closely with health promotion, community health workers, and MoH structures to improve early warning capacity.
Ensure data quality assurance systems (collection tools, databases, validation processes) are in place and regularly monitored to improve reliability and usability of epidemiological data.
Provide regular epidemiological analysis and reporting (weekly/monthly) to inform operational priorities, including outbreak response, mobile clinic deployment, and resource allocation.
Contribute to emergency preparedness planning (E-prep) by developing epidemiological scenarios, projections, and indicators to guide contingency planning and response strategies.
Collaborate with medical teams to monitor key indicators across services (OPD, IPD, nutrition, SRH, vaccination), ensuring alignment with project objectives on reducing morbidity and mortality.
Support operational research and innovation opportunities within the mission, including studies on disease burden, access to care, and effectiveness of interventions.
Work closely with MoH and partners to align MSF surveillance systems with national systems, contributing to capacity building and sustainability.
Provide technical support and training to national staff on epidemiology, surveillance tools, outbreak investigation, and data use for decision-making.
Ensure epidemiological support to mobile and hard-to-reach areas, adapting tools and approaches to insecure and access-constrained environments.
Monitor and analyze population dynamics (IDPs, refugees, host communities, mining populations) and their impact on disease patterns and health service needs.
Contribute to advocacy efforts by providing evidence-based data on disease burden, access constraints, and protection of health facilities and populations.
Ensure close collaboration with logistics and supply teams to anticipate needs for outbreak response (RDTs, medications, sampling materials) based on epidemiological trends.
No. of positions: 01
Place of work: MSF- Switzerland-Coordination office, Addis Ababa
Position holder report to(direct supervisor): Medical Coordinator/ Medical Project Referent
Length of contract: till 30 June 2027
Remuneration and Benefits:
Starting Base salary (N+0) –USD 1806, payable in Ethiopian Birr (ETB).
Medical cover: as per the organization's policy
Job Requirements
Education
Master degree in Epidemiology, Public Health or equivalent with extensive training in statistics and epidemiology
Desirable, medical or nursing related diploma. Desirable specialization or training in tropical diseases
Experience
Medical or para-medial profile with extensive field experience in MSF or another humanitarian NGO, including having worked in the context of health systems in a developing country.
Essential experience in protocol writing and use of different quantitative study designs
Essential working experience of at least two years in epidemiological activities related jobs
Essential experience on epidemiological data analysis
Languages
Fluency in English
Mission working language essential, local language desirable
Knowledge
Essential computer literacy (word, excel, internet)
Essential mastering in (at least) one statistical package (eg. R, Stata,…)
Competencies
People Management and Development L2
Commitment to MSF Principles L2
Behavioural Flexibility L3
Results and Quality Orientation L3
Teamwork and Cooperation L3
How To Apply
Interested applicants can submit their CV and application letter including photocopies of all supporting documents via www.ethiojobs.net. please be informed that we do not accept applications in other forms.
Please Note that we only contact short-listed candidates and only short-listed candidates with the required documents are allowed to attend further assessment.
Sincerity of Declarations and Documents Submitted to MSF
Use of false documents to gain employment with MSF will lead to automatic cancelation from the recruitment process and if found after employment it will lead to termination.
We strive to promote, create, and maintain a safe organizational culture for all people who work for and with MSF OCG, including our partners. Moreover, we ensure that the workplace, wherever staff are located, is built on respect, tolerance, diversity, and inclusion that delivers a safe and respectful environment.
At MSF, we are committed to an inclusive culture that encourages and supports the diverse voices of our employees. We welcome applications from individuals of all genders, ages, sexual orientations, nationalities, races, religions, beliefs, ability status, and all other diversity characteristics.
“By submitting your application, you consent to MSF staff using your data only for the recruitment process to have all the information and documents necessary to proceed with the recruitment, validation of your application and selection of the most suitable candidate.”
