Job Description

Job Summary Main purpose of the job:

• To oversee data management for routine wastewater testing using RedCap and R/R Studio
• To develop research protocols, submit ethics applications, implement and oversee implementation of data collection and management

Division:

• Wastewater Genomics

Location:

• Centre for Vaccines and Epidemiology, NICD, Sandringham - Johannesburg

Key performance areas:To oversee data management for routine wastewater testing using RedCap and R/Rstudio (2 days/week):

• To chair weekly data quality meetings
• To conduct a baseline and then weekly assessments of data quality in the wastewater and environmental surveillance RedCap database
• To work with the laboratory team to identify and correct data inaccuaracies, and gaps in data
• Together with sample collectors, laboratory technicians and scientists, to co-ordinate streamlining of data management procedures to ensure ongoing data quality
• To apply existing and new R-scripts to report on data process indicators in a weekly data quality report
• To co-operate professionally with all CVI and WGS team members to achieve a collegial and supportive team environment for high-quality data management
• To develop research protocols, submit ethics applications, implement or oversee implementation, collect and manage data, conduct analyses and write reports pertaining to investigator-led experiments to support the wastewater and environmental surveillance data-to-policy agenda

To conduct routine epidemiological analysis and provide weekly reports for communicable diseases under surveillance through NICD wastewater monitoring and clinical surveillance programmes (2 days/week) using RedCap and R/Rstudio:

• To generate analyses using existing and newly developed R-scripts such as epidemiological curves, heat maps, tables and data outputs for geospatial maps to describe trends in detection and quantification of diseases under wastewater and clinical surveillance by NICD/CVI (including but not limited to measles, rubella, HAV, HEV, influenza, mpox, tuberculosis)
• To create narrative and graphical reports in power point slides, or in other software using the above analyses for publication on dashboards or the NICD and other websites
• To provide ad hoc reports for public health officials as required by surveillance findings
• To supervise a surveillance officer who is monitoring a particular wastewater and environmental case-study area, by overseeing their generation of weekly reports, by providing technical insights including advice regarding interpretation of surveillance data, public health interventions and outbreak investigation and management and by providing other day-to-day epidemiological support
• To present wastewater and CVI clinical reports at the NICD weekly epidemiological meeting
• To provide support for wastewater dashboard development by using existing R-scripts and developing new R-scripts for NICD/CVI pathogens (including but not limited to measles, rubella, HAV, HEV, influenza, mpox, tuberculosis)
• To co-operate professionally with all CVI, WGS team members and other NICD staff to achieve these objectives
• To collaborate with CVI, WGS, other NICD staff and international collaborators to support the above key performance area

To develop research protocols, submit ethics applications, implement or oversee implementation, collect and manage data, conduct analyses and write reports pertaining to investigator-led experiments to support the wastewater and environmental surveillance data-to-policy agenda (1 day/week):

• To collaborate with CVI, WGS, other NICD staff and international collaborators to support the above key performance area
• To communicate WGS outputs by reporting on findings at internal NICD and external platforms, (including academic meetings, technical working groups, conferences and international meetings) to appropriate stakeholders including academia, public health authorities, local, provincial and national government and international interest groups
• Together with NICD/WGS and international collaborators, to conduct analyses, literature reviews and write manuscripts for the publication of findings in peer-reviewed literature
• To conduct training on epidemiological aspects of wastewater and environmental surveillance, including clinical surveillance to attendees at training courses, online seminars and other events as required
• Demonstrate effective self-management by taking ownership for driving own career development through participating in ongoing training and development activities such as short courses, forums, conferences, policy-setting workshops

Required minimum education and training:

• MPH/MSc in field Epidemiology or MSc in Biostatistics
• Training in RedCap
• Medium to advance training in R/R Studio

Required minimum work experience:

• A minimum of 2 years experience as an Epidemiologist in a communicable disease control program, or in a NGO focusing on communicable disease or in a research institute working on communicable disease programmes
• Routine/weekly use of R/R studio and RedCap for data management or analysis

Desirable additional education, work experience and personal abilities:

• Up to date Good Clinical Practice Certification
• Own drivers' licence and vehicle
• PhD in public health or epidemiology
• Field outbreak investigation experience, including conducting site assessments, case investigation & contact tracing, field interviews data collection and analysis, and producing situation reports
• Management of junior data collection and/or laboratory technical staff who enter data
• Experience with spatial epidemiological analysis and mathematical modelling will be an advantage
• Proven experience in data management for routine and/or research projects including data cleaning, generation of process indicators/data quality monitoring and progress reporting
• Ability to use RedCap to create surveys & reports, to collect data, to support data cleaning
• Experience in protocol writing, ethics submission, conducting research projects including enrolment, informed consent
• Proven ability to code in R/R Studio at advanced level
• Proven ability to develop and maintain RedCap databases
• Proven ability to conduct data analysis including basic summary statistics, multivariable and other regression analyses, correlation, T-tests, ANOVA, chi-squared, and others

TO APPLY:

• Only if you meet the minimum job requirements and experience as mentioned above, you may submit a detailed updated CV
• Please Apply Online and complete your registration via our website to enable and protect you as a candidate, and to accept the new POPIA terms and conditions
• This will then create your permanent profile with which you can apply for all jobs as advertised by AJ PERSONNEL
• However, you may remove your profile from AJ PERSONNEL when you are no longer in the job market
• Please take note that the applicants who do not adhere to the above criteria will not be considered for the respective position
• Wits Health Consortium will only respond to shortlisted candidates
• Candidates who have not been contacted within two weeks of the closing date can consider their applications to be unsuccessful
• Closing date: 11 April 2025
• Note: No CV will be accepted after the closing date

Please note:

• WHC, in accordance with its Employment Equity goals and plan, will give preference to suitable applicants from designated groups as defined in the Employment Equity Act 55 of 1998 and subsequent amendments thereto
• AJ Personnel is only responsible for advertising and the response handling on behalf of their client Wits Health Consortium
• AJ Personnel does not have any salary or other information regarding the position

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