Laboratory and Diagnostics Advisor, Outbreak Preparedness and Response

This is a fully remote position, open to applicants in United States.

📋 Description

• Provide technical leadership for STRIDES' portfolio of outbreak laboratory and diagnostic systems.

• Guide the expansion of diagnostic capacity, strengthen the laboratory network, ensure biosafety and biosecurity, and enhance workforce development.

• Advise on diagnostic methodologies, technologies, assay validation, platform selection, and procurement alignment.

• Collaborate with ministries of health, public health institutes, reference laboratories, implementing partners, and regional preparedness stakeholders.

• Interpret findings related to laboratory readiness, quality gaps, biosafety risks, and diagnostic performance data.

• Offer insights on laboratory policies, essential diagnostics lists, specimen referral strategies, governance mechanisms, and outbreak diagnostic guidelines.

• Design and implement laboratory and diagnostic components of STRIDES projects.

• Lead the technical sections related to laboratory and diagnostics in project plans.

• Oversee laboratory and diagnostic operations in designated response and preparedness countries.

• Monitor project outputs, budgets, timelines, technical coverage, and donor requirements.

• Coordinate requests for laboratory technical assistance from country offices.

• Lead global technical strategies for outbreak diagnostics, decentralized testing, laboratory governance, biosafety, biosecurity, and optimization of diagnostic networks.

• Develop tools, guidelines, and job aids for readiness assessments, diagnostic algorithms, and strengthening quality systems.

• Ensure that implementations adhere to international best practices, national policies, technical standards, and contractual obligations.

• Supervise or guide junior technical staff, officers, subcontractors, and consultants.

• Manage technical project administration, financial compliance, deliverables, and team management.

• Serve as a technical point of contact with clients as assigned.

• Develop and implement technical training and capacity-building initiatives.

• Manage technical resources and project operations.

• Draft financial and technical reports for sponsors and upload deliverable data to sponsor systems.

• Prepare sponsor presentations and contribute to work plans.

• Author technical deliverables such as reports, presentations, and manuscripts.

• Aggregate data and provide high-level summaries.

• Conduct quality assurance and enhance procedures.

• Support field projects and coordinate with employees and consultants both onsite and in the field.

⛳️ Requirements

• Master's Degree or an International Equivalent in Laboratory Science, Microbiology, Clinical Diagnostics, Public Health, or a related clinical/medical field.

• Over 8 years of relevant experience in implementing large-scale laboratory systems, networks, and diagnostic programs.

• Preferred experience or knowledge in emergency outbreak response.

• Experience in mentoring junior laboratory staff and guiding technical activities.

• Documented success in providing systems-level laboratory guidance.

• Proven track record of training laboratory personnel, validating assays, and establishing quality management systems (QMS).

• Experience in designing laboratory strengthening portfolios, securing research or development grants, or driving public health program growth.

• Prior work experience in an NGO, government agency, or private organization.

• Project Management Certification is preferred.

• Strong knowledge and skills in laboratory and diagnostic systems.

• Familiarity with technical standards, operational processes, procedures, workflows, and task flow.

• Ability to manage projects, set priorities, and ensure successful implementation.

• Proficient writing and verbal communication skills.

• Relevant computer software skills, including MS Office.

• Ability to manage personal work according to job and performance standards.

• Must be fluent in reading, writing, and speaking English, as well as fluent in the host country language.

• Capability to spend extended hours using a computer and keyboard.

• Ability to sit and stand for prolonged periods and lift up to 5 lbs.

• Willingness and ability to travel 10%–25% of the time.

• Successful completion of applicable screening checks.

🏝️ Benefits

• FHI 360 contributes 7% of monthly base pay to a money purchase pension plan account.

• 18 days of paid vacation annually for full-time US-based staff.

• 12 sick days per year for full-time US-based staff.

• 11 holidays per year for full-time US-based staff.

• Competitive benefits package.

• Opportunities for professional development.

• Policies and programs that promote a healthy work/life balance.

• Commitment to equal opportunity employment.

• Support for safeguarding and code-of-conduct compliance.

• Screening checks conducted in line with recruitment procedures.