ABOUT THE COMPANY:

Our goal is to build a better, healthier future for people all over the world. Working through offices in more than 150 countries, WHO staff work side by side with governments and other partners to ensure the highest attainable level of health for all people.

JOB SUMMARY

Purpose of consultancy

To provide technical expertise and data solutions to enable processing, manipulation, storage and presentation of data collected as part of the Global Clinical Platform.

Background

The WHO Global Clinical Platform was established in April 2020 to collect data on hospitalized patients with confirmed or suspected COVID-19 to characterize clinical management and evaluate determinants of disease severity and mortality.

At present, the COVID-19 data comprises over 1 million records of patients from >60 countries.

There has been significant expansion in disease areas covered by the platform, including cholera, SARI (severe acute respiratory infection), viral haemorrhagic fever, mpox and acute ascites outbreaks. This supports emergency responses, definition of clinical characteristics and risks for member states, and to contribute to global understanding of these diseases.

This consultancy within the WHO Health Care Readiness Unit requires a data scientist with expert knowledge in the following areas: clinical and surveillance data management, advanced programming techniques, and statistical analysis.

The Global Clinical Platform database is comprised of individual participant data on patients to characterize health emergencies and clinical phenotypes, with a number of disease foci, as above.

Data are entered directly on the REDCap platform or contributed externally via secure file transfer.

Data are contributed based on agreed upon terms of reference and managed according to standard operating procedures (SOPs) on data curation and data discrepancy resolution, data harmonization, and data archival. In collaboration with the database developer/manager, with the wider WHO team, and with the data contributors, the candidate will be responsible for:

• data variable mapping, and contribution to the overall;
• alignment and pooling of the case report form data for all datasets including but not limited to COVID-19, mpox, filovirus / viral haemorrhagic fever, cholera, SARI;
• maintaining SOPs related to data management and curation, and developing systems improvements which reduce human dependency for routine data management through the data lifecycl
• preparation and manipulation of data for visualization (in dashboards, and in manuscripts for publication
• providing secure means within the WHO data systems for external contributors to visualize and download their data on demand;
• defining and refining HTML-based automatically-generated reports using data from the platform.

For all above outputs the consultant may engage with the other statisticians and data scientists and others to develop, maintain, and execute relevant processes / algorithms.

Deliverables

• Deliverable 1: Manage and harmonize data on COVID-19, post-COVID-19, cholera and SARI datasets with updated R code for baseline analysis.
• Deliverable 2: Create data visualizations for reports and manuscripts, as required for ongoing reports.
• Deliverable 3.

Curate for data completeness and consistency and export by using R, lists of contributors to the Global Clinical Platform datasets, by disease, which is automated and allows rapid integration with web-based information.

Make this extensible to other expert lists for use in the wider WHO unit.

• Deliverable 4. Provide statistical and analytical input for data analysis and reporting, and liaise with local partners for projects (for example light SARI piloting and expansion to full platform).

Qualifications, experience, skills and languages

Educational Qualifications: 

Essential:

• A first university degree in Medicine, Public Health, Informatics, Bioinformatics or Biostatistics

Experience:

Essential:

• At least three years of demonstrable experience in research data management and data sciences.
• Experience in the use of Electronic Data Capture Systems development using REDCAP or other platform.
• Experience in the use of Microsoft Azure platform and Advanced R programming.

Desirable:

• Experience in preparing scientific manuscripts and generating reports.
• Experience in programming in other computing languages.

Skills:

Essential:

• Familiarity with Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), Good Clinical Practice (GCP), and International Conference on Harmonization (ICH) guidelines, cybersecurity protocols and technical requirements of clinical and observational research.

Desirable:

• Knowledge of advanced statistical analysis.

Languages required:

Essential:

• Expert knowledge of English

Desirable:

• Intermediate knowledge of another official UN language

Location

Off site: Home-based

Travel

The consultant is not expected to travel

Remuneration and budget (travel costs are excluded):

Remuneration:

Band level A – USD 198 – 349 per day.

Living expenses (A living expense is payable to on-site consultants who are internationally recruited):

N/A

Expected duration of contract:

2 months.

28 days during this period

Additional Information

• This vacancy notice may be used to identify candidates for other similar consultancies at the same level.
• Only candidates under serious consideration will be contacted.
• A written test may be used as a form of screening.
• If your candidature is retained for interview, you will be required to provide, in advance, a scanned copy of the degree(s)/diploma(s)/certificate(s) required for this position.

WHO only considers higher educational qualifications obtained from an institution accredited/recognized in the World Higher Education Database (WHED), a list updated by the International Association of Universities (IAU)/United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

The list can be accessed through the link: http://www.whed.net/. Some professional certificates may not appear in the WHED and will require individual review.

• For information on WHO’s operations please visit: http://www.who.int.
• WHO is committed to workforce diversity.
• WHO has a smoke-free environment and does not recruit smokers or users of any form of tobacco.
• Applications from women and from nationals of non and underrepresented Member States are particularly encouraged.
• WHO prides itself on a workforce that adheres to the highest ethical and professional standards and that is committed to put the WHO Values Charter into practice.

• WHO has zero tolerance towards sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA), sexual harassment and other types of abusive conduct (i.e., discrimination, abuse of authority and harassment).

All members of the WHO workforce have a role to play in promoting a safe and respectful workplace and should report to WHO any actual or suspected cases of SEA, sexual harassment and other types of abusive conduct. To ensure that individuals with a substantiated history of SEA, sexual harassment or other types of abusive conduct are not hired by the Organization, WHO will conduct a background verification of final candidates.

• Consultants shall perform the work as independent contractors in a personal capacity, and not as a representative of any entity or authority.

The execution of the work under a consultant contract does not create an employer/employee relationship between WHO and the Consultant.

• WHO shall have no responsibility whatsoever for any taxes, duties, social security contributions or other contributions payable by the Consultant.

The Consultant shall be solely responsible for withholding and paying any taxes, duties, social security contributions and any other contributions which are applicable to the Consultant in each location/jurisdiction in which the work hereunder is performed, and the Consultant shall not be entitled to any reimbursement thereof by WHO.

• Consultants working in Switzerland must register with the applicable Swiss cantonal tax authorities and social security authorities, within the prescribed timeframes (Guidelines issued by the Swiss Mission are available at: https://www.eda.admin.ch/missions/mission-onu-geneve/en/home/manual-regime-privileges-and-immunities/introduction/Manuel-personnes-sans-privileges-et-immunites-carte-H/Non fonctionnaires et stagiaires.html

Qualifications

Purpose of consultancy

To provide technical expertise and data solutions to enable processing, manipulation, storage and presentation of data collected as part of the Global Clinical Platform.

Background

The WHO Global Clinical Platform was established in April 2020 to collect data on hospitalized patients with confirmed or suspected COVID-19 to characterize clinical management and evaluate determinants of disease severity and mortality.

At present, the COVID-19 data comprises over 1 million records of patients from >60 countries.

There has been significant expansion in disease areas covered by the platform, including cholera, SARI (severe acute respiratory infection), viral haemorrhagic fever, mpox and acute ascites outbreaks. This supports emergency responses, definition of clinical characteristics and risks for member states, and to contribute to global understanding of these diseases.

This consultancy within the WHO Health Care Readiness Unit requires a data scientist with expert knowledge in the following areas: clinical and surveillance data management, advanced programming techniques, and statistical analysis.

The Global Clinical Platform database is comprised of individual participant data on patients to characterize health emergencies and clinical phenotypes, with a number of disease foci, as above.

Data are entered directly on the REDCap platform or contributed externally via secure file transfer.

Data are contributed based on agreed upon terms of reference and managed according to standard operating procedures (SOPs) on data curation and data discrepancy resolution, data harmonization, and data archival. In collaboration with the database developer/manager, with the wider WHO team, and with the data contributors, the candidate will be responsible for:

• data variable mapping, and contribution to the overall;
• alignment and pooling of the case report form data for all datasets including but not limited to COVID-19, mpox, filovirus / viral haemorrhagic fever, cholera, SARI;
• maintaining SOPs related to data management and curation, and developing systems improvements which reduce human dependency for routine data management through the data lifecycl
• preparation and manipulation of data for visualization (in dashboards, and in manuscripts for publication
• providing secure means within the WHO data systems for external contributors to visualize and download their data on demand;
• defining and refining HTML-based automatically-generated reports using data from the platform.

For all above outputs the consultant may engage with the other statisticians and data scientists and others to develop, maintain, and execute relevant processes / algorithms.

Deliverables

• Deliverable 1: Manage and harmonize data on COVID-19, post-COVID-19, cholera and SARI datasets with updated R code for baseline analysis.
• Deliverable 2: Create data visualizations for reports and manuscripts, as required for ongoing reports.
• Deliverable 3.

Curate for data completeness and consistency and export by using R, lists of contributors to the Global Clinical Platform datasets, by disease, which is automated and allows rapid integration with web-based information.

Make this extensible to other expert lists for use in the wider WHO unit.

• Deliverable 4. Provide statistical and analytical input for data analysis and reporting, and liaise with local partners for projects (for example light SARI piloting and expansion to full platform).

Qualifications, experience, skills and languages

Educational Qualifications: 

Essential:

• A first university degree in Medicine, Public Health, Informatics, Bioinformatics or Biostatistics

Experience:

Essential:

• At least three years of demonstrable experience in research data management and data sciences.
• Experience in the use of Electronic Data Capture Systems development using REDCAP or other platform.
• Experience in the use of Microsoft Azure platform and Advanced R programming.

Desirable:

• Experience in preparing scientific manuscripts and generating reports.
• Experience in programming in other computing languages.

Skills:

Essential:

• Familiarity with Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), Good Clinical Practice (GCP), and International Conference on Harmonization (ICH) guidelines, cybersecurity protocols and technical requirements of clinical and observational research.

Desirable:

• Knowledge of advanced statistical analysis.

Languages required:

Essential:

• Expert knowledge of English

Desirable:

• Intermediate knowledge of another official UN language

Location

Off site: Home-based

Travel

The consultant is not expected to travel

Remuneration and budget (travel costs are excluded):

Remuneration:

Band level A – USD 198 – 349 per day.

Living expenses (A living expense is payable to on-site consultants who are internationally recruited):

N/A

Expected duration of contract:

2 months.

28 days during this period

Additional Information

• This vacancy notice may be used to identify candidates for other similar consultancies at the same level.
• Only candidates under serious consideration will be contacted.
• A written test may be used as a form of screening.
• If your candidature is retained for interview, you will be required to provide, in advance, a scanned copy of the degree(s)/diploma(s)/certificate(s) required for this position.

WHO only considers higher educational qualifications obtained from an institution accredited/recognized in the World Higher Education Database (WHED), a list updated by the International Association of Universities (IAU)/United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

The list can be accessed through the link: http://www.whed.net/. Some professional certificates may not appear in the WHED and will require individual review.

• For information on WHO’s operations please visit: http://www.who.int.
• WHO is committed to workforce diversity.
• WHO has a smoke-free environment and does not recruit smokers or users of any form of tobacco.
• Applications from women and from nationals of non and underrepresented Member States are particularly encouraged.
• WHO prides itself on a workforce that adheres to the highest ethical and professional standards and that is committed to put the WHO Values Charter into practice.

• WHO has zero tolerance towards sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA), sexual harassment and other types of abusive conduct (i.e., discrimination, abuse of authority and harassment).

All members of the WHO workforce have a role to play in promoting a safe and respectful workplace and should report to WHO any actual or suspected cases of SEA, sexual harassment and other types of abusive conduct. To ensure that individuals with a substantiated history of SEA, sexual harassment or other types of abusive conduct are not hired by the Organization, WHO will conduct a background verification of final candidates.

• Consultants shall perform the work as independent contractors in a personal capacity, and not as a representative of any entity or authority.

The execution of the work under a consultant contract does not create an employer/employee relationship between WHO and the Consultant.

• WHO shall have no responsibility whatsoever for any taxes, duties, social security contributions or other contributions payable by the Consultant.

The Consultant shall be solely responsible for withholding and paying any taxes, duties, social security contributions and any other contributions which are applicable to the Consultant in each location/jurisdiction in which the work hereunder is performed, and the Consultant shall not be entitled to any reimbursement thereof by WHO.

• Consultants working in Switzerland must register with the applicable Swiss cantonal tax authorities and social security authorities, within the prescribed timeframes (Guidelines issued by the Swiss Mission are available at: https://www.eda.admin.ch/missions/mission-onu-geneve/en/home/manual-regime-privileges-and-immunities/introduction/Manuel-personnes-sans-privileges-et-immunites-carte-H/Non fonctionnaires et stagiaires.html

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Good luck!