Job description

CIRAD (the French Agricultural Research Centre for International Development) produces and shares new knowledge to support agricultural innovation and development in developing countries with its partners. Its main aim is to forge sustainable agricultural practices in tropical and Mediterranean regions that are adapted to climate change with the capacity to feed 10 billion human beings in 2050 while also preserving the environment. 

You will take part in supporting the UMR ASTRE epidemiology team in section 3 of its project: Monitoring and controlling diseases, health management and, as part of the major cross-cutting works of the unit: management of peste des petits ruminants (PPR), antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and livestock-wild fauna interface.

You will mainly be in charge of developing methodological activities on epidemiological surveys and tools to collect health data and information on the drivers of cross-border diseases for the purposes of improving the nature and quality of the collected data. 
You will work in close collaboration with epidemiologists, modelling specialists, socio-economists and disease experts in the unit and its partners in the South. 
You will make a major contribution to the development of integrated approaches to animal health, particularly as part of the implementation of the global PPR eradication strategy in West Africa.
You will take part in designing training in this area and you may be required to take part as a trainer with the support of other members of the unit and the training and/or teaching platform 
Finally, you may be required to contribute to reports (monitoring protocol, data analysis, risk analysis, etc.) under projects implemented by the unit.
More specifically, you will take part in the following:
• Preparation, monitoring and analysis of epidemiological surveys (including household surveys) in collaboration with the Veterinary Services, diagnosis laboratories and other partners in the field;
• Establishing monitoring and control strategies and epidemiological assessment of these strategies.
• Implementing risk analyses and developing a monitoring and control survey and strategy based on the risk 
• Developing surveys and analysing data collected for the purposes of improving the monitoring systems
• Participating in the development and/or coordination of a regional animal health network.

Desired profiled

• initial training in veterinary medicine, agricultural science or biology/population ecology.
• University thesis (PhD) in epidemiology.
• At least 5 years of professional experience in epidemiology.
• Proven expert knowledge of biostatistics, particularly with regard to sampling methods, the linear model and its generalisations with regard to count data, geographical information systems and participatory epidemiology methods.
• Experience in health monitoring and evaluating monitoring systems would be an advantage.
• Knowledge of integrated (systemic) health approaches: One Health/EcoHealth
• Experience of partnerships with developing countries would be an advantage 
• Command of French and English (speaking, reading and writing).
• Enthusiasm for fieldwork.
• Enthusiasm for work in an interdisciplinary team (microbiology, epidemiology, ecology, economic and social sciences, etc.).
• Ability to adapt to an expatriate lifestyle in developing countries.

Position constraints

Work in a tropical/humid/subtropical area
Frequent travel in France and abroad
more than 4 hours of screen work