CALL FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST – VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT : 2302378
Epidemiology Specialist ( 1 available vacancy )
Job advertisement : Aug 9/2023
Publication cancellation date : Aug 23, 2023, 9:59:00 PM
Organizational Unit: FLDOM
Job type : Temporary work
Requirement Type: Consultants
Grade Level: N / A
Main location : Dominican Republic-Santo Domingo
Duration: 11 months ( with possibility of extension )
Position Number: N / A
FAO seeks to ensure gender, geographic and linguistic diversity among its staff and its international consultants, in order to serve the Member States of the Organization in the best possible way in all regions.
- FAO is committed to achieving diversity in its workforce in terms of sex, nationality, origin and culture.
- Women, nationals of under-represented or under-represented Member States and persons with disabilities with the necessary qualifications are encouraged to submit their applications.
- All persons working for FAO must comply with the highest standards of professional integrity and conduct and uphold FAO’s values.
- FAO, as a specialized agency of the United Nations, applies a zero tolerance policy for conduct incompatible with its statute, objectives and mandate, in particular sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination.
- All selected candidates will undergo rigorous reference and background checks.
- All requests will be treated with the strictest confidentiality.
Organizational framework
African swine fever ( PPP ) is a transboundary animal disease ( TADs ), without vaccine or effective treatment; its control is complex and requires efforts and coordination from all actors ( Official Veterinary Services- SVO, neighboring countries, national and international organizations, among others ). The PPA was confirmed in the Dominican Republic ( RD ) and notified to the World Organization for Animal Health ( OMSA ) on July 29, 2021, causing economic losses in the country’s economy and in national pig farming.
Swine production and its value chain are diverse and important in the DR; for the country’s economy and as a social and cultural activity, it generates more than 50,000 jobs and represents 70% of the demand for pork in the country, being the second most consumed meat, after chicken.
DVOs in DR face some challenges to control and eradicate PPP, such as adequate epidemiological surveillance systems for zoosanitary diseases, low levels of biosecurity and technical assistance to producers on good production practices ( FAO, 2017 ). This situation has been addressed by several ongoing projects of FAO, the International Regional Agency for Animal and Plant Health ( OIRSA ), the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture ( IICA ) and the United States Agency for International Development ( USAID ) and USDA / APHIS. In this regard, FAO was asked to support the improvement of biosecurity throughout the pig value chain,carrying out periodic evaluations and situational risk analyzes to prevent possible dissemination to the rest of the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean.
The current epidemiological situation of PPP in DR has shown that there are still active cases of PPP in the country, with the highest number of outbreaks concentrated in areas densely populated by pigs. Biosecurity practices are limited in the pig production chain, especially in small producers. This deficiency contributes to the viral circulation of PPP in the different production systems. The accumulation of PPP foci that remain open / active for long periods does not allow effective eradication. Therefore, it is essential to focus efforts on supporting the generation of a national biosecurity program.
In this sense, it is essential to have professionals who provide advice and support to the GCP / DOM / 026 / project/USA “ Accelerating the control and eradication of African Swine Fever ( ASF ) through a national biosecurity program for the pig value chain in the Dominican Republic ( DR ) ” <TAG1>
The Epidemiology Specialist will provide professional and strategic support to the project developed by FAO and aims to mitigate the effects of the PPP in the Dominican Republic, with special emphasis on the implementation of the National Swine Biosecurity Program, executing epidemiological analysis activities, risk maps, statistical analyzes and active surveillance of the PPP in small ( pig farmers, medium and large ) and the rest of the pig value chain.
Hierarchical dependency
The consultant will work under the supervision of the Representative of the FAO office in the Dominican Republic, The Regional Livestock and Animal Health Officer ( LTO of the project ) and the coordinator of the biosecurity project in the Dominican Republic, and will act in close collaboration with the technical teams of the project at the national and regional levels, with DIGEGA and with the Ministry of Agriculture.
Field of specialization
Veterinary Medicine, Veterinary Medicine and Animal Husbandry and / or animal husbandry, Animal Production Engineer.
Tasks and responsibilities
The consultant will have the following responsibilities:
- Attend the trainings and meetings scheduled by the Coordinator of the national biosecurity program.
- Support the generation of documents, manuals, protocols of the National Biosafety Program.
- Consolidar y organizar Bases de datos de los censos porcinos en RD.
- Realizar análisis de información sanitaria y mapas de riesgo.
- Elaborar diseños estadísticos para realizar vigilancia epidemiológica activa de la PPA y enfermedades porcinas.
- Apoyar la elaboración de reportes escritos y presentaciones.
- Apoyar al coordinador en la supervisión de los técnicos de campo del proyecto.
- Apoyar la Dirección General de Sanidad Animal (DIGEGA) y al Sistema del Comando de Incidencia (SCI-RD) en el fortalecimiento de su sistema de vigilancia epidemiológica para PPA en el país; toma y análisis de datos, generación de informes.
- Contribuir a la elaboración de informes epidemiológicos sobre la PPA en República Dominicana.
- Elaborar un análisis sobre la repoblación porcina en pequeños productores en las zonas de intervención del proyecto.
- Contribute to the development of the pig biosecurity strategy for small and medium / large producers in the country.
- Support the planning and execution of training activities for producers and all actors in the biosecurity pig chain, based on the materials, content network and emphasis defined by the project task force.
- Abide by the biosecurity protocols established by the coordination of the program, as well as respecting the biosecurity standards established by each of the farms that are part of the national biosecurity program.
- Support the animal health team of the FAO DR representation in developing proposals to support the national campaign for the control and eradication of PPP in the country.
- Apoyar la elaboración de informes consolidades de avance del Programa Nacional de Bioseguridad.
- Apoyar el seguimiento y la evaluación del equipo de profesionales que desarrollan actividades de campo en las granjas porcinas que hacen parte de programa nacional de bioseguridad.
- Realizar un informe final de la consultoría que recoja los principales hallazgos y recomendaciones de la misión.
- Todas aquellas funciones relacionadas con la misión de la consultoría.
LOS CANDIDATOS SERÁN EVALUADOS CON ARREGLO A LOS SIGUIENTES CRITERIOS:
Requisitos mínimos
- Título Universitario en Medicina Veterinaria, Zootecnia o carreras afines. Maestría en sanidad animal, epidemiología o bioseguridad, deseable.
- Al menos 5 años de experiencia en programas de control y erradicación de enfermedades animales y producción de porcinos.
- Practical knowledge of the Spanish language ( Level C ) and limited knowledge of the English language ( Level B ). For PSA, only one level C language can be required.
FAO core competencies
- Results-based approach
- Teamwork
- Communication
- Building effective relationships
- Knowledge exchange and continuous improvement
Technical / functional skills
- Knowledge of animal health and productive management programs in pig farming.
- Management of statistical packages.
- Project management experience.
- Work experience in development projects and with government institutions
- Demonstrated pig farming experience.
- Experience demonstrated in official control health programs.
- Experience demonstrated in statistical programs.
- Manejo de Excel y elaboración de bases de datos y de presentaciones en Power Point.
- Excelentes habilidades de comunicación inter-personal, así como de análisis y redacción de informes técnicos.
- Alta capacidad de liderazgo y manejo de personal de campo.
- Excelentes habilidades de planificación y coordinación de actividades de extensión de campo en temas agropecuarios.
- Buena disposición para trabajar en equipo.
- Capacidad para trabajar bajo presión y contra plazos ajustados.
- Experiencia de trabajo en Organismos Internacionales o instituciones de Gobierno, deseable.
Criterios de selección
- Solo serán contactada/os los/as postulantes pre-seleccionado/as que pasarán a la etapa de entrevista de Panel.
- Among the applications received, a preselection will be made based on the compatibility of professional profiles and the required competences.
- The person with the best performance in the interview will be the one who turns out to be selected.
- Applicants may be considered for other open positions at FAO.
It is noted that all candidates should adhere to the Organization’s values of commitment to FAO, respect for all and integrity and transparency.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
- FAO does not charge fees at any stage of the recruitment process ( application, interview, processing ).
- Incomplete applications will not be taken into account. If you need help, contact: Careers@fao.org.
- Applications received after the expiration of the application deadline will not be accepted.
- We inform you that FAO will only consider academic degrees or credentials obtained from a teaching institution included in the World Database on Higher Education, which is a list maintained by the International Association of Universities ( IAU ) / UNESCO. The list can be consulted at: www.whed.net/
- For information about other job opportunities visit the FAO Employment Website: http://www.fao.org/employment/home/es/.
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PRESENTACIÓN DE SOLICITUDES Si desea presentar una solicitud, vaya al sitio web de contratación de la FAO ( Empleo en la FAO) y complete su perfil en línea. Las solicitudes incompletas no se tendrán en cuenta. Solo se considerarán las solicitudes recibidas a través del portal de contratación. Aconsejamos a los candidatos que presenten su solicitud con antelación suficiente al vencimiento del plazo. Si necesita ayuda, contacte con: Careers@fao.org.
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