Technical Officers, Foundation for Innovative New Diagnostics (FIND), India

JOB DESCRIPTION

Technical Officers (FIND), India

1. POSITIONS VACANT:  Technical Officers (TO); Multiple vacancies, based at different laboratories being strengthened by FIND India.

2. ORGANIZATION BACKGROUND:

The Foundation for Innovative New Diagnostics (FIND), is a respected, not-for-profit foundation, recognized by the Swiss government as an “other international organization.”  

Headquartered in Geneva and represented in India through a Liaison Office at Delhi, FIND facilitates the development and implementation of diagnostic tools for poverty-ridden diseases. The foundation is presently engaged in the development of new diagnostic techniques for TB, Malaria and Sleeping Sickness (HAT), across the world and specifically for MDR-TB, in India.

FIND has progressed diagnostic approaches that have been proven in principle and transformed them into effective products for identifying TB in partnership with academia, public and private research institutes and industry.

FIND recently received a grant from The Global Fund (TGF) Round 9 as a sub-recipient of the Central Tuberculosis Division (CTD), for strengthening selected laboratories engaged in the detection of MDR-TB in India, with Human Resources and their Payroll Management. A total of 43 laboratories spread over 26 States/ Union Territories are to be strengthened in a phased manner as per the schedule agreed with TGF andCTD, comprising 27 laboratories in Year 1, 12 laboratories in Year 2 and 4 laboratories in Year 3.

For more information about FIND, please visit, http://www.finddiagnostics.org.

3. JOB DESCRIPTION/ RESPONSIBILITIES:

The TO will report administratively, on a day-to-day basis to the Director and Head of the concerned TB Laband shall functionally be under the direct supervision of FIND India’s Technical Team, as well as the TB Lab-in-Charge.

The TO will assist the Technical Team and the Microbiologist in-Charge of rapid diagnostics with the implementation of WHO approved newer TB diagnostics, including the diagnosis of drug resistance. S/he will coordinate with the Director and Head of RNTCP TB Laboratory for Culture & Drug Susceptibility Testing(C& DST), concerned national reference laboratories and FIND India’s technical and administrative staff, to ensure the smooth implementation of Rapid TB Diagnostics at the designated TB Lab.

Key Responsibilities:
 

(1) Providing technical support to assist the C& DST lab in expansion of the full range of newer TB diagnostic activities for rapid diagnosis of TB including drug resistant TB;

(2) Testing of patient specimens on LPA and LC at the lab in a timely manner;

(3) Managing clinical and laboratory aspects of the lab and ensuring collection, recording and reporting of clean, quality data;

(4) Supporting the Director and Head of TB Laboratory in planning and scaling up of quality assured LineProbe Assay (LPA) and Liquid Culture (LC) with Rapid Speciation (RS) using lateral flow immune chromatographic assay for MDR-TB diagnosis;

(5) Acquiring expertise in approved newer diagnostics tests such as LPA, LC and RS;

(6) Implementing the Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) for TB laboratories, including SOPs for specific aspects of LPA, LC and RS and specifications for equipment, infection control, etc, to ensure Good Laboratory Practices (GLP);

(7) Ensuring proficiency in the identified newer TB diagnostics at the allotted site before they are applied for patient care under RNTCP. Also maintenance of ongoing proficiency in these diagnostics, ensuring accuracy of results being communicated to the TB patient;

(8) Providing support to the Lab-in-Charge for all laboratory operations including regular MIS functioning, maintenance of all lab equipments, logistics of various lab consumables, etc.;

(9) Supervising and supporting the lab technicians at the lab, in day-to-day activities connected with newer TB diagnostics, ensuring quality control;

(10) Assisting the Lab in-Charge in providing monthly / quarterly and annual reports in the prescribed formats on activities, achievements, challenges and recommendations;

(11) Urgently reporting all adverse events in laboratory functioning to the Lab in-Charge and FIND IndiaTechnical Team;

(12) Liaising and facilitating with the FIND India technical team on all technical matters relating to laboratory functioning in consultation with the Lab-in-Charge;

(13) Undertaking any other job assigned by state authorities and the FIND India technical team, as per project need.

4. QUALIFICATION, SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:     

Qualification:

Masters in Science with a specialization in Microbiology/ Medical Microbiology/ Applied Microbiology/ Clinical Microbiology/ Biotechnology/ Medical Biotechnology, or higher qualification.

Experience:

Candidates with experience in Rapid TB Diagnostics or Molecular Techniques shall be given preference.
 

Skills and Attitude:

(1) Good oral and written communication skills;

(2) Strong team orientation;

(3) Ability to work independently, with minimum handholding and supervision;

(4) Energetic, resilient and passionate;
(5) Professional, mature and confident.
 

5. COMPENSATION OFFERED:

Gross compensation budgeted for the position on a cost to organization (CTO) basis is Rs.3 lacs per annum. Please note that gross compensation is fully taxable.

(Note: Candidates shall be working on the payroll of SAMS, a leading HR Agency for the health and development sectors in India).

6. NATURE OF APPOINTMENT:

The selected candidate shall be initially offered a one year consultancy contract, renewable annually, based on satisfactory performance.

7. LOCATION:

Vacancies for TOs exist at multiple locations, details of which are available at http://sams.co.in/Location-Details-FIND-TO.htm

8. REFERENCE:    

TO-FIND

9. CONTACT INFORMATION:     

Senior Consultant

Strategic Alliance Management Services P Ltd.

B 372 New Friends Colony
New Delhi 110 025

Phone No.: 011-4290-9936; 011-4290-9937 
Email: to-find@sams.co.in

10. LAST DATE FOR APPLICATIONS:

Eligible candidates interested in this position are requested to courier or email their applications to the above address or email id before January 31, 2013. Applicants are urged to fill the ‘online’ application form provided at http://www.sams.co.in/forms/onlineapplicationfind.htm . Candidates who are unable to fill the ‘online’ form may alternately download the standard form available at http://sams.co.in/JAF-FIND-LabStaff.doc  and mail it to the email id mentioned above, on completion.

Submission of Application by: Online Application Form

Submission of Application by: Standard Offline Application Form