Research assistant / PhD candidate

World Organisation for Animal Health; Paris; Sur place; EUR 27 000 - 29 000; Plein temps

Avantages offerts par ce poste

Salary above €2k/month

Résumé du poste

World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) invites applications for a Research Assistant / PhD candidate in Paris to assess the impact of WOAH standards uptake on animal health outcomes. The role is hosted in the Data Integration & Analytics Department (DIAD) and coordinated with INRAE scientists, with multi-year scope and a joint supervision model.

The successful candidate will design quantitative studies, integrate diverse data sources, and contribute to publications and policy briefs for

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in statistics, econometrics, economics, epidemiology, data science, or a related quantitative discipline.
• Proficiency in at least one statistical programming language (R, Python, Stata).
• Excellent written and oral communication skills in English.

Responsabilités

• Design and conduct the multi-year research project assessing WOAH standards uptake on animal health outcomes.
• Engage in expert interviews and elicitation with WOAH specialists and authorities.
• Develop a statistical modelling framework and produce policy-relevant outputs.

Connaissances

Statistical programming (R/Python/St"a

Independent research & writing

English communication

Formation

Master’s degree in statistics/epidemiology/economics/data science

Description du poste

Research assistant / PhD candidate – Assessing the Impact of the Uptake of WOAH Standards on Animal Health Outcomes – Data Integration & Analytics Department – WOAH HQ

Paris, France

Context

The World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH – founded as OIE) is a leading intergovernmental organisation representing 183 Members worldwide. Through its activities, WOAH makes a decisive contribution to improving animal health, protecting animal welfare and strengthening Veterinary Services. The Organisation provides transparent information on world’s animal health situation, and promotes international standards, particularly in terms of the safety of trade in live animals and animal products. More information can be found on WOAH’s website.

Joining WOAH means taking part in the development of one of the leading international organisations, recognised and associated with other multilateral institutions, in the field of worldwide health. It means helping to build a global approach to health, combining animal and human health in a “One Health” approach. It means joining teams motivated by the impact of their actions, the sense of their collective commitment and their recognised professionalism in their respective fields of expertise.

WOAH’s headquarters are based in Paris. The Organisation is present on every continent through 13 Regional or Sub-regional Representations. WOAH has 250 staff members, two-thirds of whom are based at headquarters.

The Data Integration & Analytics Department (DIAD) leads the data management and analytics efforts of the organisation. DIAD is hosting a doctoral research project, provisionally titled “Assessing the Impact of the Uptake of WOAH Standards on Animal Health Outcomes”, funded by the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Trade. The project will draw on quantitative data analysis, expert engagement, and advanced statistical modelling to generate rigorous, policy-relevant evidence on the impact of WOAH standards adoption on animal health outcomes across countries and over time.

The research will include both data-driven investigations and more structured approaches based on economic modelling to integrate the behaviors of farmers, veterinaries and national health authorities.

The research assistant / doctoral candidate will be enrolled in the Doctoral School of Economics, Management, Geography and Spatial Planning – Brittany (École Doctorale Économie, Gestion, Géographie et Aménagement – Bretagne, ED597 EDGE-Bretagne; https://ed-edge.doctorat-bretagne.fr/presentation-de-lecole-doctorale-edge) and will be jointly supervised by scientists from Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement (INRAE), Unité Mixte de Recherche Structures et Marchés Agricoles, Ressources et Territoires (UMR SMART) and Unité Mixte de Recherche Biologie, Épidémiologie et Analyse de Risque en santé animale (UMR BIOEPAR). WOAH is seeking to recruit the doctoral candidate who will carry out this research while embedded in the DIAD team.

Job Description

Positioning and reporting

Under the authority of WOAH’s Deputy Director General (Standard Setting and Implementation), and the direct supervision of the Head of the Data Integration & Analytics Department (DIAD). The Research assistant will be jointly supervised academically by INRAE scientists (UMR SMART and UMR BIOEPAR) and will work in close collaboration with these supervisors and relevant WOAH technical teams.

Job purpose

The research assistant will design and conduct a multi-year research project assessing the impact of the uptake of WOAH standards on animal health outcomes. Hosted within DIAD and jointly supervised by INRAE scientists, they will take scientific ownership of the research across three interconnected work streams: quantitative analysis of WOAH and external data, structured expert engagement and elicitation, and the integration of data and expert knowledge within a coherent statistical framework. Different options will be tested to design this framework that may integrate more or less structured assumptions based on economic modelling and epidemiology. The research assistant will ensure that research is conducted to the highest scientific standards and will be responsible for delivering peer-reviewed publications, policy briefs, and other outputs relevant to WOAH Members, the European Commission, and international partners.

Missions and activities

Design and conduct the quantitative research

• Develop a conceptual framework formalising the causal pathways linking WOAH standards uptake to animal health outcomes, identifying key confounders, effect modifiers, and data requirements. This step may include revision and recategorization of Observatory Monitoring Indicators, currently considered monitoring level of uptake of WOAH Terrestrial and Aquatic Animal Health Codes. Key variables and indicators of the conceptual framework are to be identified and selected with the help of experts and a dedicated literature review. To some extend the formalisation of causal pathways may rely on economic modelling that integrate the behaviours of actors (farms, firms and public authorities) and their interactions.
• Identify, retrieve, and critically assess relevant data from WOAH systems and external sources, and ensure their fitness for purpose through appropriate cleaning, harmonisation, and documentation.
• Design the study and select analytical methods appropriate to the research questions, the structure of available data, and the inferential objectives of the project, with a view to supporting credible causal conclusions.
• Conduct the analyses, assess the robustness of findings, and document all methodological choices transparently to ensure reproducibility.

Design and conduct expert interviews and elicitation

• Design and implement a strategy to engage WOAH specialists, national veterinary authorities, and external domain experts across diverse geographical and institutional contexts.
• Design, pilot, and conduct semi-structured expert interviews to elicit views on mechanisms, implementation challenges, and contextual factors influencing standards uptake and impact.
• Perform systematic analysis of interview material to identify recurring patterns and causal narratives.
• Design and implement formal expert elicitation protocols where quantitative expert judgements are needed to complement observational data.

Integrate evidence and develop the statistical modelling framework

• Develop a statistical modelling framework to jointly analyse observational data and expert-elicited information, allowing uncertainty to be propagated transparently and heterogeneity to be explicitly modelled.
• Produce estimates and probabilistic statements that are directly relevant to policy decision-making, and support scenario analyses and counterfactual simulations as appropriate.

Disseminate findings and contribute to departmental activities

• Prepare and submit at least two peer-reviewed publications and contribute to policy briefs for WOAH Members and the European Commission.
• Present findings at scientific conferences and WOAH events.

Requirements

Qualifications and Experience

Required Qualifications

• A Master’s degree (or equivalent) in statistics, econometrics, economics, epidemiology, data science, or a related quantitative discipline;
• Strong foundation in statistical inference, quantitative research methods, and study design;
• Proficiency in at least one statistical programming language (R, Python, Stata);
• Demonstrated capacity for independent research and academic writing;
• Excellent written and oral communication skills in English.

Additional Qualifications

• Prior knowledge or training in causal inference and impact evaluation methods;
• Familiarity with Bayesian statistical methods;
• Experience with qualitative research methods, including semi-structured interviewing or thematic analysis;
• Knowledge of animal health, public health, or veterinary systems;
• Experience working in or with international or intergovernmental organisations;
• Knowledge of French or Spanish (WOAH official languages).

Required Skills

Technical Skills

• Understanding of study design principles and their application in observational and quasi-experimental settings;
• Ability to critically evaluate the strengths and limitations of different analytical approaches in relation to the research question;
• Ability to write clean, documented, and reproducible analysis code in R, Python or Stata;
• Capacity to identify, critically assess, and integrate data from diverse and heterogeneous sources;
• Ability to clearly present and communicate complex quantitative findings to both technical and non-technical audiences;
• Good command of standard office and collaboration tools (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, SharePoint or equivalent).

Interpersonal Skills

• Highly self-motivated, with the ability to work independently and manage a multi-year research project;
• Strong attention to detail alongside an ability to maintain sight of overarching research and policy objectives;
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships in a multinational and multicultural environment;
• Proactive and constructive approach to problem-solving under uncertainty;
• Demonstrated commitment to scientific rigour, transparency, and research integrity;
• Team player, willing to contribute flexibly to the broader activities of the department.

Additional Information

Working conditions

Full-time position based at WOAH Headquarters in Paris that requires long hours in a seated position at a computer.

Salary: 2,447.12€ gross / month

Contract Type: WOAH Staff – Fixed-term contract.

Duration: Three (3) years (subject to funding confirmation by the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Trade, DG TRADE)

Start date: as soon as possible

Location: WOAH Headquarters, 12 rue de Prony, 75017 Paris, France.

General Information

WOAH places high value on a multicultural and positive work environment.

WOAH is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes all qualified candidates, irrespective of their origin, gender, opinions or beliefs.

All applications will be reviewed after the closing date of the publication.