Ongoing recruitment at Africa Field Epidemiology Network (AFENET), April 2016


Africa Field Epidemiology Network (AFENET) is the umbrella organization for applied epidemiology training, programs in Africa. It oversees the Field Epidemiology (and Laboratory)
Training Programs (FETP) in 16 countries of Africa. FETP is modeled after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Epidemic Intelligence Service (EIS). The main objective of AFENET through its FETP is to build and offer epidemiological services in the country for strengthening public health systems particularly disease surveillance and response, The program is partly funded by the US President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). AFENET's current focus is on interventions for the control of priority diseases in Nigeria, including HIV/AIDS.

Africa Field Epidemiology Network (AFENET) is recruiting to fill the position below:



Job Title: Field Laboratorian
Location:
Kaduna
Slot: 15
Job Description

  • Registered laboratory personnel with prior laboratory experience (dried tube specimen collection and transportation, dried blood spot collection, handling and transportation) will be recruited for field-based laboratory work.
  • The laboratory staff member will perform the blood draws and administer the HIV rapid tests.
  • Pre-implementation training will focus on preparing participants for blood draw, specimen collection, processing, storage, and transportation, and use of rapid HIV tests and bio-safety procedures, ethics and confidentiality, and completion of survey data collection tools and data management.
  • The laboratorians SOW shall also include supervision of the dispatch rider in sample packaging, transportation and delivery
Duties and Responsibilities
  • Assist the teams to locate selected households in his/her community
  • Ensures proper community entry.
  • Opens, separates, numbers and arranges specimens for laboratory examination and trace results.
  • Maintains simple laboratory records and inventory for supplies and reagents.
  • Maintains laboratory equipment and supplies by cleaning and maintaining quality assurance records.
  • Maintains a clean and sanitary work area in accordance with standard laboratory practice and procedures.
Minimum Qualifications
Education/Experience:
  • Candidate must possess a degree in Medical laboratory technology or related field
  • Candidate must have minimum of 5years medical laboratory experience
Knowledge, Skills, and Attributes:
  • Possess good phlebotomy skills including blood draw skills (both paediatric and adult respondents)
  • Candidate must be able to collect and prepare dry blood spot s(DBS) samples
  • Candidate must have prior laboratory experience in HIV related surveys
  • Candidate must good leadership skills and team spirit
Interested and qualified candidate should:
Click here to apply for this Position




Job Title: KADAIS Team Lead
Location:
Kaduna
Work Hours: Full time 40 hours/week
Background
  • AFENET is responsible for the implementation Kaduna AIDS Indicator Survey (KADAIS) in Kaduna State.
  • The data collection is proposed to take a period of 10 weeks across the 23 Local Government Areas of the state.
  • In view of this, AFENET is recruiting men and women with field work experience to gather the KADAIS data within the stated period in Kaduna State.
Job Description
  • The team lead will oversee and supervise the day-to-day operations of the field team.
  • S/he will be responsible for equipment checks, ensuring data quality, managing and documenting anticipated and unanticipated difficulties.
  • The team lead will provide continued evaluation of testing and counselling services in the field; ensuring that proper consenting procedures and documentation are followed.
  • S/he will ensure that the testing algorithm is adhered to, and that the confidentiality of the survey participants is protected.
  • The team lead will ensure all adverse events are properly documented and reported to the survey supervisors in a timely manner.
Duties and Responsibilities
  • Oversees and supervises the day-to-day activities of the field team
  • Conducts equipment checks prior to field visits
  • Manages and documents anticipated and unanticipated difficulties
  • Provides continued evaluation of testing and counselling services in the field
  • Ensures that proper consenting procedures and documentation are followed
  • Ensures the testing algorithm is adhered to, and quality control (QC) is performed prior to testing participant specimen
  • Ensure that the confidentiality of the client/respondent is being protected
  • Ensure documentation of procedures as required is occurring according to the protocol
  • See to it that all adverse events are properly documented and reported to the central supervisors in a timely manner
Minimum Qualifications
Education/Experience:
  • A university degree in medicine with an MPH or its equivalent, with a minimum of 5-years relevant experience in HIV/AIDS programs
  • A sound understanding of HIV/AIDS surveys in resource constrained settings.
  • An experience with the FELTP will be an added advantage
  • Demonstrated experience in the leadership, design, implementation, management and tracking/monitoring of HIV surveys
Knowledge, Skills, and Attributes:
  • Knowledge of and practical experience in HIV community-based research and ethical requirements
  • Must be proficient in the use of Microsoft Office package applications
  • Excellent (fluent) English written and verbal communication skills and strong interpersonal skills. Hausa speaking may be an added advantage
  • Leadership skills with ability to direct, delegate, motivate and inspire other team members
  • Ability to work with minimal supervision
  • Effective liaison, networking and collaboration skills
  • Demonstration of planning and organizing interpersonal skills (active listening, empathy, social awareness, emotional awareness) with cultural sensitivity
  • Flexible, willing to travel to any part of Kaduna State and work weekends during the survey implementation period.
Interested and qualified candidate should:
Click here to apply for this Position



Job Title: LGA Malaria Focal Person
Locations:
Kano and Zamfara
Work Hours: Full time 40 hours/week
Slot: 20 for Kano State and 14 for Zamfara State

Background
  • The African Field Epidemiology Network (AFENET) is a network of public health training institutions in Africa that seeks to strengthen manpower to enhance health systems on the continent.
  • AFENET is a not-for-profit organization that works closely with Ministries of Health in member countries to develop sustainable programs and capacity to strengthen field epidemiology and ensure healthier lives for Africans.
  • AFENET is responsible for the implementation of National Stop Transmission of Polio (NSTOP) Malaria Flagship Programme. NSTOP is seeking the services of qualified and dedicated Nigerians to serve as NSTOP LGA Malaria Focal Persons in 20 LGAs in Kano state and all the 14 LGAs in Zamfara state to provide support for all malaria elimination strategies.
Basic Funtions of the Position
  • Provide assistance in planning and implementation of malaria activities in intervention LGAs,e.g. implementation of NSTOP- malaria flagship program.
  • Assist in assessing needs, opportunities and approaches for strengthening malaria activities.
  • Assist in organizing and facilitating malaria capacity building of health facility (HF) staff in collaboration with LGA Primary Health Care.
  • Participate in insecticide treated net campaign preparations and implementation of micro planning, training, logistical support, supervision, monitoring and evaluation as part of the LGA team.
  • Work with LGA Director of Primary Health Care, LGA monitoring and evaluation (M&E) team and community leaders to identify and train community level workers to conduct data collection for malaria M&E efforts.
  • Establish and maintain active communication and collaboration with related US President’s Malaria Initiative (in Zamfara), UK Department for International Development (in Kano), their implementing partners, and other malaria donors in focus LGAs, in provision of planning, training, review meetings, supportive supervision and documentation.
  • Work with HF staff to engage community and religious leaders and Malaria-NSTOP target communities in malaria prevention activities.
  • Assist LGA staff on carrying out supportive supervision for HF staff.
  • Prepare monthly technical reports/documents on Malaria-NSTOP services in the LGA.
  • Perform other tasks as assigned by the NSTOP Malaria State field coordinator and LGA Chairperson.
Position Requirements
  • A good bachelor’s degree in Medicine, Nursing, Veterinary Medicine, Sciences or Public Health is required; additional qualification in public health will be an advantage.
  • At least 2 years of prior working experience on malaria elimination programs or other related public health programs with NGOs, UN organizations, Government agencies or Ministries.
  • Level IV (fluency) Speaking/Writing in English is required. Must be fluent in Hausa and any other local language spoken in Northern Nigeria.
  • Comprehensive knowledge of malaria elimination strategies, Local Government Structure and Primary Health Care system in Nigeria.
  • Experience working or interacting with nomadic or other migrant communities, and inhabitants of hard-to-reach settlements will be an advantage
  • Incumbent is required to possess standard computer skills with experience in MS Word, MS Excel spreadsheets, MS Power-Point.
  • Ability to write concise technical activity reports is required.
  • Must be resident within the LGA of assignment at time of assumption of duty otherwise job offer is nullified.
Interested and qualified candidate should:
Click here to apply for this Position


Job Title: KADAIS Interviewer
Location:
Kaduna
Slot: 45
Job Description

  • Survey interviewers must have prior experience in large-scale, household-based surveys involving sensitive questions.
  • S/he will participate in a structured training on fieldwork procedures before the pilot and survey implementation. 
  • Interviewers will be trained on the basics of HIV/AIDS, identification of sampled clusters, identifying eligible households and individuals, ethics and informed consent, use of objective interviewing techniques with adults and children, use of electronic data capture techniques, field logistics and conduct, map reading, and administration of the KADAIS questionnaires. 
  • The interviewers will request consent for the interview and conduct interviews.
Duties and Responsibilities
  • Identifies eligible households and individuals
  • Ensures ethics are adhered to
  • Ensures informed consent are administered as at when due
  • Conducts interviews of eligible adults and children using electronic data capture techniques
Minimum Qualifications
Education/Experience:
  • All candidates must be able to read, write, and do basic arithmetic
  • A school leaving Certificate (SSCE) or its equivalent
  • Previous experience in HIV/AIDS programs/survey
Knowledge, Skills, and Attributes:
  • Previous experience in HIV/AIDS programs/survey
  • Excellent (fluent) Hausa and English verbal communication skills
  • Ability to operate smart phones
  • Candidate must be ready to be available for the duration of survey period (3months)
  • Candidate must be able to work during evenings and weekends
  • Candidate must be willing to work in rural areas
Interested and qualified candidate should:
Click here to apply for this Position


Job Title: HIV Counsellor
Location:
Kaduna
Slot: 15
Duties and Responsibilities
  • The HIV counsellor will ensure informed consent are administered as at when due. 
  • S/he will conduct pre- and post-test HIV counselling for all participants who consent to the survey.
  • The counsellor will ensure ethics are adhered to on the field and confidentiality of survey participants is protected.
  • S/he will assist in the team lead in resolving conflicts and difficult disclosure scenarios on the field.
Minimum Qualifications
Education/Experience:
  • Has completed secondary school with a SSCE/GCE Certificate or its equivalent
  • Has had a 10-day core training based on the Nigerian National Guideline on HIV counselling
  • Has had 3-month supervised service delivery and has been evaluated by a trained counsellor-tester supervisor. Additional training in home based counseling is an added advantage
  • A sound understanding of HIV/AIDS surveys in resource constrained settings.
Knowledge, Skills, and Attributes:
  • Knowledge of and practical experience in HIV community-based research and ethical requirements. Previous participation in conducting surveys is an added advantage.
  • Excellent (fluent) English written and verbal communication skills. Excellent (fluent) Hausa verbal skill is essential. Knowledge of another local dialect will be an added advantage.
  • Should have strong interpersonal skills (active listening, empathy, social awareness, emotional awareness) and the ability to resolve different disclosure scenarios during the survey.
  • Should be knowledgeable on the culture of the Kaduna residents and should have resided in Kaduna for at least 1 year
  • Flexible, willing to travel to any part of Kaduna State and work weekends during the survey implementation period.
Interested and qualified candidate should:
Click here to apply for this Position






Job Title: KADAIS Survey Manager
Location:
Kaduna
Duration: 6 Months
Work Hours: Full time (at least 40 hours/week)
Background
  • AFENET is responsible for the implementation of Kaduna AIDS Indicator Survey (KADAIS) in Kaduna State.
  • The data collection is proposed to take a period of 10 weeks across the 23 Local Government Areas of the state.
  • In view of this, AFENET is recruiting men and women with field work experience to gather the KADAIS data within the stated period in Kaduna State
Scope of Work
  • Support the KADAIS state secretariat in planning and coordination of all survey related activities
  • Active liaising all stakeholders and implementing partners
  • Support the KADAIS state secretariat in documentation of survey related activities
  • Provide oversight and direction for state-level trainings
  • Provide oversight and direction for report writing for the KADAIS
  • Provide logistics for timely retrieval of any completed hard copy questionnaires, incident forms, requisite forms etc.
  • Work with the data management team to ensure success of the data collection procedures for the KADAIS
  • Support dissemination of survey results including production of charts, maps, presentations and technical briefs/fact sheets on the outcome of the survey
  • Attend all technical meetings
  • Work with the TC to ensure the prompt day to day running of KADAIS conduct, following the timeline
  • Be prepared to work weekends and travel to enumeration areas when need be
Key Deliverables:
  • Comprehensive weekly report of survey processes and proceedings
  • Central-level training planning, implementation and reporting
  • Presentation slides for dissemination of survey findings
  • Trip reports (for trips made during the contract period)
  • Log of activities related to contract implementation
  • Documentation of lessons learnt during the survey period
  • End-of-survey report - Survey reports including fact sheets, technical briefs and full survey report
Minimum Qualifications
Education/Experience:
  • A university degree in Medicine with an MPH or its equivalent, with a minimum of 10-years relevant experience in HIV/AIDS programs
  • A sound understanding of HIV/AIDS surveys in resource constrained settings
  • A PhD or fellowship in public health will be an added advantage
  • Demonstrated experience in the leadership, design, implementation, management and tracking/monitoring of HIV surveys
Reporting line:
  • AFENET HIV SI Advisor
  • KADSACA Executive Secretary
  • AFENET Country Director
Interested and qualified candidate should:
Click here to apply for this Position


Application Deadline  11th April, 2016.