PAHO Consultant - IPC on Regional Epidemic Intelligence

Pan American Sanitary Bureau; United States; On-site; USD 46,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) seeks an International PAHO Consultant on Regional Epidemic Intelligence to support daily operation of regional epidemic intelligence activities, including detection, verification, risk assessment, information sharing and response with a focus on foodborne events.

The consultant will contribute to the HIM Health Emergencies Information & Risk Assessment Unit, align with the Epidemic Intelligence Strategy 2024–2029, and may travel regionally; duties are

Qualifications

• At least seven years of combined national and international experience in epidemiology, surveillance, early warning, or related fields within the context of public health emergencies or health systems strengthening.
• Experience supporting the development, review, or implementation of national surveillance for early detection and response.
• Providing technical assistance to Ministries of Health or similar institutions, particularly in the areas of communicable diseases.
• Designing or advising on training materials related to surveillance.
• Coordinating with multi-stakeholder teams and managing follow-up processes across multiple countries.
• Drafting technical documents and synthesizing recommendations aligned with global frameworks.

Responsibilities

• Analytical methodology for triangulation of enteric foodborne-related event information. Deliverable: develop a practical analytical methodology for examining convergence and discrepancies across data sources. Due date: 31 December 2027.
• Decision-support framework for the use of triangulated evidence in epidemic intelligence. Deliverable: translate findings into outputs including escalation and public health action guidance.
• Applied case studies on data triangulation for enteric foodborne-related events. Deliverable: set of case studies across verification, investigation, risk assessment, and IHR-related communication.

Skills

Epidemiology

Surveillance

Early warning

Community engagement

Multi-country coordination

Technical reporting

Education

Master's degree in social sciences, public health, or related area

Job description

OBJECTIVE OF THE OFFICE/DEPARTMENT

This is a requisition for employment at the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO)/Regional Office of the World Health Organization (WHO) Contractual Agreement: Non-Staff - International PAHO Consultant Job Posting: November 4, 2026 Closing Date: November 13, 2026, 11:59 PM Eastern Time Primary Location: Off Site Organization: HIM Health Emergencies Information and Risk Assessment Schedule: Full time

PURPOSE OF CONSULTANCY

Position Title: International PAHO Consultant on Regional Epidemic Intelligence Purpose of contract: The purpose of this consultancy is to support the day-to-day operation of the regional epidemic intelligence activity, including detection, verification, risk assessment, information dissemination and response, with a special focus in foodborne-related events within the scope of US CDC Grant Y4. Background and description of deliverables: The objective of the Health Emergencies Department (PHE) of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO/WHO) is to increase health sector resilience to emergencies and disasters. PHE assists Member States to strengthen the health sector's capacities in prevention, risk reduction, preparedness, surveillance, response, and early recovery for emergencies and disasters related to any hazards (natural, man‑made, biological, chemical, radiological and others) and, when national capacities are overwhelmed, to lead and coordinate the international health response to contain disasters, including outbreaks, and to provide effective relief and recovery to affected populations. PHE is responsible for ensuring the implementation and updating of the PAHO/WHO Institutional Emergency and Disaster Response Policy.

The increasing frequency of emerging and re‑emerging infectious diseases highlights the need to strengthen collaboration between different stakeholders. Timely exchange of surveillance information and data between countries and networks is critical to support early warning, risk assessment, and coordinated response to public health threats. The Strategy on Epidemic Intelligence for Strengthening Early Warning of Health Emergencies 2024–2029 and the International Health Regulations (IHR 2005) emphasize the importance of multisectoral collaboration, information sharing, and integrated surveillance systems. In this context, PAHO seeks to strengthen regional mechanisms and capacities for the exchange of epidemiological information and surveillance data among countries and networks operating at national, regional, and international levels. The consultant will support the Health Emergency Information & Risk Assessment Unit (HIM) within PHE in the implementation of activities directly aligned with the Strategy and Regional Action Plan on Epidemic Intelligence (CD61.R10: Indicators 3.6, 3.8, 3.9, 4.3, 6.1, 6.2 and 6.3), while leveraging the Regional Genomic Surveillance Strategy (CSP30/12) and the proposed Regional Food Safety Strategy to ensure laboratory, genomic and food safety system outputs inform detection, verification, risk assessment, information sharing and response.

DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES

• 1. Analytical methodology for triangulation of enteric foodborne-related event information. Deliverable: Develop a practical analytical methodology for examining convergence, complementarity, and discrepancies across epidemiological, laboratory, genomic, and event-based information, and for synthesizing findings during verification, investigation, and risk assessment. Due date: 31 December 2027 Amount: U$ 3,718.00
• 2. Decision-support framework for the use of triangulated evidence in epidemic intelligence. Deliverable: Develop a decision-support framework translating triangulated findings into actionable epidemic intelligence outputs, including considerations for escalation, further verification, risk assessment, public health action, and IHR-related information sharing. Due date: 31 January 2027 Amount: U$ 6,006.00
• 3. Applied case studies on data triangulation for enteric foodborne-related events. Deliverable: Develop a set of applied case studies demonstrating the use of the proposed triangulation methodologies across successive stages of event verification, investigation, risk assessment, and IHR-related communication, using epidemiological, laboratory, genomic, and event-based information. Due date: 28 February 2027 Amount: U$ 5,720.00

Note 1: The consultant must provide the manager with a comprehensive technical report detailing all work carried out during the consultancy, which must be submitted before the final invoice to the project manager.

Note 2: The hiring of the selected candidate will be subject to the presentation of the following documents (Note: These documents are NOT required to apply to this position but will be required before a contract can be signed): Copy of diploma and/or certificate(s) Three letters of professional references that include the full name of the contact person, telephone number, and address or email.

QUALIFICATIONS, EXPERIENCE, SKILLS, AND LANGUAGES

Education requirements (Qualifications) Essential: A master's degree in social sciences, public health, or a related area from a recognized institution.

• Experience requirements Essential: At least seven years of combined national and/or international experience in epidemiology, surveillance, early warning, community engagement, or related fields within the context of public health emergencies or health systems strengthening.
• Experience must include: Supporting the development, review, or implementation of national surveillance, for early detection and response.
• Providing technical assistance to Ministries of Health or similar institutions, particularly in the areas of communicable diseases.
• Designing or advising on training materials related to surveillance.
• Coordinating with multi-stakeholder teams and managing follow-up processes across multiple countries.
• Drafting technical documents and synthesizing recommendations aligned with global frameworks.

Languages: Excellent Knowledge of English or Spanish required.

REMUNERATION (BAND LEVEL RANGE) AND EXPECTED DURATION OF CONTRACT

Band/range: B/ $286 Daily rate. Total amount: $15,444.00

Expected duration: From 15 December 2026 to 28 February 2027

Location: Off site The consultant will perform their duties from their place of residence. When required, the consultant may be asked to travel to support technical cooperation missions in the Region related to the objectives outlined below. In such cases, travel costs will be covered by PAHO.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

This vacancy notice may be used to identify candidates for other similar consultancies at the same level. Successful candidates will be placed on the roster and subsequently may be selected for consultancy assignments falling in this area of work or for similar requirements/tasks/deliverables. Inclusion in the Roster does not guarantee selection for a consultant contract. There is no commitment on either side. Only candidates under serious consideration will be contacted.

PAHO/WHO only considers higher educational qualifications obtained from an institution accredited/recognized in the World Higher Education Database (WHED), a list updated by the International Association of Universities (IAU)/United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The list can be accessed through the link: http://www.whed.net/.

PAHO will also use the databases of the Council for Higher Education Accreditation http://www.chea.org/search/default.asp and College Navigator, found on the website of the National Centre for Educational Statistics, https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator to support the validation process.

Some professional certificates may not appear in the WHED and will require individual review. Any appointment/extension of appointment is subject to PAHO/WHO Regulations, and e-Manual. For information on PAHO please visit: http://www.paho.org

PAHO/WHO is committed to providing a respectful and supportive workplace for all personnel. PAHO is an ethical organization that maintains high standards of integrity and accountability. People joining PAHO are required to maintain these standards both in their professional work and personal activities. PAHO also promotes a work environment that is free from harassment, sexual harassment, discrimination, and other types of abusive behavior. PAHO conducts background checks and will not hire anyone who has a substantiated history of abusive conduct. PAHO personnel interact frequently with people in the communities we serve. To protect these people, PAHO has zero tolerance for sexual exploitation and abuse. People who commit serious wrongdoings will be terminated and may also face criminal prosecution. PAHO/WHO has a smoke-free environment and does not recruit smokers or users of any form of tobacco. Applications from women and from nationals of non and underrepresented Member States are particularly encouraged.

Consultants shall perform the work as independent contractors in a personal capacity, and not as a representative of any entity or authority. The execution of the work under a consultant contract does not create an employer/employee relationship between PAHO and the Consultant. PAHO/WHO shall have no responsibility whatsoever for any taxes, duties, social security contributions or other contributions payable by the Consultant. The Consultant shall be solely responsible for withholding and paying any taxes, duties, social security contributions and any other contributions which are applicable to the Consultant in each location/jurisdiction in which the work hereunder is performed, and the Consultant shall not be entitled to any reimbursement thereof by PAHO/WHO.

The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) is the specialized international health agency for the Americas. It works with countries throughout the region to improve and protect people's health. PAHO wears two institutional hats: it is the specialized health agency of the Inter-American System and also serves as Regional Office for the Americas of the World Health Organization (WHO), the specialized health agency of the United Nations. PAHO engages in technical cooperation with its member countries to fight communicable and noncommunicable diseases and their causes, to strengthen health systems, and to respond to emergencies and disasters. PAHO is committed to ensuring that all people have access to the health care they need, when they need it, with quality and without fear of falling into poverty. Through its work, PAHO promotes and supports the right of everyone to good health. To advance these goals, PAHO promotes technical cooperation between countries and works in partnership with ministries of health and other government agencies, civil society organizations, other international agencies, universities, social security agencies, community groups, and other partners. PAHO promotes the inclusion of health in all public policies and the engagement of all sectors in efforts to ensure that people live longer, healthier lives, with good health as their most valuable resource. Under the leadership of its 51 member countries and territories, PAHO sets regional health priorities and mobilizes action to address health problems that respect no borders and that, in many cases, jeopardize the sustainability of health systems. From its Washington, D.C., headquarters, 27 country offices and three specialized centers in the region, PAHO promotes evidence-based decision-making to improve and promote health as a driver of sustainable development.