Job Opportunity at RIMES

Assignment Title:  Individual Consultant – Epidemiologist

The Regional Integrated Multi-Hazard Early Warning System (RIMES) has received/has applied for financing from Global Climate Fund toward the cost of Global Climate Fund’s Enhancing Early Warning Systems to Build Greater Resilience to Hydro-meteorological Hazards in Timor-Leste Project and intends to apply part of the proceeds for consulting services.

The consulting services (“the Services”) include individual consultant – Epidemiologist who will lead and support the development of public health models, health risk forecasts, and impact-based advisory products of RIMES’ components under the Global Climate Fund’s Enhancing Early Warning Systems to Build Greater Resilience to Hydro-meteorological Hazards in Timor-Leste Project.

The detailed Terms of Reference (TOR) for the assignment are attached to this request for expressions of interest.

The Regional Integrated Multi-Hazard Early Warning System (RIMES) now invites eligible individual consulting (“Consultants”) to indicate their interest in providing the Services. Interested Consultants should provide a CV demonstrating that they have the required qualifications and relevant experience to perform the Services. The shortlisting criteria are:

 Education: 

• A Ph.D. in Epidemiology, Public Health, Biostatistics, or any related field, or Master’s degree with at least five (5) years of combined work experience in predictive modeling, data analysis, and/or remote sensing, including epidemiologic methods

Experience:

• At least four (4) years of combined national and international experience in public health and epidemiological studies
• At least three (3) years of work experience in public health forecast modeling, including programming, data analysis, and/or remote sensing
• Involved in at least two (2) projects with the national health agencies and/or international organizations in generating health risk forecasts and advisories based on location-specific health, weather, and climate information
• Familiarity with the institutions/organizations as well as approaches and concepts in disaster risk reduction and management (DRRM), early warning, and climate change adaptation (CCA)Skills and Abilities:

• High understanding of public health, epidemiologic methods, and epidemiologic studies
• Knowledge on infectious disease prevention and control
• Expert in statistical computer software/models, including proficiency in impact-based forecasting, early warning, DRRM, and CCA
• Excellent critical thinking, problem-solving, and planning skills
• Strong communication,  interpersonal, and writing skills
• Ability to work amicably in a multicultural and multidisciplinary work environment

Language: 

• Excellent knowledge of English (both oral and written)

Personal qualities:

• Self-motivated, flexible, and able to work effectively and independently
• Excellent work ethic and aptitude to work with a constructive attitude
• Conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines, and achieving results
• Shows persistence when faced with difficulties or challenges

Consultants may associate with other firms to enhance their qualifications, but should indicate clearly whether the association is in the form of a joint venture and/or a sub-consultancy. In the case of a joint venture, all the partners in the joint venture shall be jointly and severally liable for the entire contract, if selected.

A Consultant will be selected in accordance with the individual consultants method set out in the Procurement Regulations.

Further information can be obtained at the address below during office hours 08:00 to 17:00 Bangkok Standard Time.

Expressions of interest must be delivered in a written form to the address below (in person, or by mail, or by fax, or by e-mail) by October 11, 2023.

The Regional Integrated Multi-Hazard Early Warning System for Africa and Asia (RIMES)

Attn: Dusadee Padungkul, Head, Operational Support Department

2nd Floor, Outreach Building, Asian Institute of Technology Campus,

Klong Nung, Klong Luang, Pathumthani 12120, Thailand

E-mail: rimesprocurement@rimes.int

1. About RIMES

 The Regional Integrated Multi-Hazard Early Warning System for Africa and Asia (RIMES) is an international and intergovernmental institution that is owned and managed by its 48 Member and Collaborating States for building capacities in the generation and application of user-relevant multi-hazard early warning information, for resources and risks management. RIMES was established on 30 April 2009 through the signing by collaborating countries of the RIMES regional cooperation agreement.  RIMES was registered with the United Nations under Article 102 of the UN Charter on 1 July 2009.  RIMES Headquarters operates from its regional early warning center, located at the campus of the Asian Institute of Technology in Pathumthani, Thailand.

 RIMES’ purpose is to provide early warning services according to differing needs and demands of its Member States, for enhanced preparedness and response to, and mitigation of, natural hazards.  Its specific objectives are:

1. Facilitate the establishment and maintenance of core regional observing and monitoring networks to ensure data availability for early warning;
2. Provide earthquake and tsunami services within the framework of the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (IOC-UNESCO);
3. Support National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHSs) for providing localized hydro-meteorological risk information within the framework of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO); and
4. Enhance warning response capacities at all levels (national to community) within each national early warning framework.

 RIMES provides a portfolio of options for Member States to avail from, or contribute to, any of these objectives.

2. Background

RIMES’ end-to-end approach capacitates institutions and communities in its Member States and Collaborating Countries across the 5 distinct but inter-connected components of the early warning/climate information value chain:

1) Improving data availability: enhancing observation and monitoring systems for generating data, and facilitating seamless integration of data into a platform that can be easily accessed and used by various National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHSs).

2) Modelling and forecasting: enhancing forecast skill, and forecast spatial and temporal resolutions, as required by stakeholders.

3) Transforming data into information: co-production of services between NMHSs and sectoral institutions for impact-based forecasting, including, but not limited to, the development of decision support systems (DSSs) for various sectors

4) Tailor made services to deliver user specific information for resources and risks management: user requirements, assessed via the Monsoon Forum/Climate Application Forum process, and user needs assessment activities, serve as basis for evolving/designing and delivering early warning/risk information products

5) Community outreach: ensuring that customized early warning/climate information products reach communities through effective communication channels, and training communities to enable them to undertake forecast/early warning/risk information-based anticipatory action and provide feedback.

RIMES designs and implements programs to address gaps in the 5 pillars of the early warning/multi-hazard information value chain per demands and needs of in-country stakeholder institutions like the NMHSs, National Disaster Management Organizations (NDMOs), and national agencies in hazard-sensitive sectors of water resources, agriculture,  infrastructure, policy and development planning, and public health, among others, by leveraging  support from development partners such as the World Bank, UNESCAP, UNEP (GCF), WFP, USAID, etc. RIMES maximizes impacts of support from development partners by holistically implementing capacity development interventions in countries such that support from development partners on one or two pillars of the early warning/climate information value chain are complemented by RIMES support to address countries’ needs and demands in other early warning/multi-hazard information value chain pillars. RIMES sustains capacity development intervention outcomes, post-projects, as required by the countries.

3. Objective

The Epidemiologist will lead and support the development of public health models, health risk forecasts, and impact-based advisory products of RIMES’ components under the Global Climate Fund’s Enhancing Early Warning Systems to Build Greater Resilience to Hydro-meteorological Hazards in Timor-Leste Project.

4. Scope of Work

The Epidemiologist will report to Immediate Supervisor: Mr. John Mark Marcos, Programme Officer, Risk Knowledge Applications and Technical Supervisor: Ms. Carlyne Yu, Head, Risk Knowledge Applications in coordination with others in the Team, and shall have the following specific tasks:

A. Lead the development of public health forecasting model, including but not limited to:

1. 1. Conducting a comprehensive review of relevant literature on epidemiology of diseases of interest in Timor Leste, including incidence, prevalence, attributions to weather and climate, risk factors, and outcomes;
   2. Collecting and analyzing public health data, including demographic, clinical, environmental, and hydrometeorological data for the modeling study;
   3. Developing, testing, and refining public health forecasting models that result in the generation of at least the following:

• dengue, malaria, and water-borne diseases (e.g. diarrhea) outbreaks/ hotspots;
• monitoring of tuberculosis and other critical communicable diseases in Timor-Leste;
• potential health impacts from different levels of UV radiation; and
• potential health impacts from heat wave and cold spell indices;

1. 4. Integrating results of the forecasting models to the national forecasting center, decision support system (DSS), and a mobile application to facilitate early warnings, information dissemination, and decision-making on health promotion, disease prevention, and community health improvement;

B. Provide technical inputs and write-ups on the following activities:

1. 1. 1. Development of project concept notes, activity/training designs, progress reports, and other documents related to public health forecasting, early warning systems, and climate and disaster resilience;
      2. Technical documentation of processes and approaches undertaken, including system documentation;
      3. Customization of the Climate Risk Information System for Public Health (CRISH) decision support system that generates health risk forecasts which anticipates when and where changes in key parameters – such as humidity, temperature, particulate matter (PM) readings – may increase the likelihood of occurrence of health crises;
      4. Formulation of forecasts and advisories to improve the safety and health of the community;

C. Engage with RIMES staff, technical experts, and project partners from the Ministry of Health, National Directorate of Meteorology and Geophysics (DNMG) of the Ministry of Transport and Communications, Climate and Health Working Group, and other relevant agencies and organizations in co-developing forecasts and early warning advisories, as well as in developing the CRISH DSS and the mobile application;

D. Act as resource speaker, facilitator, and/or mentor during capacity-building workshops in public health and epidemiology, public health forecast modeling, system and data analysis and management, and impact-based forecasting and early warning system;

E. Establish, maintain, and/or foster partnerships and contribute to the development and use of information databases, web-based platforms, and GIS tools that support the planning and design of DRRM, early warning, CCA programs, and projects; and

F. Provide any other relevant work necessary for the successful implementation and documentation of program/project-related activities as assigned by the RIMES Climate Risk Management Specialist.

Deliverables:

Activity

Month

Deliverables

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

Conduct a comprehensive review of relevant literature on epidemiology of diseases of interest in Timor Leste, including incidence, prevalence, attributions to weather and climate, risk factors, and outcomes

X

·         Monthly timesheet and progress report ·         Scoping report on epidemiology of diseases of interest in Timor Leste

Collect and analyze public health data, including demographic, clinical, environmental, and hydrometeorological data for the modeling study

X

X

·         Monthly timesheet and progress report ·         Inventory and analysis of the public health data

Develop public health forecasting models that result in the generation of at least the following: § dengue, malaria, and water-borne diseases (e.g. diarrhea) outbreaks/ hotspots; § monitoring of tuberculosis and other critical communicable diseases in Timor-Leste; § potential health impacts from different levels of UV radiation; and § potential health impacts from heat wave and cold spell indices;

X

X

X

X

X

X

·         Monthly timesheet and progress reports ·         Monthly technical progress reports documenting updates on the simulation and screenshots of the models

Test and refine public health forecasting models

X

X

X

X

·         Monthly timesheet and progress reports ·         Monthly technical progress reports documenting simulation refinements and screenshots of the models and/or the Final technical report on the results and analysis of the public health models

Integrate results of the forecasting models to the national forecasting center, decision support system (DSS), and a mobile application to facilitate early warnings, information dissemination, and decision-making on health promotion, disease prevention, and community health improvement;

X

X

·         Monthly timesheet and progress reports ·         Technical reports on recommendations to integrate model results to the national forecasting center, DSS, and a mobile application

Participate in technical meetings and contribute to the development of concept notes

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

·         Attendance to the meetings should be identified in the monthly progress reports ·         Draft concept notes need to be submitted

5. Qualifications

Education: 

• A Ph.D. in Epidemiology, Public Health, Biostatistics, or any related field, or Master’s degree with at least five (5) years of combined work experience in predictive modeling, data analysis, and/or remote sensing, including epidemiologic methods

Experience:

• At least four (4) years of combined national and international experience in public health and epidemiological studies
• At least three (3) years of work experience in public health forecast modeling, including programming, data analysis, and/or remote sensing
• Involved in at least two (2) projects with the national health agencies and/or international organizations in generating health risk forecasts and advisories based on location-specific health, weather, and climate information
• Familiarity with the institutions/organizations as well as approaches and concepts in disaster risk reduction and management (DRRM), early warning, and climate change adaptation (CCA)

Skills and Abilities:

• High understanding of public health, epidemiologic methods, and epidemiologic studies
• Knowledge on infectious disease prevention and control
• Expert in statistical computer software/models, including proficiency in impact-based forecasting, early warning, DRRM, and CCA
• Excellent critical thinking, problem-solving, and planning skills
• Strong communication,  interpersonal, and writing skills
• Ability to work amicably in a multicultural and multidisciplinary work environment

Language: 

• Excellent knowledge of English (both oral and written)

Personal qualities:

• Self-motivated, flexible, and able to work effectively and independently
• Excellent work ethic and aptitude to work with a constructive attitude
• Conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines, and achieving results
• Shows persistence when faced with difficulties or challenges

6. Contract Duration

The contract will be for 1 year, subject to a 4-months probationary period, and annual performance review.