About the position
Background:
- Wits Health Consortium (Pty) Limited ("WHC") is a wholly-owned Company of the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg (South Africa) under its Faculty of Health Sciences
- WHC provides Faculty with a legal framework within which to operate the research and other activities necessary to support its academic objectives
- In addition, WHC offers a range of products and services to Academics
Division: Wastewater Genomics
Main purpose of the job:
- To provide epidemiological expertise in data management, research and epidemiological analysis
Location:
Key performance areas:
Oversee data management for routine wastewater testing using RedCap and R/Rstudio
- Chair weekly data quality meetings
- Conduct a baseline, then weekly assessments of data quality in the wastewater and environmental surveillance RedCap database
- Work with the Laboratory team to identify, correct data inaccuracies, and gaps in data
- In collaboration with Sample Collectors, Laboratory Technicians and Scientists, co-ordinate streamlining of data management procedures to ensure ongoing data quality
- Apply existing and new R-scripts to report on data process indicators in a weekly data quality report
- Co-operate with all CVI and WGS team members to achieve a collegial and supportive team environment for high-quality data management
Epidemiological analysis and reporting
- Generate analysis using existing and newly developed R-scripts to describe trends in detection and quantification of diseases under wastewater and clinical surveillance by NICD/CVI (including but not limited to measles, rubella, HAV, HEV, influenza, Mpox, tuberculosis)
- Create narrative and graphical reports in power point slides, or in other software using the above analyses for publication on dashboards or the NICD and other websites
- Provide ad hoc reports for Public Health Officials as required by surveillance findings
- Supervise a Surveillance Officer, provide technical insights, management and provide other day-to-day epidemiological support
- Present wastewater and CVI clinical reports at the NICD weekly epidemiological meeting
- Provide support for wastewater dashboard development by using existing R-scripts and develop new R-scripts for NICD/CVI pathogens (including but not limited to measles, rubella, HAV, HEV, influenza, Mpox, tuberculosis)
- Co-operate professionally with all CVI, WGS team members and other NICD staff to achieve these objectives
- Communicate WGS outputs by reporting on findings at internal NICD and external platforms, (including academic meetings, technical working groups, conferences and international meetings) to appropriate Stakeholders including academia, public health authorities, local, provincial and national government and international interest groups
- Together with NICD/WGS and international Collaborators, to conduct analyses, literature reviews and write manuscripts for the publication of findings in peer-reviewed literature
- Conduct training on epidemiological aspects of wastewater and environmental surveillance, including clinical surveillance to attendees at training courses, online seminars and other events as required
Research
- Develop research protocols, submit ethics applications, implement or oversee implementation
- Collect and manage data, conduct analysis and write reports pertaining to Investigator-led experiments to support the wastewater and environmental surveillance data-to-policy agenda (1 day/week)
- Collaborate with CVI, WGS, other NICD staff and international Collaborators in support the above activities
Required minimum education and training:
- Master of Science in Epidemiology or Biostatistics
Required minimum work experience:
- Minimum 1 years’ relevant experience in a research environment
Desirable additional education, work experience and personal abilities:
- MPH/MSc in field Epidemiology or MSc in Biostatistics
- Training in RedCap (Basic)
- Training in R/R studio (Medium to advanced)
- Demonstrate effective self-management by taking ownership for driving own career development
- Ability to take ownership and accountability for tasks & activities
- Strong conflict resolution skills
- Must be able to work in a team
- Must be able to maintain a positive attitude and respond openly to feedback
TO APPLY:
- Only if you meet the minimum job requirements and experience as mentioned above, you may submit a detailed updated CV and a cover letter (maximum one page) with two contactable references
- Please Apply Online and complete your registration via our website to enable and protect you as a candidate, and to accept the new POPIA terms and conditions
- This will then create your permanent profile with which you can apply for all jobs as advertised by AJ PERSONNEL
- However, you may remove your profile from AJ PERSONNEL when you are no longer in the job market
- Please take note that the applicants who do not adhere to the above criteria will not be considered for the respective position
- Wits Health Consortium will only respond to shortlisted candidates
- Candidates who have not been contacted within two weeks of the closing date can consider their applications to be unsuccessful
- Closing date: 04 September 2026
- Note: No CV will be accepted after the closing date
Please note:
- WHC, in accordance with its Employment Equity goals and plan, will give preference to suitable applicants from designated groups as defined in the Employment Equity Act 55 of 1998 and subsequent amendments thereto
- AJ Personnel is only responsible for advertising and the response handling on behalf of their client Wits Health Consortium
- AJ Personnel does not have any salary or other information regarding the position
Desired Skills:
- Epidemiologist
- Research
- Data Management
- RedCap
- Sandringham
- Masters degree
- Epidemiology
