New Opening: Regional Laboratory Officer (Tercha, Jinka, Oromia/Jimma, Assosa) - Malaria and Neglected Tropical Diseases - REACH

PATH seeks a Regional Laboratory Officer for the United States Government (USG)-funded Reaching every at-risk community and household with malaria services (REACH Malaria) global project. REACH aims to provide implementation support services and technical assistance to countries to accelerate progress in comprehensive delivery of life-saving facility and community-based malaria services including malaria case management, prevention of malaria in pregnancy (MiP), seasonal malaria chemoprevention (SMC), maternal and child health services including immunization and nutrition, data collection and use for service delivery, and other malaria prevention interventions.

Regional Laboratory Officer is responsible for supporting improvement of malaria laboratory diagnosis and quality assurance across REACH Malaria Project supported health facilities in the respective region. S/he is responsible for providing comprehensive technical support to health facilities, health care workers and communities to improve the quality of malaria laboratory diagnosis and quality assurance activities. S/he will be responsible for providing technical support including regular mentorship and supportive supervision and training to health facilities including health posts to improve the quality of malaria diagnosis in close collaboration with the regional, zonal, district and EQA center malaria and laboratory officers. The improved quality of malaria diagnosis will increase the quality of malaria case management services which is a life-saving intervention.

Responsibilities:

• Provide regular mentorship to facility laboratory staff, regional and woreda malaria programs on malaria laboratory diagnosis and quality assurance
• Provide training to laboratory personnel and other HCWs on malaria laboratory diagnosis and quality assurance as well as integrated external quality assessment
• Assist development and/or review of support tools such mentorship checklist, job aids, laboratory SOPs to be provided to each health facility to support the improvement of malaria diagnosis practices
• Provide comprehensive support to health facility laboratories and health posts including the distribution of essential job aids, SOPs, guidelines and manuals as well as commodities to health facilities
• Conduct baseline assessment and follow up tailored support to each health center and health post on malaria laboratory diagnosis and quality assurance activities.
• Participate in the regular regional laboratory technical working group meetings
• Provide technical assistance for regional planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of malaria diagnosis and quality assurance activities.
• Assist design of quality assurance program for malaria laboratory diagnosis and facilitate its implementation at the supported health facilities
• Prepare weekly, monthly, quarterly and annual plans and activity reports
• Perform other duties and responsibilities as assigned by supervisor

Required skills and experience:

• Minimum of BSc in laboratory sciences
• Recent work experience in the field of laboratory science for at least five years
• Experience in malaria laboratory program implementation is an added advantage
• Demonstrated experience in conducting laboratory mentorship, training and supervisions
• Experience in development and review of documents related to laboratory services
• Ability to work in team with good team spirit
• Computer skills (Word, Power point, Spread sheet, etc)
• Ability to work in team with good team spirit
• Ability to perform multiple tasks simultaneously
• Excellent interpersonal skills and good team spirit
• Willingness to travel approximately 80% of his/her to supported health facilities

Skills Required:

• Applied / Natural / Science
• Health / Medical