Job For Project Leader/Chief of Party/Medical Entomologist at ABT Associates

Abt Associates - The International Health Division is committed to the improvement of health and healthcare delivery around the world. Serving both the public and private sectors, our efforts include health policy research and evaluation, health promotion and disease prevention, health finance, and health systems management. Our impact is felt in policies that ensure healthcare access for women, children, and individuals with special needs, in strengthening health infrastructures, and HIV/AIDS solutions. We are recruiting to fill the position below:     Job Title: Project Leader/Chief of Party/Medical Entomologist - VectorLink Req Id: 57031 Location: Nigeria Job Description

• Abt Associates seeks a qualified Chief of Party / Medical Entomologist to support the International Development Division's VectorLink project in Nigeria.
• Under the supervision of the VCTO1 Technical Program Manager, based in Rockville, MD (USA), the COP/Medical Entomologist will provide leadership and management oversight to the PMI Vector Link Project in Nigeria.

• Work with the subcontracting institution on entomological monitoring in selected sentinel sites in Nigeria
• Help maintain a mosquito colony from a Kisumu strain and an animal house to feed the mosquito colony. Ensure the colony has enough mosquitoes to run all susceptibility tests and different experiments on adult mosquitoes as required by the NMEP. Where necessary, maintain a population of local field- collected mosquitoes for various tests as required
• Train entomology technicians from the NMEP on maintaining mosquito colonies in an insectary, different sampling techniques for mosquitoes (both adult and larvae) in sentinel sites, train technicians on identification, storing and transport of mosquito samples from the field to the insectary, ensuring the transfer of technical skills to local institutions
• In collaboration with NMEP:
  • Help to maintain and expand sentinel sites for the enhanced entomological monitoring in different states. In collaboration with the subcontracting institutions, ensure that field monthly collection of entomological data on vector bionomics, mosquito behavior, and insecticide resistance at the identified sentinel sites completed on time
  • Test the impact of vector control interventions, such as the efficacy and durability of long lasting insecticide treated nets and indoor residual spraying, and help establish a strong monitoring and evaluation system in order to establish the entomological and epidemiological impact of vector control interventions on malaria transmission
  • In collaboration with the NMEP and partners work on national entomological monitoring plan and any other vector control policy documents
• Work on the annual budget, and manage the budget in collaboration with other Abt Associates partners
• Conduct weekly phone calls with the Technical Program Manager and VCTO1 team on the insectary and field entomological activities
• Write a Progress Report and Final Report in English on all the field entomological activities, recommendations for the NMEP sentinel sites, and vector control
• Work with the NMEP and VCTO1 on procurement of local and international entomology supplies and clearing the goods at arrival in country. Maintain an inventory list for VCTO1.  Serve as Abt’s representative in-country for donor meetings as needed.

• Master's degree (minimum), Doctorate degree (desirable), in Medical Entomology
• Experience with USAID and donor projects is highly desirable
• Demonstrates leadership and team work and produces high quality work in a timely, cost effective manner and has excellent writing skills
• 7 to 10 years of relevant professional work experience with a Master’s Degree, or 4 to 6 years with a Doctorate, including significant amounts of experience directly related to establishing an insectary and mosquito colony
• Experience in training entomology technicians on entomological monitoring and field activities
• Strong management and planning skills of an insectary and sentinel sites
• Experience working with National Malaria Control Programs