About this role
Global Health Security Advisor
Project Description: Communities in Liberia are looking for professionals with epidemiology experience.
Liberia continues to face significant public health challenges rooted in its history of prolonged civil conflict and a devastating Ebola epidemic. These events severely impacted the country’s healthcare infrastructure and limited access to quality care. While all pillars of Global Health Security (GHS) have been operationalized to detect and respond to disease outbreaks, they are not yet functioning in a fully coordinated or responsive manner. In collaboration with the CDC, county health teams are working to strengthen surveillance systems, particularly in rural communities where gaps are most pronounced. Addressing these health-related challenges through targeted support and training will significantly enhance Liberia’s ability to prevent, detect, and respond to public health threats.
As a Global Health Security Advisor, you will collaborate with county health teams to implement robust disease surveillance and response systems. Together, you will ensure that health intervention is timely, transparent, and effective, ultimately improving health outcomes at the community level. Strengthening Liberia’s GHS infrastructure not only benefits local populations but also contributes to regional and global health resilience, reinforcing the country’s ability to manage future health emergencies.
Required Skills: Bachelor's degree in public health, international development, statistics, social science, or a related field. AND Two or more years of experience with monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL), including the use of data collection and analysis software.
Living Conditions: The Volunteer will be posted in a regional capital and live in a self-contained apartment or house with a separate kitchen, bathroom, and sitting area. Housing may not have consistent running water or electricity but will include a bathroom with a western-style toilet that requires manual flushing and a shower for bucket bathing.
Activities: Provide trainings on outbreak investigation, situational reporting, and risk communication. Develop and deliver culturally appropriate risk communication materials and messages to communities. Support the development and review of all-hazards emergency response plans at the county level. Identify and train local Liberian volunteers for land points-of-entry and outbreak rapid response teams. Mentor county and district health staff on implementing and evaluating integrated disease surveillance and response activities. Provide technical support for health education and promotion, emphasizing compliance with national health regulations. Engage and mentor community members and partners on public health outreach and data collection.
You may also work on additional projects that meet the community’s interests and priorities, such as youth engagement and leadership development and hygiene promotion clubs.
Training: After a 2-week orientation on topics such as health and safety, you will move to an urban community where you will collaborate with the county health teams. You will work with the partner and your community to assess the local needs and develop a work plan in line with the established goals.
Peace Corps Liberia will equip you with Liberian English resources, and you may work with a local tutor who can help build basic language skills to connect with the community.
Job Highlights: Make a meaningful contribution to critical health interventions, disease surveillance, and outbreak response in West Africa. Expand your professional network to include Liberian health professionals and Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) staff. Experience traditional dishes like palm butter and jollof rice, and appreciate Liberia’s unique historical ties to America.