International PAHO Consultant - Wastewater Surveillance for Public Health

Organizational Context

The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) serves as the Regional Office for the Americas of the World Health Organization (WHO). Its Health Emergencies Department (PHE) aims to increase health sector resilience to emergencies and disasters, assisting Member States in strengthening capacities for prevention, risk reduction, preparedness, surveillance, response, and early recovery across various hazards.

Job Purpose

To support the assessment, strengthening, and strategic development of wastewater surveillance capacities in selected countries, including the design of implementation frameworks adapted to different epidemiological, laboratory, and infrastructure scenarios, aligned with integrated and One Health surveillance approaches.

Responsibilities

Provide technical expertise for the evaluation, planning, and implementation support of wastewater surveillance systems for public health. Assess existing national capacities for wastewater surveillance, identifying technical, laboratory, and operational gaps. Develop evidence-based recommendations for system strengthening and design scalable surveillance models tailored to country contexts. Support the integration of wastewater data into public health decision-making systems. Review existing documentation, policies, laboratory capacity, and surveillance frameworks. Conduct consultations with national authorities, laboratories, environmental agencies, and partners. Map current wastewater sampling, testing, and data analysis capacities. Assess diagnostic platforms, logistics, and data reporting systems. Identify priority pathogens and surveillance use-cases. Develop technical guidance for implementation and scale-up. Provide recommendations for integration with epidemiological and laboratory surveillance systems. Support the development of monitoring indicators and evaluation frameworks. Deliver an Inception Report, a Capacity Assessment Report, and a Gap Analysis and Prioritization Matrix.

Work Experience

Minimum 7 years of relevant experience in microbiology, surveillance systems, or environmental microbiology.

Skills

Demonstrated ability to effectively use a computer and utilize tools and software programs such as Microsoft Office Word, Excel, PowerPoint, SharePoint and Outlook. Strong analytical and report writing skills. Ability to work independently and meet deadlines. Experience facilitating technical consultations.

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