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Job Title: Field Veterinarian: epidemiology/disease ecology
EcoHealth Alliance seeks an adventurous, highly organized, collaborative and self-driven veterinary epidemiologist to work internationally under our disease ecology and pandemic prevention programs. This position offers an opportunity to join an interdisciplinary program staff and work within a variety of cutting edge international research projects. The successful candidate will be responsible for implementing field-based research under a variety of global programs related to emerging diseases, wildlife trade, and reducing pandemic risk, including, but not limited to the USAID PREDICT program. The Field Veterinarian will participate in project development and implementation, data analysis, scientific manuscript and report writing, and grant writing. The candidate should expect to spend between significant amounts of time (5-7 months) travelling internationally in support of new and ongoing international field projects. When not travelling, the candidate will be based at EHA headquarters in New York City.
Responsibilities will include working with, and in some cases developing, local field teams to conduct biological surveillance and research related to zoonotic pathogens in wildlife, livestock, and human populations. Prior experience working with free-ranging bats, nonhuman primates, or rodents is desired, but not necessary. The Field Veterinarian will coordinate and run training workshops and other capacity-building activities in various partner countries. International locations may include countries in South Asia, Southeast Asia, West Africa, Egypt, and Jordan. The position will also require interaction with local government officials and in-country US government personnel (e.g. US Embassy, USAID, CDC), often at high level. Therefore, the successful candidate must have maturity, diplomacy, and excellent interpersonal skills, as well as cultural awareness and sensitivity. The successful candidate will have experience working under challenging field conditions and a demonstrated aptitude for creative problem solving and working through logistical challenges. In addition to working in the aforementioned locations, the Field Veterinarian should be prepared to support other EHA projects and programs as needed. The candidate will be expected to be proactive in developing collaborations both within EcoHealth Alliance and externally to both strengthen current projects and develop new research projects that fit with the mission and direction of EcoHealth Alliance.
Description and Responsibilities The responsibilities of this position include: • Refine, expand, and develop EHA field programs in zoonotic disease research • Implement the safe, ethical and humane collection of high-quality wildlife, domestic animal, or human biological samples in partner countries with local collaborators, according to established protocols. • Ensure best practices in appropriate safety, personal protection, and safe and humane animal handling practices by EHA field personnel through training and periodic re-training. • Assist with and develop other projects within the EcoHealth Alliance’s portfolio related to Emerging Infectious Diseases • Act as the key liaison with in-country collaborators, including both scientists and policy-makers • Maintain and develop new relationships with local collaborators, including government officials • Help generate quarterly and/or annual reports to funders. • Obtain necessary US and local permits and permissions, including ethical approval, to conduct research (e.g. IRB and IACUC), animal sampling, as well as to ship biological samples internationally. • Have responsibility for some grant management and program coordination • Present research at scientific conferences; meetings, and EHA outreach events • International and domestic travel will be required to locations that may include the following: Europe, West and Northern Africa, the Middle East, South and Southeast Asia, and South and Central America. Expect to spend approximately 5-7 months per year in the field and the remainder of the time coordinating projects from the New York headquarters.
Qualifications • Minimum of a doctoral degree (or equivalent) in: Veterinary Medicine. Additional Master’s in Public Health, Epidemiology, or related sciences with a focus on infectious disease is a plus. • Minimum of three years international field experience related to the study of infectious disease and including the collection of biological samples from free-ranging wildlife (experience in the aforementioned EHA project locations and with bats, rodents or nonhuman primates is a plus) • Understanding of molecular biology / some lab experience a plus • Previous experience writing grant applications and with grant administration • Previous experience training international teams mandatory • Willing to travel internationally for long periods of time • Publications in peer-reviewed scientific journals • Excellent interpersonal and oral and written communication skills • Fluency in English (proficiency in additional languages is a plus) • Cultural awareness and sensitivity • Proven ability to work independently under challenging field conditions
• A strong sense of team spirit and collaboration • A sense of humor • An understanding of the One Health framework and links between human and animal health and ecosystems
EcoHealth Alliance is an equal opportunity employer that offers a competitive salary and a comprehensive benefit package including health, dental, and vision coverage, and a 403(b) pension plan. For further information about EcoHealth Alliance, please visit our website: www.ecohealthalliance.org
How to Apply: Send an email a single attachment labeled with your first and last name only (“first last.pdf”) in PDF format containing with (a) a cover letter, (b) CV, and (c) three references to [email protected] with "EHA 2016 FIELD VETERINARIAN" in the subject line. Emails without the subject line or with multiple attachments will not be received. No formal text is required within the body of your email, since emails will not be evaluated. All inquires will receive an automatic response confirming receipt. Applicants will be evaluated and only appropriate candidates will be contacted.
Thank you for your interest in EcoHealth Alliance!