Jobs at Abt Associates in Liberia

Job Title: Senior Associate / Liberia Technical Director-Entomologist
Job ID: 2011-6328 Location: LR-
Category: International Health
Division/Department: Private Sector Health Systems
More information about this job:
Organization Overview:
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.
Minimum Qualifications:

MA/MBA with 13 - 15 years of experience OR PhD with 8 - 10 years of experience OR the equivalent combination of education and experience.
Job Responsibilities:

The USAID-funded Africa Indoor Residual Spraying (AIRS) Project supports the President’s Malaria Initiative (PMI), as well as USAID Missions and Bureaus with malaria programs outside the PMI focus countries, in planning and implementing IRS programs with the overall goal of reducing the burden of malaria in Africa by enhancing USAID’s ability to implement IRS programs on the ground through cost-effective commodities procurement and logistics systems, access to technical expertise, and implementation of IRS in countries affected by malaria.



Under the supervision of the Liberia Chief of Party, the Senior Associate / Liberia Technical Manager/ Entomologist provides leadership and management oversight of all of the project’s entomological surveillance activities in Liberia, in collaboration with the National Malaria Control Program (NMCP), coordinate and oversee the project’s key entomological monitoring activities for IRS and will guide key project and country-level IRS decisions based on data analysis and interpretation.

Specific duties and responsibilities include the following:

* Ensures environmental compliance -- including reviewing compliance with supplemental environmental assessments (SEAs), advising the NMCP on insecticide selection, reviewing district micro-planning regarding soak pits, warehousing/stores, and insecticide transport, ensuring the safety propocols of spray operations.
* Leads the development of an entomological monitoring plan, in collaboration with national counterparts at the NMCP or designated research institution.
* Directly supervises the project’s M&E Manager, Environmental Compliance Officer; and requests and supervises all short-term entomological consultant technical assistance, as needed.
* Reviews the content of communications materials for technical accuracy.
* Serves as the project liaison to the host country environmental monitoring institution.
* Ensures the transfer of technical skills to local institutions.
* Produces spray data reports.
* Achieves all technical M&E performance and Quality Control indicators in the PMP.
* Undertake day-to-day monitoring activities of IRS operations, and support counterparts in monitoring activities.
* Coordinate the implementation of the following set of entomological field activities:
o The establishment of sentinel sites in each target district.
o Pre- and post-pyrethrum spray collections to monitor indoor resting vector populations
o Wall bioassays 2 to 3 weeks after every spray cycle to evaluate the quality of spraying.
o Wall bioassays monthly in selected districts to evaluate the residual efficacy of insecticide.
o Vector susceptibility studies annually for all currently used and candidate insecticides in order to monitor resistance status.
* Provide guidance and support to a focal counterpart from the MOH/NMCP or research institution for the supervision of district-level field teams of entomological technicians or vector control officers who perform mosquito collections and tests.
* Ensure that the field teams follow all WHO approved guidelines, protocols, and techniques for mosquito collections and tests.
* Ensure that all data from all collection activities are recorded on data entry forms, perform mosquito identifications, and undertake data analysis and prepare monitoring reports.
* Implement capacity-building efforts to increase and expand the skills of local counterparts and field team technicians.

Skills Prerequisites:

* Masters Degree (minimum), Doctorate degree (desirable), in Entomology, Public Health, Environmental Health, Entomology or other relevant field.
* 13 to 15 years of relevant professional work experience with a Masters Degree (or 8-10 years with a Doctorate Degree) with significant amounts of experience directly in Vector Control and IRS Operations.
* Experience in regulatory and operational aspects of insecticide use and management
* Demonstrated ability to work with a minimum of direction and supervision.
* Demonstrated ability to work both as a member of a team and as a team leader, with the ability to accept the inputs of other team members.
* Strong management and planning skills of project tasks and budgets.
* Demonstrates leadership and team work and produces high quality work in a timely, cost effective manner and has excellent writing skills.
* Excellent organizational, interpersonal communication and computer skills.
* Experience with USAID and donor projects is highly desirable.

English language fluency.


How to Apply:
https://jobs-abtassociates.icims.com/jobs/6328/job


Closing DAte: 13th December 2011