Overview
Impact Malaria (IM) is a five-year (2018-2023) President’s Malaria Initiative project led by Population Services International and supported by UCSF across dozens of countries. IM has recently been asked by the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) to provide technical assistance to support two operational research studies in Latin America. One study will investigate high vs low dose primaquine for radical cure of Plasmodium vivax (most likely in Peru). The second project will be the development of a risk-benefit assessment tool to support countries to make decisions on what radical cure treatment regimen they should use bearing in mind local prevalence and severity of glucose 6 phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency variants, and possibility to test for G6PD deficiency.
The Postdoctoral Fellow will be the focal point for UCSF’s Latin America work and will support the Primary Investigators in all aspects of the project. The Postdoctoral Fellow will also be responsible for working in close partnership with the implementing partner(s) in Latin America to help oversee the study by providing key logistical, technical, partnership, and administrative support to ensure the overall smooth facilitation of the study. The Postdoctoral Fellow may be asked to support additional IM projects or other USAID funded workstreams.
Key Responsibilities
55% - Lead protocol development, data analysis and manuscript writing. Support and supervise study preparations, trainings, data collection, and data analysis activities of local implementing partner. Specific activities will include: literature reviews, writing of protocols, SOPs, training materials, use of computer software to develop data collection systems, monitor data collection, cleaning data, supporting interim and final analyses (this will include using statistical software such as STATA, R, or other equivalent software, ArcGIS, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Access, and lab-specific software), troubleshooting, detailed documentation and thoughtful interpretation of results, preparation of reports, manuscripts, and presentations to document and share research findings, incorporating comments and input from partners and co-authors.
15%- Support regulatory aspects of projects. Specific activities will include: obtaining and maintaining ethical approvals and coordinating QC and QA aspects of studies.
20%- Study coordination and communications. Specific activities will include managing timelines, coordination of meetings and phone conferences, responding promptly to emails, liaising between partners, support meeting planning.
10% - Support administrative aspects of projects. Specific activities will include: working with finance and administrative staff to support travel arrangements, shipments of supplies and samples, ordering of laboratory supplies.
Required Skills
- Experience working with Ministries of Health, Malaria Control Programs, or other government bodies, particularly in Latin America or rural health settings in low-income countries
- Knowledge of malaria epidemiology and malaria surveillance
- Experience in the conduct of clinical trials
- Experience with electronic data collection tools
- Experience with cleaning and managing data
- Experience conducting statistical analyses for epidemiological/clinical studies using Stata, SAS, SPSS, or R and including: general descriptive statistics, logistic regressions, and survival analysis
- Doctoral degree preferred, Master’s degree will be considered on a case by case basis, in public health, epidemiology, infectious diseases, development or related field
- Exceptional skills in project management and/or coordination, including development and management of workplans, milestones/targets, and budgets
- Excellent problem-solving skills and flexibility
- Excellent attention to detail
- Conversant in spoken and written Spanish
- Fluent spoken and written English
- Strong computer skills, including experience with Microsoft Office, Excel, and PowerPoint
- Open-mindedness and respect for cultural diversity
- Enthusiasm for learning new skills
- Good interpersonal skills
Preferred Skills (not required)
- Experience with Plasmodium vivax and/or G6PD deficiency research
- Experience setting up an electronic data collection system
- Experience with decision algorithms
- Experience in risk-benefit or cost-benefit analyses
Please email your CV and cover letter to [email protected] with “Postdoctoral Fellow – Latin America” in the subject line.
Organization Details
Health Group believes a malaria-free world is possible within a generation. The MEI brings the vision,
strategy, and evidence-based approaches to catalyze action in countries and regions paving the way for
global malaria eradication. As a forward-thinking partner on the malaria elimination frontline, the MEI
generates evidence through operational research, develops new tools and approaches, documents and
disseminates elimination experiences, builds consensus, assesses the costs and benefits of elimination,
and strengthens political and financial commitment to shrink the malaria map. With support from the
MEI’s highly-skilled team of economists, advocates, project managers, malariologists, and
epidemiologists, countries around the world are actively working to eliminate malaria—a goal that
nearly 30 countries will achieve by 2020. For more information about our approach and impact, visit
www.shrinkingthemalariamap.org.