Project Officer at Amref Health Africa

Amref Health Africa -Tanzania is a non-profit public health organization that has been supporting the Government of Tanzania in addressing public health issues, including maternal and child health, HIV, TB, Malaria, and nutrition, since 1987. Amref Health Africa – Tanzania collaborates with and receives guidance from the Tanzania Ministry of Health, Community Development, Gender, Elderly, and Children, the Zanzibar Ministry of Health, and the President’s Office, Regional Authority, and Local Government (PORALG). Amref Health Africa -Tanzania has the following vacancies and invites suitable applicants for the following positions to be filled:

The Laboratory Officer – AMR will provide technical leadership and implementation support for laboratory and AMR surveillance activities. The role will support sentinel laboratories to strengthen bacteriology and antimicrobial susceptibility testing, quality assurance, external quality assessment, corrective action, and GLASS data quality and reporting.

DUTIES AND KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Laboratory Readiness and Quality Improvement

• Support rapid laboratory readiness assessments and capacity verification of the nine Fleming Fund-supported Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) sentinel laboratories to ensure preparedness for high-quality AMR surveillance and diagnostic services.
• Provide structured technical mentorship, supportive supervision, and on-site coaching to laboratory personnel on bacteriology, antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST), quality management systems, internal quality control, biosafety and biosecurity, specimen collection and management, laboratory information management, and data quality practices.
• Support laboratories to enroll in, maintain, and effectively participate in External Quality Assessment (EQA) and proficiency testing programmes, ensuring timely implementation and monitoring of corrective and preventive actions (CAPAs) arising from supervision visits, audits, and proficiency testing results.
• Promote compliance with national laboratory policies, standard operating procedures, and internationally recognized quality standards, including ISO 15189, Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI), and European Committee on Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing (EUCAST) guidance, as applicable.
• Support implementation of continuous quality improvement initiatives that strengthen laboratory performance, diagnostic accuracy, and the reliability of AMR surveillance data.

2. AMR Surveillance and Data Use

• Support timely, complete, accurate, and high-quality reporting of AMR surveillance data to national surveillance platforms and the WHO Global Antimicrobial Resistance and Use Surveillance System (GLASS) in accordance with national reporting requirements.
• Collaborate with laboratory personnel, clinicians, pharmacists, and surveillance teams to analyse, interpret, and disseminate AMR surveillance findings, antimicrobial susceptibility profiles, and facility antibiograms to inform antimicrobial stewardship, infection prevention and control, and evidence-based clinical decision-making.
• Contribute to the analysis, interpretation, validation, and synthesis of laboratory and surveillance data for national AMR surveillance reports, the National Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance (NAP-AMR) midline review, policy briefs, scientific publications, and other project knowledge products.
• Support data quality assurance activities, including routine data verification, validation, completeness checks, and consistency assessments to strengthen the quality and reliability of surveillance information.

3. Monitoring, Documentation and Coordination

• Document laboratory capacity gaps, mentorship outcomes, supervision findings, corrective and preventive actions (CAPAs), and follow-up recommendations, while systematically tracking progress toward their implementation and closure.
• Work closely with the Ministry of Health (MoH), National Public Health Laboratory (NPHL), sentinel surveillance sites, implementing partners, and other key stakeholders to ensure coordinated implementation of laboratory strengthening activities and timely, accurate technical reporting.
• Prepare high-quality technical reports, presentations, assessment tools, guidance documents, and recommendations that support programme implementation, donor reporting, and evidence-based decision-making.
• Contribute to sustainability planning, institutional capacity strengthening, and transition strategies to ensure continued functionality and long-term resilience of laboratory systems and AMR surveillance activities beyond project implementation.

1. Bachelor’s degree in Medical Laboratory Sciences, Biomedical Laboratory Sciences, Medical Microbiology, or another closely related laboratory or biomedical science discipline from a recognized institution.
2. A Master’s degree in Medical Microbiology, Laboratory Management, Public Health, Epidemiology, Laboratory Quality Management, or a related field will be an added advantage.

1. Current registration and valid practicing license with the relevant professional regulatory body, where applicable.
2. Minimum of five (5) years of progressively responsible experience in clinical or public health laboratory services, including hands-on experience in bacteriology, culture and identification of bacterial pathogens, and antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST).
3. Demonstrated experience in implementing laboratory quality management systems (QMS), including internal quality control (IQC), external quality assessment (EQA), proficiency testing, corrective and preventive actions (CAPAs), and continuous quality improvement initiatives.
4. Proven experience providing technical mentorship, supportive supervision, on-site coaching, laboratory assessments, and capacity strengthening for laboratory personnel.
5. Practical experience in laboratory biosafety and biosecurity, specimen management, laboratory information management, and quality assurance practices.
6. Sound knowledge of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) surveillance systems, laboratory data management, and national and global AMR reporting requirements, including the WHO Global Antimicrobial Resistance and Use Surveillance System (GLASS).
7. Strong understanding and practical application of internationally recognized laboratory standards and guidelines, including ISO 15189, Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI), and/or European Committee on Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing (EUCAST) methodologies.
8. Experience working with national laboratory networks, public health laboratories, health facilities, and government institutions in laboratory systems strengthening or AMR surveillance programmes.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND COMPETENCIES

1. Demonstrates the highest standards of integrity, professionalism, accountability, and ethical conduct, ensuring transparency and responsible stewardship of resources in all aspects of work.
2. Strong interpersonal, collaboration, and stakeholder engagement skills, with the ability to establish and maintain productive working relationships with government institutions, laboratory networks, healthcare professionals, development partners, and other key stakeholders.
3. Highly results-oriented, with proven ability to prioritize tasks, manage competing demands, and consistently deliver high-quality outputs within agreed timelines.
4. Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to prepare high-quality technical reports, presentations, briefing materials, and communicate complex technical information effectively to diverse audiences.
5. Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively and effectively within multidisciplinary, multicultural, and multisectoral teams while fostering teamwork, knowledge sharing, and continuous learning.
6. Strong analytical, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills, with the ability to identify implementation challenges and develop practical, evidence-based solutions.
7. Adaptable, proactive, and self-motivated, with the ability to work independently under minimal supervision in dynamic and fast-paced environments.
8. Demonstrated commitment to safeguarding, gender equality, diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), confidentiality, and adherence to professional, organizational, and donor ethical standards.
9. Willingness and ability to undertake frequent travel to project implementation regions, including remote and underserved areas, to provide technical support, supervision, mentorship, and stakeholder engagement.