Job Description
ICAP at Columbia University, a global health leader situated within the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health in New York City, seeks highly qualified candidates to serve as Regional Lab Advisor for HIV Case Surveillance to be based in Mekele-Ethiopia. The incumbent will support and coordinates the design and implementation of the HIV-1 rapid test for recent infection (RTRI) at regional level and CS implementing Health facilities. The incumbent will build the capacity of regional laboratories for laboratory quality assurance to facilitate effective data use for decision-making in Tigray Regional.
SUMMARY OF THE POSITION
Under the guidance of the ICAP Regional Director and regional HIV CS coordinator, the
Regional laboratory advisor for HIV CS supports and coordinates the design and
implementation of the HIV-1 rapid test for recent infection (RTRI) at regional level and CS
implementing Health facilities. The incumbent will build the capacity of regional laboratories for laboratory quality assurance to facilitate effective data use for decision-making.
MAIN DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
The laboratory Advisor for HIV CS will have the following responsibilities:
• Provide technical assistance at regional level to rollout HIV recency testing.
• Support the establishment/strengthening of HIV recency testing quality assurance
activities in close collaboration with Regional Referral/Public Health Laboratories.
• Closely work with ICAP HIV CS coordinators, regional team, and advisors to improve
the quality of HIV recency testing across CS implementing health facilities.
• Support health facilities to increase access to HIV recency testing, proper
documentation, and regular reporting system.
• Provide technical assistance to the Regional Referral/Public Health Laboratories in
developing/updating different guidelines, registers, working formats, monitoring and
evaluation indicators.
• Organize and provide/facilitate HIV recency testing TOT/ basic trainings for health
facilities in collaboration with the Regional /Public health laboratories and EPHI.
• Provide technical support to Regional/Public Health/ Laboratories /EPHI in the
preparation of panels for IQC/EQA, distribution and feedback provision.
• Facilitate and support the revision, printing, distribution, and proper utilization of HIV
recency testing SOPs, different formats, and registers.
• Support RHBs/Regional /Public Health/ Laboratories to integrate recency QA testing
with the existing Regional External Quality Assessment Scheme (REQAS)
• Provides technical support for implementation of International/ National External
Quality Assessment Scheme (IEQAS/NEQAS) and Regional External Quality
Assessment Scheme (REQAS) in the regions.
• Provide support on the online QC reporting for HIV-1 recency testing
• In collaboration with the Regional/Public Health/ Laboratories, review RTRI QC/PT
results and take corrective action on time.
• Provide technical support and facilitate the implementation of Point of Care (POC)
recency testing Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) and certification programs.
• Support EPHI on the evaluation of Recent Infection Testing algorithm (RITA) at health
facility level (Consistently check and support the transfer of results for viral load
tests).
• Support and check the accessibility of HIV recency Test kits at regional and site level
• Participate in the regional TWG and performance review meetings.
• Participate in health facility mentoring, joint supportive supervision with RHBs, and
RRLs.
• Prepare and evaluate annual, monthly, and weekly work plan with targeted
benchmark indicators and evaluate them on regular basis.
• Represent ICAP-Ethiopia in different forums when assigned by the supervisor
• Perform other duties assigned by the supervisor
• Write weekly reports to the regional Director
REQUIRED QUALIFICATION AND WORK EXPERIENCE:
• MSc degree in laboratory science obtained from recognized university
• Minimum of 5 years work experience, including laboratory support to HIV program
• Having TOT/ basic trainings on rapid HIV testing, rapid HIV recency testing, EID/VL
testing, LQMS, SLMTA, and PT preparation and interpretation, etc is advantageous.
• Experience in training, mentoring, organizing, and conducting HIV lab related
trainings.
• Experience in development of national/ regional documents related to specimen
referral, testing, and laboratory accreditation process.
• Excellent interpersonal and coordination skills.
• Proficiency in written and spoken English.
• Computer skills (MS Office, power point, excel, SPSS, and other commonly used
statistical packages)
• Able to spend more than 75% of the time at Regional/Public Health/ Laboratories and
health facilities
Note: Please specify the region you are applying for in the cover letter of your
application