Associate / Scientist – Entomology Technical Manager Full-Time

Organization Overview

The International Health Division is committed to the improvement of health and healthcare delivery around the world.  Serving both the public and private sectors, our efforts include health policy research and evaluation, health promotion and disease prevention, health finance, and health systems management.  Our impact is felt in policies that ensure healthcare access for women, children, and individuals with special needs, in strengthening health infrastructures, and HIV/AIDS solutions.

Opportunity

Abt Associates, a major American business and government research, technical assistance, and consulting company, manages the USAID-funded Vector Control Task Order 1. Task Order 1 will support the U.S. President’s Malaria Initiative (PMI) and USAID to plan and implement an integrated vector control approach with the overall goal of reducing the burden of malaria. Abt has implemented indoor residual spraying (IRS) for PMI since 2011, delivering high-quality IRS programs and gathering the most comprehensive vector control entomological data in the world. Under this contract, Abt will expand entomological monitoring to guide programs focused on insecticide-treated mosquito nets and IRS and continue to assist PMI in reducing the burden of malaria through IRS and capacity building in 22 African countries where malaria is endemic. Abt also will continue to support PMI in IRS monitoring and evaluation, as well as environmental compliance.

Under the supervision of the Chief of Party, the Entomology Technical Manager provides leadership and management oversight of all of the project’s entomological surveillance activities in country, in collaboration with the National Malaria Control Program (NMCP), coordinate and oversee the project’s key entomological monitoring activities for integrated vector control and will guide key project and country-level vector control decisions based on data analysis and interpretation.

Key Roles and Responsibilities

• Leads the development of national entomological monitoring plan in collaboration with National Malaria Control Program (NMCP),  in country malaria vector control  partners, research institutes, Universities  and private  sectors involved in malaria vector control.
• Prepare project comprehensive annual entomological monitoring plan.
• Coordinate the implementation of the following set of entomological activities:
  • The establishment entomological sentinel sites in selected district.
  • Monitor vector density and behavior pre- and post-deployment of vector control interventions using World Health Organization (WHO) standard mosquito sampling methods.
  • Conduct wall bioassays within two weeks after every spray cycle and on new insecticide treated mosquito nets (ITNs) before distribution to evaluate the quality spray and products.
  • Conduct wall bioassays monthly in selected districts to evaluate the residual efficacy of sprayed insecticides and bi-annually to evaluate insecticidal activity of ITNs.
  • Monitor vector susceptibility tests to currently use and candidate insecticides on annual basis. Conduct intensity and synergist assays in sentinel sites selected for insecticide resistance monitoring.
  • Work with identified entomology laboratories to facilitate the work and obtain results of molecular and bio-chemical analysis data.
  • Assist in developing and updating standard operating procedures (SOPs) and checklists for mosquito collection techniques and disseminating to all in country partners.
• Ensure avilability of susceptible mosquito colony to support qulaity assurance and susuceptibility tests in country.
• Involve and lead the  vector control (VC) technical working group at national level to help  develop vector control policy and an insecticide resitance management strategy and plan.
• Train entomology technicians on maintaining mosquito colonies in an insectary, different field mosquito sampling techniques for both adult and larvae, on species identification, preserving, storing and transport of mosquito samples from the field to the insectary or entomological working sites.
• Ensure that the field teams follow all WHO, CDC and PMI approved guidelines, protocols, and techniques for mosquito collections and tests.
• Ensure that all data from all collection activities are recorded on data entry forms, perform mosquito identifications, and undertake data analysis and prepare monitoring reports.
• Implement capacity-building efforts to increase and expand the skills of local counterparts and field team technicians.
• Prepare semi-annual and annual entomological monitoring reports and  deliver quality assurance reports and  insectcide resistance  reports.
• Involve in vector contrrol operational research actvities.
• Publish results from regular entomological monitoring and operational research activities  on  peer-reviewed journal.
• Prepare and present abstracts in international vector control and scientific conferences.

Preferred Skills / Prerequisites

• Minimum of  Masters Degree plus 6 years relevant experience  or a PhD (desired)and 4 years relevant experience.
• Relevant professional work experience with significant amounts of experience directly in Vector Control and IRS Operations.
• Experience in regulatory and operational aspects of insecticide use and management.
• Demonstrated ability to work with a minimum of direction and supervision.
• Demonstrated ability to work both as a member of a team and as a team leader, with the ability to accept the inputs of other team members.
• Strong management and planning skills of project tasks and budgets.
• Demonstrates leadership and team work and produces high quality work in a timely, cost effective manner and has excellent writing skills.
• Excellent organizational, interpersonal communication and computer skills.
• Experience with USAID and donor projects is highly desirable.
• English and Portuguese language fluency.

Minimum Qualifications

• MA/MBA (7 – 10) years of experience OR PhD (4 – 6) years of experience OR the equivalent combination of education and experience.