Tuberculosis Laboratory Advisor - Indonesia

Management Sciences for Health (MSH) is seeking a Lab Advisor for USAID BEBAS-TB 5-years activity having the aim of reducing TB incidence and mortality by supporting the Indonesian government to address the critical gaps and challenges of the TB program. This Activity will build on the work of previous USAID activities and current projects to achieve its goal. BEBAS-TB’s support will focus on improving access and utilization to quality and patient centered comprehensive TB services.

OVERALL RESPONSIBILITIES:

The TB Laboratory advisor responsibilities will include overall strategic planning, coordination, and technical direction of laboratory activities for the Activity to ensure quality assured laboratory services provided to the beneficiaries. As the laboratory is an essential component in the continuum of TB diagnosis, care and treatment, s/he will work closely with the other senior technical experts, as well as with the M & E team to ensure progress is being achieved towards ensuring quality laboratory services.

The TB Laboratory Advisor will assist reference laboratories to strengthen the External Quality Assessment (EQA) and Q/A systems for AFB microscopy, and culture/DST labs. S/he will contribute to improved lab services based on EQA findings. S/he establishes, and/or reinforces innovative protocols for sample transport of sputum samples to GeneXpert and culture labs.

The TB Laboratory Advisor will ensure that effective lab systems are put in place to support reliable, user-friendly and accessible TB Program of the MOH to ensure that laboratory supervisory and monitoring systems, training, commodity and equipment management, standard operating procedures are appropriately introduced, strengthened, and sustained. They will be lab technical lead for the BEBAS-TB activity and build the capacity of the provincial lab experts of the BEBAS-TB Activity, public and private health facilities.

The TB Laboratory Advisor will be expected to maintain MSH’s professional and procurement integrity standards in all activities.

SPECIFIC RESPONSIBILITIES

• Perform other duties as required.
• Develop close working relationships with the MoH lab departments and other stakeholders that have responsibility for strengthening and improving TB microscopy, mWRDs and culture capacity nationally. Adapt existing procedures in place in the laboratories to meet the needs of health facilities.
• Develop/implement tools for lab reporting as part of lab network strengthening and build capacity of staff in data management for decision making
• Ensure that the standard NTP Laboratory Information System (TB lab register) is employed at all microscopy, mWRDs, culture/DST sites. In addition, set up systems to capture both commodity use and specimen workload data.
• Develop/strengthen innovative protocols for sputum transportation from the health facilities in a safe and secure way to ensure viability of samples, timely testing in labs and prompt notification of results.
• Communicate with other partners working to strengthen labs and ensure that laboratory activities are coordinated with the national, provincial a,nd district level.
• Together with NTP, provide supportive supervision and on-site mentorship/coaching of lab staff.
• Provide support to labs to implement AFB, mWRDS, and culture external quality assessment (EQA) and support supervision systems for TB laboratories.
• Coordinate with culture/DST and health facility laboratories to ensure that laboratory personnel are trained on the appropriate and updated TB laboratory standards and support health facilities to achieve these standards during supportive supervision visits.
• Support the NTP in training and technical assistance as well as programmatic implementation of mWRDs, culture/DST, and other molecular techniques.
• Actively participate in operational research (OR) related to lab diagnostics.
• Ensure that all supported laboratories implement and follow internationally recognized TB laboratory biosafety practices to ensure the safety of staff, patients and the public. Ensure appropriate disposal of sputum specimens and other infectious material.
• Work with NTP in TB lab commodities specifications, procurement and inventory management implementation.
• Work with NTP and Lab departments to assist in the Training-of-Trainers(ToT) program for TB microscopy, mWRDs and culture/DST.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Willingness to travel frequently (up to 50% time) within Indonesia required.
• Knowledge of and experience in laboratory capacity building, monitoring and supervision.
• Familiarity with and experience in implementing local and national laboratory quality assessment, quality assurance and accreditation systems, including the ISO accreditation standards and accreditation process.
• Experience working with the Indonesian diagnostic laboratory system is essential
• Understanding and working knowledge of the role of the laboratory in TB prevention, care and treatment, TB/HIV, and Programmatic Management of Drug-resistant TB (PMDT)
• Be registered with the appropriate regulatory authorities.
• Fluency in written and spoken English and local language is required.
• Excellent communication, and interpersonal skills, demonstrated leadership, and the ability to work collaboratively with culturally diverse partners.
• A minimum of 7 years post-qualification experience, 10 years of progressively responsible experience preferred, with responsibilities in each of the following areas:
• Providing technical leadership and support to national and peripheral laboratories;
• Interacting with donors, implementing partners and host country governments. Past experience working with USAID an added advantage.
• MSc (PhD preferred) in Medical Laboratory Science or related field, from an accredited college or university. A qualification in public health is an added advantage.
• Knowledge and experience of the managerial, financial, human resource, infrastructural and systems requirements for ensuring the operation and sustainability of TB laboratory services in a Indonesian setting
• Computer literacy; competency with Microsoft Office, internet and email systems.
• Ability to work independently as well as in collaboration with colleagues and partners.
• Knowledge of and recent experience in laboratory equipment and commodity management, including new TB diagnostic technologies, with particular reference to those required for scale-up of TB diagnosis and PMDT.

MSH is an equal opportunity employer and will not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment on the basis of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender or gender identity, religion, creed, citizenship, national origin, age, veteran status, or disability unrelated to job requirements. MSH will take affirmative action to ensure that qualified applicants are employed and that employees are treated without regard to their race, age, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran and disability status. In compliance with U.S. Department of Labor Executive Order 11246, Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act, and Section 4212 of the Vietnam Era Readjustment Assistance Act, MSH has developed and maintains an affirmative action program and plan.