Job Title
Senior Technical Officer – Environmental and Wastewater Surveillance (AfCDC)
This role is designed for highly qualified public health professionals who want to contribute to strengthening Africa’s disease surveillance systems. The position offers the opportunity to work at a continental level, shaping environmental and wastewater monitoring programs that protect public health across African Union Member States.
It is ideal for professionals seeking career growth in public health, epidemiology, environmental health, and technical leadership. The position provides exposure to multi-country programs, international collaboration, and policy development.
About the Organization
The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) is a specialized technical institution of the African Union (AU).
Established to strengthen public health capacities across Africa, Africa CDC supports Member States in detecting, preventing, and responding to disease threats effectively.
The organization works to coordinate integrated public health solutions, address gaps in surveillance, laboratory diagnostics, emergency preparedness, and workforce capacity.
Africa CDC collaborates with national public health institutes, regional partners, laboratories, and international organizations to ensure harmonized and sustainable health interventions.
Employees at Africa CDC gain exposure to multi-country programs, cutting-edge surveillance systems, and professional development opportunities.
The institution values diversity, teamwork, integrity, transparency, efficiency, and knowledge sharing. Women and candidates from underrepresented countries are strongly encouraged to apply.
Job Description
The Senior Technical Officer – Environmental and Wastewater Surveillance will lead Africa CDC’s continental efforts in environmental health monitoring, focusing primarily on wastewater-based epidemiology.
Key responsibilities include:
- Coordinating and strengthening wastewater and environmental surveillance systems across Member States
- Integrating environmental surveillance into national and continental public health monitoring frameworks
- Collaborating with technical partners, funding agencies, and regional stakeholders to secure resources and ensure program alignment with continental priorities
- Developing and implementing continental strategic frameworks, technical guidance, and policy documents related to environmental and wastewater surveillance
- Providing technical assistance to Member States in establishing or improving surveillance systems
- Designing multi-country initiatives to support public health decision-making
- Supporting integration of environmental surveillance data into existing disease surveillance platforms
- Facilitating capacity building, including training programs, workshops, and knowledge-sharing forums on wastewater-based epidemiology
- Monitoring and evaluating program impact and recommending improvements
- Preparing reports, policy briefs, and technical documents
- Representing Africa CDC in technical working groups, regional meetings, and global forums
- Performing any additional duties as assigned by the supervisor
This position is critical to ensuring that Africa has robust systems to monitor environmental and wastewater indicators, which are essential for disease prevention, early warning, and public health response.
Educational Qualification
Applicants must meet one of the following criteria:
- Master’s degree in Environmental Health, Medical Microbiology, or a related field, with at least 7 years of relevant experience, including 3 years at a supervisory level
- OR Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Health, Medical Microbiology, or a related field, with at least 10 years of relevant experience, including 3 years at a supervisory level
Work Experience
Applicants should have demonstrable experience working with African public health institutions, preferably with regional or continental scope.
Experience in designing and implementing public health surveillance programs, capacity building, training, and stakeholder engagement is required.
Required Skills and Competencies
Functional Skills:
- Experience in implementing public health programs with a focus on wastewater surveillance
- Leadership skills to organize, inspire, and manage teams effectively
- Experience managing multi-stakeholder and multi-country programs
- Excellent diplomatic, interpersonal, and communication skills for professional settings
- Project planning and management skills from conception through implementation
- Ability to translate technical information into presentations, reports, and funding proposals for both technical and non-technical audiences
- Proficiency in computer applications, including word-processing, email, internet tools, PowerPoint, and statistical/analytic software (e.g., R, ArcGIS, Excel)
Personal Abilities:
- Ability to meet tight deadlines and work well under pressure
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
- Good interpersonal and teamwork skills
- Capacity to operate effectively in multicultural environments
- High level of autonomy with strong team spirit
- Adaptive, patient, resilient, and solution-oriented
Job Location
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Employment Type and Salary
Appointment for Limited Duration (ALD) for eleven months, including a three-month probation period. Contract may be renewed based on funding availability, satisfactory performance, and agreed deliverables.
Salary: US$ 88,844.56 (P3 Step 5) inclusive of allowances for internationally recruited staff, or US$ 68,255.99 inclusive of allowances for locally recruited staff.
How to Apply
Applicants must complete the African Union CV template, which is mandatory for submission. Applications without the AU CV will not be considered.
- Download the AU CV template (English or French) and complete it fully
- Upload the completed CV to the “Resume” tab of your profile
- Include an African passport and all required academic qualifications
- Submit your application no later than February 24, 2026, 11:59 p.m. EAT
Only candidates who meet all requirements and are shortlisted will be contacted for interviews.
Women and candidates from underrepresented AU Member States are strongly encouraged to apply.
This position provides an exceptional opportunity for professional growth, exposure to multi-country programs, and the chance to contribute meaningfully to Africa’s public health systems.
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