Senior Epidemiologist at National Health Laboratory Services

Key Job Responsibilities 

• Design and/or implement surveillance and research activities of the Centre for HIV and STI with specific reference to cross-disciplinary linking of pathology data, in collaboration with all role players, including the NICD GERMS programme and HIV surveillance laboratories.
• Assist in establishing strategic goals for the Epidemiology Section of the Centre for HIV and STI through a consultative process with creation/regular review of the Centre’s annual and 5-year strategic plansEnsure that operational objectives are met according to agreed project timelines as per the strategic planInterpret and communicate epidemiological findings to relevant stakeholders, including healthcare professionals and policymakers
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams to develop and implement evidence-based strategies for disease prevention, control, and health promotionStay updated with the latest research, methodologies, and advancements in the field of epidemiology to ensure best practices are implemented in research and analysisContribute to the development of research proposals, grant applications, and scientific publications
• Collaborate with local and international organisations and agencies to share knowledge, expertise, and best practices in epidemiology Initiate, develop, and implement epidemiologic studies and surveillance programmes relevant to the Centre of HIV and STI activities, including study design, data collection, data entry, data management, data cleaning, data analysis, and report writing Analyse large datasets using statistical software to identify trends, patterns, and risk factors associated with diseases and health conditions
• Supervision and management of field staff for surveillance programmes and epidemiological studies Create and produce reports and contribute significantly to existing NICD publications, such as communiqués and bulletin, as well as produce scientific papers on relevant subjectsProvide additional support for the other activities of the Centre for HIV and STI as well as other NICD requirements
• Participate in relevant internal, Provincial, National, and International meetings and conferences, to facilitate the objectives of the Centre for HIV and STIStrengthen systems for accessing NHLS and private laboratory data for epidemiological applications with specific reference to Centre for HIV and STI surveillance and outbreak response Develop and implement laboratory-based data for action reports and analysis of communicable disease data generated from the NICD Surveillance Warehouse
• Be proactive in ensuring that successful grant applications are submitted and research funding raised by the Centre team Ensure that coordinated quality assurance processes are in place throughout the Epidemiology Section of the Centre for HIV and STI Document and maintain records of Epidemiology Section of the Centre for HIV and STI outputs through periodic Centre activity reports and contributions to the NICD annual report Train, develop and manage epidemiology staff to ensure they have the skills required by the organisation and are able to achieve their performance objectives

Minimum requirements & key competencies 

• Masters degree in Epidemiology (or public health) (essential) PHD in Epidemiology/Public Health or equivalent (desirable) Code 8 valid Driver's License
• Minimum 6 years post-qualification experience in infectious disease epidemiology surveillance within a public setting (essential)
• At least 4 years experience as a leader in a public Health setting (essential) Expert Knowledge of epidemiology and statistical methods
• Expert Knowledge of and insight into laboratory practice, and interpretation of laboratory tests with specific reference to NICD and NHLS Knowledge of statistical software packages for epidemiological analysis, MS Access, Excel, STATA or SAS Proven leadership management skills