Job Description
Department/School/Faculty: / Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology/School of Public Health/ Faculty of Medicine
Campus location: / St Mary’s Campus, Paddington
Job Family/Level: / Professional Services, 3b
Salary Range: / £35,850 - £44,220 per annum
Responsible to: / Senior MER Advisor: Biostatistics
Key Working Relationships (external): / Ministries of Health in endemic countries, endemic country
research institutions & external collaborators.
Key Working Relationships (internal): / Head of MER, Head of Programmes, Senior Programme Advisors and
Programme Advisors.
Contract type: / Full-time and fixed term until 31 December 2018. Imperial College is supportive of flexible working. The College is happy to discuss the possibility of implementing such arrangements for this post, with suitably qualified people, subject to operational requirements.
The Schistosomiasis Control Initiative (SCI)
The Schistosomiasis Control Initiative works to improve the health and development of the world’s poorest populations by working to eliminate the poverty sustaining and life-threatening effects of schistosomiasis (SCH) and soil-transmitted helminth (STH) infections.
SCI currently supports 16 countries in sub-Saharan Africa and Yemen to implement large-scale treatment programmes against SCH and STH. It aims to deliver 300 million treatments, primarily to school-age children, by 2020. SCI has an estimated annual income of £5 -10 million, soliciting grants and donations from a variety of sources ranging from private donors to large-scale organisations, including the UK Government’s Department for International Development (DFID). SCI provides funding to Ministries of Health and Education in countries that have a large SCH burden to support government-implemented programmes. In addition, SCI provides advisory support and conducts extensive operational research and analysis on the outcomes and impacts of the projects. These data inform both the strategy of in-country programmes and international guidance and policy on the treatment of SCH.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has identified SCH as a disease that can be eliminated, and a World Health Assembly Resolution and the WHO Roadmap for Elimination has targets for elimination of SCH in certain geographical areas by 2020 and 2025. Similarly, the international control community has ambitious plans to scale-up control of SCH and eventually to eliminate SCH-related morbidity. SCI contributes significantly to the attainment of these goals delivering approximately 40% of all global SCH treatments in 2014/15.
Purpose of the Post
The Monitoring, Evaluation & Research (MER) Advisor: Biostatistics will work within the MER team providing statistical and data management support to a range of countries in sub-Saharan Africa during the implementation of Neglected Tropical Disease control programmes, particularly focused on schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminthiasis (STH) control. They will work closely with the Senior MER Advisor: Biostatistics, the Head of MER, as well as the Programmes team at SCI.
The post holder will be responsible for managing datasets generated during programmatic activities, applying statistical analyses to these datasets, and preparing reports summarizing results for the countries concerned, under the supervision of the Senior MER Advisor: Biostatistics. The datasets will largely relate to schistosomiasis and STH mapping surveys, as well as programmatic M&E activities, for example studies to assess the impact of control programmes, and treatment coverage surveys. They will also be expected to assist in developing protocols for these activities (including sample size calculations), to enable effective design of programmes and evaluations of intervention impact.
Key Responsibilities
· Perform statistical analyses of data arising from NTD mapping and M&E activities across SCI’s supported programmes
· Management of data arising from NTD mapping and M&E activities
· Assisting in the design of protocols, and planning for mapping surveys and M&E activities, including sample size calculations, sampling designs and data collection protocols
· Ensure adherence to survey processes and review final survey protocols and reports
· Assist on the processes of data capture, management, storage and sharing
· Travel to partner countries to assist with data management training and statistical support where applicable, and on occasion survey implementation
· There will also be opportunity for statistical contribution to SCI research projects, and writing of scientific publications
Other Duties
· To undertake any necessary training and/or development· To attend relevant meetings
· Any other duties commensurate with the grade of the post as directed by line manager / supervisor
Person Specification
Requirements
Candidates/post holders will be expected to demonstrate the following: / Essential (E)/
Desirable (D)
· Education
· Postgraduate degree, or equivalent experience, in one or more of the following: statistics, biostatistics, epidemiology or a related quantitative discipline / E
Experience & knowledge
· Proven experience in managing, manipulating and applying statistical analyses to large datasets / E
· Working knowledge of programming in a statistical software package such as R, SAS, STATA / E
· Experience of statistical analysis in an epidemiological context / D
· Detailed knowledge and understanding of power and sample size calculations / D
· Experience in data management and or database design / D
· Knowledge of neglected tropical diseases and their control strategies / D
· Working knowledge of mapping software such as ArcGIS or MapInfo / D
· Experience working with control programmes in disease-endemic countries / D
· Experience of working with multi-level models / D
Skills & Abilities
· Proven ability to work independently using own initiative and also as part of a multidisciplinary team / E
· Good verbal and written communication skills, and ability to explain statistical concepts to non-experts / E
· Proven ability to manage time effectively to meet changing work priorities / E
· Proven ability to use initiative and judgement to anticipate potential issues and solve problems. / E
· Demonstrated ability in the contribution to providing statistical/results information in a variety of media / D
· Ability to present information at meetings and contribute to discussions / D
· Language qualification, or skills, in French, Portuguese and/or Arabic / D
Please note that job descriptions cannot be exhaustive and the post-holder may be required to undertake other duties, which are broadly in line with the above key responsibilities.
Imperial College is committed to equality of opportunity and to eliminating discrimination. All employees are expected to follow the 7 Imperial Expectations detailed below:
1) Champion a positive approach to change and opportunity
2) Communicate regularly and effectively within and across teams
3) Consider the thoughts and expectations of others
4) Deliver positive outcomes
5) Encourage inclusive participation and eliminate discrimination
6) Support and develop staff to optimise talent
7) Work in a planned and managed way
Employees are also required to comply with all College policies and regulations paying special attention to:
· Confidentiality
· Conflict of Interest
· Data Protection
· Equal Opportunities / · Financial Regulations
· Health and Safety
· Information Technology
· Smoking / · Private Engagements and Register of Interests
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