About Organisation:

Infectious Diseases Institute (IDI) is an independently governed institute within the College of Health  Sciences at Makerere University and has the mission “To strengthen health systems in Africa, with a strong emphasis on infectious diseases, through research and capacity development.” IDI has operations across Uganda as well as in a number of other African countries and has a staffing of over 1,000 managing multiple projects in research, clinical services, public health and training.

Job Summary: The Infectious Diseases Institute is seeking a highly skilled and experienced Epidemiologist to lead the analysis and documentation of the comprehensive disease burden in Uganda and some selected African regions. The successful candidate will play a critical role in shaping  scientific questions, refining analysis methods, and identifying relevant literature and data sources for the project. Working closely with a senior statistician, the Epidemiologist will be responsible for conducting literature searches, scoping reviews, and synthesizing findings into high-level  scientific reports. The primary objective of this role is to produce a robust evidence base that informs advocacy, health programming, and planning efforts across the African continent.

Key Duties and Responsibilities:

• Collaborate with internal and external stakeholders to define research questions, study objectives, and analysis methodologies for disease burden assessment in Africa.
• Undertake literature searches and scoping reviews to identify relevant studies, datasets, and evidence sources related to disease epidemiology and burden in African countries.
• Support the senior epidemiologist to refine  data analysis methods, interpret  statistical findings, and integrate epidemiological insights into  scientific reports.
• Conduct comprehensive data synthesis and interpretation, including meta-analyses, systematic reviews, and meta-regression analyses where appropriate.
• Contribute to the development of  scientific reports, manuscripts, and presentations summarizing key findings for publication in peer-reviewed journals and dissemination to high-level scientific audiences.
• Provide technical guidance and mentorship to junior staff members involved in literature review, data extraction, and report writing activities.
• Stay abreast of advancements in epidemiological methods,  data analytics, and public health research, integrating new methodologies and best practices into project activities.
• Represent the organization at scientific conferences, workshops, and meetings, presenting research findings and networking with key stakeholders in the field.

Qualifications, Skills and Experience:

• Master’s degree in Epidemiology, Biostatistics, Public Health, or a related field. Candidates with dual training in medical  sciences and Epidemiology/Biostatistics will have an added advantage.
• Minimum of 3 years of experience in conducting epidemiological research, literature reviews, and data synthesis in a relevant field, preferably within the context of infectious diseases or global health.
• Previous experience in writing health reports and policy briefs is advantageous.
• Demonstrated ability to work in a fast-paced, multicultural environment, with strong organizational and time management skills.
• Experience working with donor-funded projects, international organizations, or research consortia focused on health programming and planning in Africa is advantageous.
• Knowledge of infectious diseases and non-infectious diseases, epidemiological transition studies, and public health challenges specific to the African context.

Required Skills:

• Strong methodological skills in epidemiological study design,  data analysis, and interpretation, with proficiency in  statistical software packages (e.g., R, SAS, Stata).
• Experience in Geo-spatial analysis techniques to document regional variations in healthcare access, utilization, and outcomes will be an added advantage.
• Experience in conducting comprehensive literature searches using various search engines.
• Proven track record of first-author publication(s) in peer-reviewed journals and active engagement with the  scientific community, including serving on editorial boards or peer-reviewing for top  scientific journals.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to convey complex scientific concepts to diverse audiences in a clear and compelling manner.
• Fluency in English is required; proficiency in additional languages commonly spoken in Africa is desirable.