Laboratory Quality Management Advisor

TITLE: Laboratory Quality Management Advisor

REPORTING TO: Surveillance Project Director

LOCATION: Lusaka, Zambia.

ASSIGNMENT LENGTH: 6 months, with a possibility for extension depending on funding.

BACKGROUND:

The University of California ,San Francisco (UCSF) and its subcontractor, the Population Council Zambia, in collaboration with the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Zambia, and the Ministry of Health Zambia, will be providing support for the rollout of a recent infection testing algorithm (RITA) for detection of recent infection and estimation of HIV incidence. The Project is called the Zambia HIV Recent Infection Surveillance (HIV Recency Project: Z-HRP).

This activity will expand on a recent pilot HIV recency study among pregnant adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) in the DREAMS (Determined, Resilient, Empowered, AIDS-Free, Mentored, and Safe women) program (Working Together for an AIDS-free Future for Girls and Women).

Expanding HIV recency testing from AGYM to the general population at DREAMS sites, a sample of blood from individuals (men and women) who newly test HIV positive at HTS sites in 2 districts will be consented and tested using a RITA that will include a rapid test for recent infection (RTRI) and a viral load (VL) test. Routinely collected demographic data from study participants will be abstracted onto a surveillance data collection form.

The Population Council will provide on-the-ground support for the preparation and implementation of this project. To support the implementation of this project, the Population Council seeks applications for the position of Laboratory Quality Control Management Advisor.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

The Laboratory Quality Management Advisor will be responsible for developing and implementing quality assurance (QA) procedures related to all specimen collection and processing, specifically:

• In consultation with project PIs, developing SOPs for ensuring laboratory data quality control and assurance.
• In compliance with study protocol and SOPs, providing oversight on procedures related to quality laboratory sample collection from study sites, samples transfer, timely processing, consistency, and plausibility of test results, identifying inaccuracy of laboratory data against reference values, and systematic study samples archival.
• Ensuring security and availability of all laboratory test reagents, reporting on supplies forecasts, stock levels, and shelf life expiry.
• Undertaking other duties related to Z-HRP laboratory project management, specimens, availability and quality of test kits and reagents, laboratory quality practice, and data quality assurance and control, as assigned by the Project Lead, PIs, and/or Country Director.
• Supporting local procurement of test kits and lab reagents and supervising CQI Officers.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• A Master’s degree in Biomedical/Laboratory Sciences, Health Science, or Epidemiology;


• Experience in conducting biomedical/laboratory data quality assurance;


• Sharp attention to detail and high personal standards for quality and thoroughness;


• Superior communication skills, including an excellent track record of report writing and command of the English language, written and verbal;


• The ability to work independently without needing day-to-day supervision and as part of the research team functioning under tight deadlines;


• While based in Lusaka, incumbent must be willing to monitor quality assurance practices and quality data collection from the field;


• The holder of this position will ensure that all laboratory data collected are consistent with the research deliverables in the project protocol.

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