International Consultant - Public Health Laboratory Assessments

Job Posting Organization:
The World Health Organization (WHO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations responsible for international public health. Established on April 7, 1948, WHO has a mission to promote health, keep the world safe, and serve vulnerable populations. The organization operates in over 150 countries and has more than 7,000 employees. WHO's work includes coordinating responses to health emergencies, setting international health standards, and providing technical assistance to countries. The organization is committed to achieving universal health coverage and addressing health inequities across the globe.

Job Overview:
The consultancy aims to provide specialized technical and operational support to enhance public health laboratory systems in the WHO South-East Asia Region. The consultant will play a crucial role in the phased implementation of the Public Health Laboratory Recognition Programme, which includes building regional assessment capacity, facilitating laboratory self-assessments, and developing laboratory-specific improvement plans. The consultant will also work to strengthen national capacities for detecting and characterizing priority bacterial and fungal pathogens, particularly in the context of antimicrobial resistance. This role is vital for ensuring that laboratory services are standardized, quality-assured, and sustainable, thereby supporting disease surveillance, monitoring antimicrobial resistance, and enhancing public health emergency preparedness and response.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Support the implementation of the Public Health Laboratory Recognition Programme by planning, organizing, and facilitating regional webinars, country orientation sessions, and technical consultations to introduce the programme and explain the recognition standards and assessment methodology.
• Plan and deliver a regional training-of-trainers workshop to establish a cohort of qualified experts capable of supporting laboratory assessments and improvement planning.
• Coordinate and participate in in-country technical missions to support initial laboratory self-assessments, identify priority gaps, and develop laboratory-specific corrective action and quality-improvement plans.
• Assess the capacity, functions, and operational readiness of antimicrobial resistance national reference laboratories.
• Facilitate hands-on mentoring and remote technical support to selected national reference laboratories to address identified gaps.
• Support the development of national AMR laboratory network coordination mechanisms, including referral pathways and communication between reference laboratories and sentinel sites.
• Adapt WHO standardized laboratory protocols for the detection and characterization of priority pathogens, ensuring alignment with national laboratory systems.
• Deliver a comprehensive consultancy report summarizing activities, deliverables, country-specific progress, challenges, recommendations, and proposed next steps.

Required Qualifications:
Essential qualifications include a minimum university degree in Laboratory medicine, Laboratory sciences, microbiology, pathology, molecular biology, virology, bacteriology, infectious diseases, epidemiology, public health, or global health. Desirable qualifications include an advanced degree or training in public health, epidemiology, infectious diseases, or microbiology. Candidates must demonstrate proven knowledge and skills in public health laboratory preparedness for infectious hazards, including emerging diseases, and possess strong managerial, organizational, and communication skills. The ability to work flexibly and autonomously in a fast-paced environment is essential, along with strong writing skills for various documentation.

Educational Background:
Candidates must possess at least a minimum university degree in relevant fields such as Laboratory medicine, Laboratory sciences, microbiology, pathology, molecular biology, virology, bacteriology, infectious diseases, epidemiology, public health, or global health. An advanced degree or additional training in public health or related fields is desirable.

Experience:
Candidates should have a minimum of five years of relevant experience working in laboratory diagnostics or related work at public health laboratories, clinical laboratories, or research laboratories. Experience in planning and conducting training activities, as well as working in developing countries in the area of surveillance and response to emerging diseases, is highly desirable. Previous international experience with WHO in a developing country context and work experience in Asia are considered assets.

Languages:
Expert knowledge of English is essential for this position. Proficiency in additional languages may be beneficial but is not specified as mandatory.

Additional Notes:
The consultancy is expected to be full-time for a duration of 6 months, with a monthly remuneration of USD 8,000 within Band Level – B pay band range. The consultant is expected to travel to various countries including Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Timor Leste, India, and Bhutan. This vacancy is part of establishing a roster for international consultants for public health laboratory assessments. Candidates under serious consideration will be contacted, and a written test may be used as a screening method. Candidates must provide scanned copies of their educational qualifications prior to the interview. WHO emphasizes diversity and inclusion in its workforce and encourages applications from women, persons with disabilities, and nationals of underrepresented Member States.