Technical Advisor – Laboratory Systems Enhancement

The Maryland Global Initiatives Corporation (MGIC) is seeking a Technical Advisor for its Laboratory strengthening Program in Mozambique. The Laboratory Systems Enhancement for AIDS Pandemic Control (LAPSEC) Program aims to provide direct technical assistance and support to enhance laboratory institutional capacity and laboratory technical personnel competencies for greater granularity of individual and site performance in patient diagnosis and care monitoring of HIV and opportunistic diseases such as TB.

Key Responsibilities

• Act as mentor for implementation of TB diagnostics and new technologies at reference laboratories and TB lab network
• Establish and coordinate a peer review mechanism on laboratory quality systems in different laboratories with focus on TB
• Assist the Ministry of Health (MoH) to organize training and capacity building activities on TB (microscopy, GeneXpert, culture, drug susceptibility testing, sequencing, External Quality Assessment (EQA)
• Assist MoH in the expansion and strengthening of the EQA, including the adoption of the EQA database and utilization of results towards continuous quality improvement
• Support design of laboratory-based operational research to be conducted at national level;
• Provide technical support in designing laboratory strengthening initiatives, including implementation of SLMTA schemes and workshops
• Conduct site supervision and provide technical assistance to laboratory personnel;
• Participate and represent UMB in planning and discussion of the technical working group of TB lab at central level
• Assist with the development of technical reports (monthly, quarterly and semi-annual) for submission to CDC and UMB
• Participate in COVID-19 responses as indicated by UMB in collaboration with CDC Mozambique and the Mozambique MOH
• Liaise with the UMB/MGIC teams and other key stakeholders;

Qualifications

• Training in Medical Laboratory Sciences with Masters in Medical Laboratory Sciences, Public Health or Epidemiology, with at least 5 of years of hands-on experience
• At least 5 years’ experience in: Setting up laboratories and implementing quality management systems, Planning, implementing and coordinating projects/programs at national and provincial levels, Facilitating workshops and meetings at the national and provincial levels, Developing policies, guidelines and procedures for laboratory programs and Conducting operational and scientific research
• Knowledge and familiarity with laboratory quality systems, biosafety, and tuberculosis diagnostics including new molecular techniques.
• Extensive knowledge and experience in laboratory mentorship and in the Strengthening Laboratory Management Towards Accreditation (SLMTA) schemes
• Fluency in Portuguese and English

About Us

The Maryland Global Initiatives Corporation (MGIC) is an international non-profit affiliate of the University of Maryland, Baltimore that supports CIHEB to strengthen health systems and reduce the spread and impact of HIV/AIDS. Currently, MGIC has offices in Botswana, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Nigeria, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Zambia.

Our Core Values are at the heart of our mission to improve the human condition through teaching, research and service.