Country Technical Officer –Wildlife, Livestock, Epidemiology, Behavior Change and Gender Strategy (WLE)

Position: Country Technical Officer – Wildlife, Livestock, Epidemiology, Behavior Change and Gender Strategy (WLE)

Duty station: Vietnam One Health University Network (VOHUN) National Coordination Office, Hanoi University of Public Health

Accountable to: Country Team Lead

Program title: USAID Strategy to Prevent (STOP) Spillover

Contract type: Full-time

Duration: Renewed yearly based on performance evaluation and availability of funds.

Project description:

The USAID STOP Spillover program provides a critical opportunity to enhance global understanding of the complex drivers of viral spillover and to augment sustainable national capacities in surveillance, risk analysis, and behavior change. The project supports ten prioritized countries across Africa and Asia to gain critical knowledge about their Spillover Ecosystems, to refine and use that knowledge effectively, efficiently, and sustainably to reduce the risk of zoonotic viral spillover and spread. This is a five-year project from 2021 to 2025.

STOP Spillover is a USAID-funded project to anticipate and address threats posed by the emerging zoonotic diseases that pose the greatest risk of jumping from animals to humans. Tufts University, together with an international consortium of nine core partners that include Southeast Asia One Health University Network (SEAOHUN), icddr,b and Africa One Health University Network (AFROHUN) and six core sub-award partners are working collaboratively utilizing diverse capabilities among consortium members and stakeholders to implement the STOP project in five countries in Africa and five countries in Asia over the next five years.

The consortium will support countries to build their capacity to assess, communicate and decrease risk of viral spillover and spread of zoonotic disease The consortium will work with USAID to develop and institutionalize innovative, country-specific, and sustainable approaches so they are well-prepared to stop viral spillover from animals to humans and reduce amplification and spread of the virus among humans.

STOP Spillover will focus on strengthening national capacity in a number of targeted countries to 1) understand the factors that contribute to the risk of spillover of pathogens from wildlife to humans; 2) develop, assess, and implement early risk-reduction interventions that will reduce the spillover and spread of these threats; and, 3) recognize and respond rapidly to zoonotic spillover events.

STOP Spillover’s approach centers around leveraging global-level Resource Hubs, made up of consortium partner staff and key short term technical advisors and consultants, to provide expertise, technical assistance, and support to a Country Team. The Country Team, composed of a full-time Country Team Lead and four supporting members, will drive implementation of the project, ensuring that project activities are responsive and contextualized to the needs of Vietnam.

Pposition description:

Wildlife, Livestock, Epidemiology, Behavior Change and Gender Strategy (WLE) Country Team Member (full-time). WLE Hub focuses on wildlife sciences; livestock production; disease ecology; social and behavior change; epidemiology and field methods; participatory epidemiology; gender studies; infectious disease ecology.

Tasks and responsibilities:

The Country Team Member will:

• provide technical support and leadership in their specific discipline
• in consultation with the Country Team Lead, be responsible for implementation of activities in their specific discipline
• participate in country level work planning activities
• support recruitment and supervision of One Health-Design Research and Mentorship (OH-DReaM) working groups, which will lead the design, implementation and validation of interventions intended to mitigate viral spillover and spread of zoonotic diseases
• participate in design, development and review of interventions
• provide and manage logistical and technical support for field activities
• be responsible for monitoring and evaluating of technical activities
• work with stakeholders to coordinate participation in activities in outbreak investigations
• manage data and technical support during field attachment activities
• support capacity building by participating in training and mentorship
• draft field attachment reports
• support advocacy efforts by working in close collaboration with government and other in-country stakeholders for support and buy-in
• share challenges and lessons learned with other STOP Spillover priority countries through regular virtual meetings
• lead efforts to document lessons, showcase successes and ensure appropriate branding/visibility of the program.
• report to Country Team Lead, and in-country institution/leadership of VOHUN and Southeast Asia One Health University Network (SEAOHUN)
• collaboratively work with other Country Team members and with the other Resource Hubs. 
• perform any other duty assigned to him/her from time to time by Country Team Lead, in-country institution/leadership, or STOP Spillover management

Qualifications and requirements

• At a minimum, a Master’s Degree in a relevant field, including but not limited to Public Health, Epidemiology or Veterinary Medicine, Wildlife Sciences, Environmental Sciences, Biomedical Sciences, Epidemiology,  biotechnology, agriculture, economics, social science, social and behavior change, environment, climate science, livestock production, international development, risk analysis, gender, based on her/his  technical specialty or designated support by the country lead and the hubs or any other relevant discipline,
• At least 3-5 years of in-country experience working on projects with actors such as government partners, academia, international partners, funders, and/or private sector with direct leadership of professional and support staff, program/technical oversight, and project/grant management.
• Good understanding of One Health concepts and expertise in a discipline or several relevant areas: wildlife sciences; livestock production; epidemiology and field methods; participatory epidemiology; infectious disease ecology; social and behavior change, gender studies; intervention implementation and mitigation of zoonotic disease amplification and spread; public health and ecosystem health.
• Excellent collaboration capabilities, and capacity to work productively in teams, working in multi-cultural and multi-disciplinary settings.
• Experience working with government agencies, communities, intergovernmental agencies, academic institutions, international agencies in country (WHO, FAO, OIE, others) or NGOs.
• Excellent organizational, written, and verbal communication skills in both Vietnamese and English. 
• Gender and cultural awareness and sensitivity.
• Proficient in relevant Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint programs, comfort with social media.

Disclaimers:

STOP Spillover does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, language, religion, ethnicity, disability, age, sexual orientation and gender identity. This organization is committed to the recruitment of a diverse, inclusive workforce, and thus, women and members of other underrepresented groups are strongly encouraged to apply. The salary for this position will depend on qualifications and experience and in line with projects funds.