Senior Laboratory Advisor 86 views0 applications

KNCV Tuberculosis Foundation is looking for a fulltime Senior Laboratory Advisor.

KNCV Tuberculosis Foundation

KNCV Tuberculosis Foundation is an international non-profit organization dedicated to the fight against tuberculosis (TB), the first deadliest infectious disease in the world. KNCV is an international center of expertise for TB control that promotes effective, efficient, innovative and sustainable tuberculosis control strategies in a national and international context.

We are an organization of passionate TB professionals, including doctors, researchers, training experts, nurses and epidemiologists. We aim to stop the spread of the worldwide epidemic of TB and to prevent the further spread of drug-resistant TB. We operate from a central office in The Hague in the Netherlands, a regional office in Central Asia and country offices worldwide. KNCV raises funds from private, institutional, corporate, and government donors. KNCV’s main funding source is the USAID funded Challenge TB project, which is also implemented in 22 countries.

Background

Diagnosis of TB in children is made difficult by children not being able to expectorate sputum, which leads to both overdiagnosis on clinical grounds and incorrect treatment due to lack of drug resistance profiles. A non-sputum-based sample, such as stool, which could be run on the Xpert MTB/RIF cartridge could provide bacteriological confirmation of disease, along with information on resistance to rifampicin. Different processing protocols for stool specimens have been developed that warrant evaluation, most of which are technically complex and require specific reagents and/or equipment. KNCV has developed a simple one-step stool processing method with no specific infrastructure or equipment requirements that has the potential to improve access to rapid diagnostic confirmation and appropriate treatment for children.

People living with HIV (PLHIV) often also find expectoration of sputum challenging and therefore are often either not diagnosed, or given a smear-negative diagnosis, with no possibility for drug resistance testing. Use of a non-sputum based sample, such as urine, has been proven to work well to diagnose TB in PLHIV. This could confirm TB infection and would lead to more accurate diagnosis and earlier treatment for PLHIV. It is hypothesized that the use of a screening algorithm that incorporates symptom screening, CD4 testing, Xpert MTB/RIF and urine LAM testing (FujiLAM) will increase the yield of bacteriologically confirmed TB cases, reduce time to TB diagnosis and treatment, and improve patient outcomes among PLHIV.

KNCV is implementing projects focusing on providing children in Ethiopia with access to non-invasive diagnostic methods for TB and to assess how the above two diagnostic interventions (stool testing for children and urine testing for PLHIV) can be incorporated into diagnostic algorithms to allow for improved diagnosis of TB in children and PLHIV, and generate implementation guidance to support WHO policy recommendations.

Purpose of the position

KNCV is looking for a Senior Laboratory Advisor who will lead the laboratory related work as envisioned for the above projects related to non-invasive diagnostic methods for TB.

Position in the organization

The Senior Laboratory advisor will report directly to the Country Representative and functionally to the Project Coordinator, and will work in close coordination with the KNCV central office teams leads and laboratory advisors.

As the Senior Laboratory Advisor you will:

• Provide technical support to the health facilities and EPHI laboratory personnel conducting the laboratory activities, and the clinical staff working in participant enrollment and follow-up;
• Monitor and ensure commodities are in place and trained personnel are implementing the project on a day to day basis.
• Mentor project site level laboratory and clinical personnel on correct study procedures
• Support the specimen transport and results feedback system in collaboration with study and referral sites
• Monitor the study sites actively on a pre-defined basis
• Maintain high quality data records at study sites, with the project office and EPHI: data includes the OR data requirements originally stipulated in the protocol
• Ensure regular un-interrupted supplies of laboratory items for the study tests performed
• Assist in preparation of project progress reports for regular meetings and donor reports and report to KNCV country office and HQ

What does KNCV Tuberculosis Foundation offer?

• A fixed-term contract for 9-10 months with a possibility for extension;
• An informal work atmosphere in an international environment where a pro-active mentality is appreciated;
• A highly-motivated team of experienced, self-driven colleagues;
• The salary is dependent upon education and relevant working experience;
• KNCV Tuberculosis Foundation has its own Employment Conditions Scheme;
• ull-time employment consists of 40 hours per week.

Job Requirements

Who are we looking for? Education

• Sc. in medical Laboratory Technology/Science; Master degree in Medical Laboratory Sciences or equivalent

Knowledge/experience

• Minimum 7 years, post qualification experience including experience on working in TB laboratory capacity building and TB laboratory systems in general
• Experience in Xpert MTB/RIF rollout and coordination, GxAlert connectivity solution for Xpert MTB/RIF information management, specimen referral system and network development
• Sound knowledge of basic principles, techniques and safety procedures and quality management in the laboratory system
• Knowledge of laboratory equipment and its maintenance is desirable.
• Candidates with experience in National TB Program (NTP) Laboratory Support, National Laboratory Capacity Building Laboratory and New TB Diagnostic and Lab information exchange Technology (GeneXpert and GxAlert rollout coordination experience) will be preferred. Behavioral competencies and skills
• Good interpersonal skills;
• Excellent oral and written communication skills in English and one other relevant language;
• Country national preferable, conversant in the local language;
• Ability to work as part of a team and independently;
• Ability to cope with a demanding work environment and to organize and prioritize workload;
• Ability to work in a national and international team.