Infectious Disease Expert
Starting Date / Initial Contract Details
July 2026. Full-time, 6 months
Role Summary
The Infectious Disease Control Expert provides technical leadership for prevention, preparedness, detection, and response to infectious disease outbreaks, including Ebola Virus Disease (EVD). The role strengthens infection prevention and control (IPC), disease surveillance, outbreak investigation, and healthcare worker safety systems. Working closely with health authorities and humanitarian partners, the expert supports emergency preparedness, response planning, and capacity building. The position ensures compliance with national and international public health standards while promoting evidence-based interventions. The overall objective is to reduce disease transmission and strengthen health system resilience in emergencies and humanitarian settings.
Project Overview
The project strengthens Ebola preparedness and response in the DRC by improving health facility capacity for infection prevention, triage, and case management while maintaining essential services. It enhances community surveillance through trained Community Health Workers for early detection and referrals. Additionally, it establishes an Ebola Treatment Centre to provide safe isolation, quality care, laboratory coordination, and psychosocial support by one of the other partners.
Workplace & Conditions
Bunia (Ituri) or Butembo (Nord Kivu)
Responsibilities:
• Ebola Preparedness and Response Plans - Develop and regularly update Ebola preparedness and contingency plans, including outbreak scenarios, response structures, escalation protocols, and resource requirements. Coordinate with health authorities and partners to ensure readiness for rapid deployment and response during an outbreak.
• IPC Assessments and Improvement Plans - Conduct Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) assessments in health facilities to identify gaps related to triage, isolation, PPE use, waste management, and environmental cleaning. Develop and monitor implementation of corrective action plans to strengthen compliance with IPC standards.
• Health Worker Training Packages and Training Reports - Design and deliver training materials, job aids, simulations, and practical exercises on Ebola detection, IPC measures, case management, and healthcare worker safety. Document training activities, participant performance, and recommendations for further capacity building.
• Disease Surveillance and Epidemiological Reports - Support the collection, analysis, and interpretation of disease surveillance data to identify trends, risks, and potential outbreak signals. Produce regular epidemiological reports and dashboards to inform management decisions and interventions.
• Health Facility Preparedness Assessments - Evaluate health facilities' readiness to prevent, detect, isolate, and manage suspected infectious disease cases. Assess infrastructure, staffing, equipment, referral pathways, and emergency procedures, and recommend improvements where needed.
• Technical Guidance Notes and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) - Develop and update technical guidelines, protocols, and SOPs related to infectious disease prevention, outbreak response, surveillance, screening, isolation, and case referral. Ensure all documents align with national policies and international best practices.
• Coordination and Donor Reports - Represent the organization in technical working groups, health cluster meetings, and coordination forums with government and humanitarian partners. Prepare high-quality narrative and technical reports for donors, documenting achievements, challenges, lessons learned, and progress against objectives.
Qualifications, Experience & Technical Competencies:
• Medical Doctor, Public health and/or infectious disease degree is an asset with 3 years minimum experience post qualification, an Masters in Public Health is an added advantage
• Knowledge of French language written and spoken
• Experience as Project Manager is an asset
• 1-year overseas experience in relief work with an NGO, having worked in the health sector desirable.
Experience in Ebola/VHF or infectious disease outbreaks strongly preferred.
Behavioural Skills
• Strong servant leadership skills with a consultative management style
• Creative, open-minded, flexible, self-learner, with good understanding of cross-cultural issues
• Capacity to work under pressure and manage personal stress levels
• Able to oversee multiple tasks, prioritising and delegating as required
• Good communication skills
Team Spiritual Life
Reflect the values of Medair with team members, local staff, people we serve, and external contacts. Work, live, and pray together in our Christian faith-based teams. Fully contribute to a rich spiritual team life, including team devotion, prayer, and words of encouragement.
Before you apply
Please ensure you are fully aware of the:
- Medair is committed to safeguarding the protection of beneficiaries, volunteers, staff and partners, and particularly children. Therefore, we do not employ staff whose background we understand to be unsuitable for working with children. Medair staff are required to give the utmost respect to, and comply with, Medair’s accountability policies and best practices.
- Medair Relief & Recovery Orientation Course (ROC) (which forms part of the recruitment selection process for field positions).
Application Process
To apply, go to this vacancy on our Medair page. Please do not make multiple applications. We will not review email applications. Only English-language applications / CVs will be reviewed. Advertised on JobUpfree.