Programme Officer – Vigilance Technology Systems African Union Smart Safety Surveillance (Au-3S)

Job title : Programme Officer – Vigilance Technology Systems African Union Smart Safety Surveillance (AU-3S)

Job Location : Gauteng, Johannesburg

Deadline : April 25, 2025

Required Skills and Competencies

• Proficient in end-to-end safety surveillance systems for medical products, including data collection, analysis, signal management, benefit/risk assessment, and safety communication.
• Experience in supporting national and global vigilance technology systems, including Med Safety Suite, WHO VigiFlow, VigiLyze, VigiAccess, VigiBase, and other pharmacovigilance platforms.
• Strong knowledge of web development frameworks (e.g., Django, Flask, AngularJS) for building user-friendly interfaces for PV data management platforms.
• Proficiency in scripting and automation tools (e.g., Bash, PowerShell) to streamline data integration, reporting, and system maintenance tasks.
• Advanced skills in implementing APIs and middleware to enable seamless data exchange between PV systems and national/regional/global databases, ensuring interoperability and compliance with international standards (e.g., ICH E2B).
• Experience in deploying machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI) models to enhance signal detection, adverse event (AE) classification, and trend analysis.
• Familiarity with cloud computing platforms (e.g., AWS, Azure, Google Cloud) for hosting and scaling pharmacovigilance technology solutions.
• Knowledge of database management systems (e.g., PostgreSQL, MySQL, MongoDB, Oracle) to design and manage relational and non-relational databases for PV systems.
• Expertise in version control systems like Git and continuous integration/continuous deployment (CI/CD) pipelines to ensure efficient collaboration and system updates.
• Ability to write clean, well-documented, and testable code that adheres to industry best practices for safety-critical systems.
• Expertise in applying MedDRA and WHO-Drug dictionaries for coding, reporting, analyzing, and communicating regulatory information, including the use of Standardized MedDRA Queries (SMQs).
• Proficiency in systems programming and administration to support signal detection, including regular reviews of adverse event (AE) listings and data mining techniques.
• Knowledge in AI/ML workflow processes.
• Knowledge in data governance, ensuring compliance with regulations and policies related to data privacy, security, and quality across systems deployed across different environments.
• Experience in cybersecurity, particularly in securing pharmacovigilance systems and ensuring the protection of sensitive health data against unauthorized access, breaches, and cyber threats.
• Proven experience in database design and development within pharmacovigilance-wide practices at national or regional regulatory authorities, pharmaceutical companies, public health programs, or research institutions.
• Skilled in developing and delivering presentations and training on drug safety technology topics for professional conferences and workshops.
• Demonstrates self-motivation, the ability to take initiative, sound judgment, and minimal supervision in a dynamic environment.
• Skilled in managing multiple responsibilities and deadlines while collaborating with diverse individuals and institutions.
• Upholds the highest standards of integrity, maintaining confidentiality in all aspects of work.
• Proven ability to work effectively in multi-cultural and multi-national environments.

Education and Experience :

• A Master’s degree in Computer Science, Data Science, Information and Communication Technology, Information Management Systems, Mathematics, Computer and/or Software Engineering, Electronic Engineering, Bioinformatics, or a related field, with two (2) years of progressive professional experience in science-based, technology-driven, or research-focused organizations, as well as public sector institutions or similar organizations at the national, regional, or continental level.
• Experience in a supervisory role is an added advantage.
• A Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Data Science, Information and Communication Technology, Information Management Systems, Mathematics, Computer and/or Software Engineering, Electronic Engineering, Bioinformatics, or a related field, with five (5) years of progressive professional experience in science-based, technology-driven, or research-focused organizations, as well as public sector institutions or similar organizations at the national, regional, or continental level, including at least two (2) years in a supervisory level.