Summary
Date Posted: Friday, May 27, 2022 , Base Salary: Not Disclosed

JOB DETAILS:
BACKGROUND
• The PEACH data project is hosted within the Implementation Network for Sharing Population
• Information from Research Entities (INSPIRE) (http://aphrc.org/inspire/).
• INSPIRE is building a generic model for health data from longitudinal population studies (LPS)
• using OMOP (Observational Medical Outcomes Partnership) database. The INSPIRE PEACH
• proposes to develop the key elements of a coordinated Pan-African COVID-19 data ecosystem.
• We will build a robust suite of data standards and technologies and diverse data integration
• methodologies, using the power of Artificial Intelligence and Data Science for analysis and
• oversight through a trusted governance and policy environment.
Development and Training
• On the job training will be provided by personnel within the INSPIRE, both within the employing
• institution and from other institutions that are affiliated with INSPIRE. The role holder will attend
• meetings and workshops held by the designated studies they are working on. There may be
• opportunities for further studies in Data Science commissioned by the Network as resources may
• allow; potential for a PhD subject to satisfactory performance and funding.
• Relationships
• The post holder will report to the Project Lead or Project Members within the INSPIRE in their
• institution, that is, the APHRC in Kenya. S/he will work very closely, and on a day-to-day basis
• with their counterpart(s) based at Malawi Epidemiology and Intervention Research Unit (MEIRU)
• in Malawi (https://meiru.lshtm.ac.uk/).S/he will have routine interactions with other INSPIRE
• partners affiliated with the African NCD Longitudinal Data Alliance (ANDLA), the Analyzing
• Longitudinal Population-based HIV/AIDS data on Africa (ALPHA) network based at the London
• School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) in the United Kingdom, South African Population
• Research Infrastructure Network (SAPRIN) in South Africa, and Committee on Data of the
• International Science Council (CODATA) in France.

Duties/Responsibilities
• The Data Scientist will be primarily responsible for defining data specifications needed for
• COVID-19 data and metadata including alternative data sources. S/he will be guided by
• population health knowledge gaps identified in the INSPIRE PEACH knowledge translation hub.
• Informed by cohort definitions, s/he will work with the Data Trackers to ensure the data they find
• is prepared to these specifications and will develop AI search programs for finding data that can
• populate these data specifications. S/he will extract, transform and load (ETLs) the data and
• associated metadata to data specifications defined by INSPIRE Network into the INSPIRE
• common data model. The Data Scientist would work with INSPIRE staff (including the Data
• Trackers) to build “on-ramps” which transfer COVID-19 related data from agreed data
• specifications to the INSPIRE Common Data Model. The Data Scientist would be expected to learn
• about the CDM using OMOP data under the direction of INSPIRE partners within the first six
• months of their employment.
• Additionally, the Data Scientist, working with the INSPIRE PEACH knowledge translation hub
• team again, will develop cohort off ramps for AI-infused population health research on top of the
• OMOP CDM. AI initiatives might include the construction of cohorts based on synthetic data that
• has been trained with real data as well as the conduct of simulated trials with population health
• “treatments” using synthetic and/or real data. These “treatments” would be in line with policy
• initiatives currently under review by MOHs. In this way, the Data Scientist would be responsible
• for developing, conducting and eventually analyzing the results of more or less “natural
• experiments”.
The Data Scientist will:
Data collection
• To prepare final list of the data specifications used by the INSPIRE network for COVID-19
• data.
• To perform data extraction work from source databases.
• To perform data profiling and quality assessments for the gathered data.
• Data processing and storage in database systems
• To transform collected COVID-19 data into the INSPIRE PEACH data exchange protocols.
• To ensure quality of the data transformations and the resulting data provided by data
• trackers for data specs.
• Develop on-ramps for putting data into OMOP CDM in consultation with INSPIRE partners.
• Implement the on-ramps using the data from Data trackers in Malawi and Kenya.
• Develop cohort off-ramps from the OMOP CDM suitable for the conduct of natural
• experiments with “treatments” that take the form of previous and future public health
• interventions.
• Write up the results of these experiments and place them in the INSPIRE PEACH knowledge
• base for vetting by the knowledge translation hub team and future publications.
• Data Cataloguing and sharing
• Develop minimum metadata requirements to accompany the source data.
• Manage and document the Common Data Model to ensure provenance of the data in the CDM.
• Support the data preparation of off – ramps data products including with metadata required
• for sharing data.

Overarching
• Ensure data standards are aligned with program and project priorities.
• Take part in training and workshops organized by INSPIRE, both physically and virtually.
• Under the direction of the INSPIRE team, engage with the training and mentoring of data staff
• of INSPIRE network members to ensure continuity of data and data provenance.
• Prepare monthly progress reports on their work.
• Inform and take directions from their line managers in INSPIRE to ensure continuity of data
• operations.
• Liaise with the team managing the CDM, including INSPIRE Network Partners, to ensure their
• work fits within the scope of the INSPIRE CDM.
• Attend meetings and workshops organized by INSPIRE, as required; the workshops may be
• around data management, upload, analysis, writing up and planning.
• Provide administrative support across work-streams; handle meeting invitations, bookings,
• training venues, training materials and support the organization of periodic meetings for the
• INSPIRE.
• Internalize the project work plan and anticipate administrative needs to support
• implementation and project work-streams. This will include working with partners to gather
• project requirements, maintaining a system for monitoring project activities, milestones and
• deliverables on a monthly basis as well as maintaining the INSPIRE learning platform and
• provide support to partners using the platform as needed.
• Prepare quarterly, intermediate and annual program status reports required for
• management and donors. These reports will reflect achievements made, challenges and
• solutions.
• Establish and maintain technical contacts with other stakeholders and partners, lead on
• communication with INSPIRE members and respond to queries as needed, provide
• information to concerned parties on progress, problems, required changes and document
• actions to the project’s implementation for the consideration of the team.
• Provide administrative support for proposal development for continued funding of the
• INSPIRE activities.
• Assist in completion of administrative forms and requests.
Qualifications, Skills, and Experience
• The ideal candidate would have worked with health data (preferably longitudinal health data),
• has experience with health and demographic surveillance systems (HDSS) and is familiar with
• the data procedures from INDEPTH network (http://www.indepth- network.org/).
• S/he would have excellent skills in data management and programming (relational databases).
• The expectation is for the team of Data Scientists (based in both Kenya and Malawi) to write
• programmes for data extraction, transform and loading (ETL) in a variety of languages. The ideal
• post holder will have the following:
• Master of Statistics, Data Science, M&E, Econometrics, Software Engineering,
• Demographic Research, Information Systems or equivalent in relevant area.
• At least 3-5 years’ post first-degree experience with data management of longitudinal,
• medical research studies and in handling large datasets.
• Knowledge of a programming language such as Python, Perl, R, JAVA, or equivalent and
• in ETL transfers.
• Experience of DB servers e.g., PostgreSQL, MySQL, SQL Server, or Oracle or equivalent.
• Experience querying databases using SQL language.
• Experience conducting and/or managing health/research projects.
• Experience in conduct and analysis of quantitative research.
• Excellent communication (written and spoken) and interpersonal skills.
• Strong organizational and program management skills.
• Ability to take initiative and work both independently and in teams.
• Fluent in English.
• This position is classified under Nationally Recruited Positions (NRP), Grade V in our scales. The
• appointment will be for a one –year period renewable subject to satisfactory performance and funding.

Job Experience: No Requirements

Work Hours: 8

Level of Education: Bachelor Degree

Job application procedure
Interested candidates are encouraged to apply Please click HERE.
• Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted;
• shortlisted candidates will be required to have a Police Clearance Certificate. Cover letters should be addressed to:



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