Senior Public Health Officer/ Public Health Officer (Modelling)

COMMUNICABLE DISEASES AGENCY; Singapore; On-site; SGD 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

A public health agency in Singapore is seeking a dedicated officer to work in their Advanced Methods and Analytics Division. The role involves developing and deploying mathematical models for infectious disease dynamics, developing actions for public health decision-making. The ideal candidate should have a quantitative background, at least 3 years of experience, and programming skills in Python or R. Strong communication and analytical skills are essential to synthesize evidence and present insights effectively.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 3 years of relevant experience in modelling infectious disease dynamics or in a comparable specialism.
• Demonstrated experience in programming languages like PYTHON or R.
• Ability to identify and solve complex problems independently.

Responsibilities

• Develop models to address key national communicable disease concerns.
• Partner with stakeholders to tackle project-related questions.
• Prepare and present project outputs to stakeholders.

Skills

Programming in PYTHON

Programming in R

Analytical thinking

Strong communication skills

Problem-solving

Education

Education in quantitative discipline (mathematics, physics, computational biology, or economics)

Job description

What the role is

As an officer in the Advanced Methods and Analytics Division, you will be part of a team that conducts infectious disease modelling to inform national policy development, surveillance and preparedness. This role requires not only relevant technical expertise but preferably a broad scientific knowledge of infectious diseases as well. You will be working in a fast-paced and dynamic environment that would require the ability to manage multiple priorities and stakeholders at the same time.

What you will be working on

You will develop and deploy cutting-edge mathematical models on infectious disease related projects. Your work will transform complex data into clear, actionable insights that support evidence-based public health decision making and interventions. The core areas of work will include, but are not limited to:

• Nowcasting and forecasting: Predicting infectious disease dynamics in real-time.
• Scenario modelling: Simulating potential outcomes of different disease scenarios, public health strategies and interventions.
• Long‑term projections: Deriving long‑term disease burden and making future‑looking predictions.

What we are looking for

Key Job Responsibilities

• Develop and deploy infectious disease transmission‑dynamic models to address key national communicable disease concerns.
• Partner with stakeholders to design, develop and address project‑related questions, identify knowledge gaps, and address key gaps through appropriate analysis.
• Adapt and extend existing state‑of‑the‑art models, or design and build new models where appropriate.
• Parameterise models by analysis of appropriate data and literature review.
• Synthesise evidence from literature, surveillance and other data sources to understand the natural history and epidemiology of infection, and the effectiveness of control measures.
• Prepare and present project outputs to stakeholders

Job Requirements

• Minimally recognised education in a quantitative discipline (e.g. mathematics, physics, computational biology or economics).
• Minimum 3 years of relevant experience in modelling infectious disease dynamics or in a comparable specialism.
• Demonstrated experience of programming in PYTHON and/or R, or any other directly transferrable language e.g. C++.
• Ability to identify, frame, formulate and solve problems, make judgments based on analysis and interpretation of complex data or situations, as well as assess and devise appropriate responses.
• Ability to work with considerable initiative and independence and as a team member in a multidisciplinary team.
• Ability to communicate highly complex ideas, methods, and disseminate results clearly and succinctly to a wide audience of varying technical levels, including non‑technical audience.

Attributes and aptitude

• Analytical thinking.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills.
• Problem‑solving and decision‑making capabilities.
• Strategic thinking and planning abilities.
• Collaborative mindset.

As part of the shortlisting process for this role, candidates may be required to complete a medical declaration and/or undergo further assessment.