Senior Program Officer, Bioinformatics and Genomic Epidemiology

Company: Disability Solutions
Location: Seattle
Posted on: January 23, 2025

Job Description:

The FoundationWe are the largest nonprofit fighting poverty, disease, and inequity around the world. Founded on a simple premise: people everywhere, regardless of identity or circumstances, should have the chance to live healthy, productive lives. We believe our employees should reflect the rich diversity of the global populations we aim to serve. We provide an exceptional benefits package to employees and their families which include comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage with no premiums, generous paid time off, paid family leave, foundation-paid retirement contribution, regional holidays, and opportunities to engage in several employee communities. As a workplace, we're committed to creating an environment for you to thrive both personally and professionally.The TeamOur Global Health Program harnesses advances in science and technology to save lives in poor countries. We focus on the health problems that have a major impact in developing countries but get too little attention and funding. Where proven tools exist, we support sustainable ways to improve their delivery. Where they do not, we invest in research and development of new interventions, such as vaccines, drugs, and diagnostics. Our work in infectious diseases focuses on strategies to fight and prevent HIV/AIDS, malaria, tuberculosis (TB), neglected tropical diseases, enteric and diarrheal diseases, pneumonia and polio.The goal of the Enterics, Diagnostics, Genomics, & Epidemiology (EDGE) Team is to accelerate the reduction in childhood deaths from diarrheal diseases in low- and lower-middle-income countries, and to eliminate typhoid as a public health problem globally. We also aim to enhance the development and use of diagnostics for infectious diseases, to develop low-cost and optimized approaches to pathogen surveillance in LMICs and to improve the quality of data and modelling for public health decision making. Guided by the burden of disease and the threat of outbreaks, we develop vaccines, diagnostics, and tools for detection and surveillance of pathogens for safe and effective delivery to our populations in need. Vaccines are being developed or optimized to target rotavirus, bacterial causes of diarrhea (including Shigella and cholera), and enteric fever (typhoid and paratyphoid). We also focus on extreme volume manufacturing of diagnostics, developing low-cost point-of-care molecular diagnostics and improving specimen collection devices. Surveillance tools in development include tools for pathogen detection and genomic surveillance from clinical samples and wastewater to optimize global and local surveillance for outbreak and endemic pathogens.Your RoleWe seek a self-starter who can integrate a diverse set of perspectives to build consensus, structure and drive forward progress on complex topics, and provide both technical and operational capacity to the Genomics, Epidemiology & Modelling (GEM) program within EDGE. As a key member of the GEM program, the Senior Program Officer (SPO), is accountable for managing a portfolio of investments and partnerships on precision disease surveillance efforts in support of the GEM program priorities within the EDGE team. These will consist of the development and continued refinement of innovative bioinformatics, genomic sequencing and wastewater surveillance tools, methods and solutions.You will provide leadership, program management, strategy development and communications on EDGE team priorities, grantees and partners. You will also partner closely with the Deputy Director, Genomics, Epidemiology & Modelling, to contribute to the continued development of the team's strategic vision including participating in the setting of the overall strategy and goals for the group.What You'll Do

• Provide subject matter expertise on pathogen genomic sequencing and bioinformatics to EDGE, as well as other BMGF teams as needed, to support strategy and investment development to advance the use of sequencing for surveillance/public health in LMICs.
• Apply scientific, technical, and strategic business expertise to identify, develop, and manage a portfolio of strategic, performance-based grants and contracts focused on genomic epidemiology, wastewater genomic surveillance, bioinformatics and data visualization; including alignment of internal and external stakeholders, review of letters of inquiry and grant proposals as well as providing clear, concise and insightful written analyses and recommendations for funding.
• Partner closely with team leadership, including the Director and DD Genomics, Epidemiology & Modelling, to communicate and implement the overall GEM Program strategy.
• Bring forward new, innovative, data-driven ideas for investments aimed at improving genomic surveillance approaches and increasing access and use of genomic surveillance tools to support strategic public health decisions in Africa and South Asia.
• Advance open data and open science approaches within the portfolio of investments and building implementing partner capacity in these areas.
• Actively search for and create opportunities to develop new partnerships and between external partners that will advance GH programs
• Manage information related to grant portfolio and domain-level data (GEM), such as documenting key activities and decisions; inputting into key business processes and performance measurement tools; preparing materials for communication with foundation leadership.
• Drive facilitation, project management, stakeholder management, and follow-up on action items for cross-cutting initiatives led by the GEM Program.
• Represent the foundation and program to the external world as relates to position responsibilities:
  • Forge collaborations with key global experts in bioinformatics and pathogen genomic sequencing.
  • Work with external advisors to maintain cutting edge approaches to pathogen genomic surveillance.
  • Represent foundation interests in developing networks for the program.
  • This role will require the ability to travel up to 30% domestically and internationally. Your Experience
    • PhD and/or MD with equivalent research experience in pathogen genomics, bioinformatics, data science, and related quantitative domains
    • A minimum of 10 years' experience working in public health genomics and bioinformatics including phylogenetic and phylodynamic analysis.
    • Experience working in sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America or South Asia and/or working with or for a national disease control program is a strong asset.
    • Technical knowledge of DNA sequencing platforms, targeted and whole genome sequencing approaches, bioinformatics pipelines, and database and workflow architecture.
    • Familiarity with principles of information visualization and the use of dashboards to communicate key indicators to public health decision makers.
    • Experience working with global institutions and global health organizations
    • Experience working in or with partners in low- and middle-income settings and ability to navigate geography specific contexts.
    • Proven program and stakeholder management skills, including ability to lead and influence scientific and non-technical partners; ability to coordinate inputs from many people; to track progress against targets and identify barriers to progress; to plan agendas and facilitate meetings; and to organize, evaluate, and communicate information.Other Attributes
      • Demonstrated ability to work with flexibility, efficiency, and enthusiasm in a fast-paced and complex internal and external environment.
      • Demonstrated experience in scientific writing and data analysis, written and oral communication skills, and experience advocating and communicating with a broad and diverse audience.
      • Tolerance for ambiguity and ability to apply structure to simplify complex problems.
      • Experience with business and technical due-diligence assessments of potential investments. Ability to synthesize technical and programmatic information strategic decision making.
      • Strong judgment with a demonstrated ability to independently address complex issues, multiple tasks, confidential information, and competing priorities with skill, discretion, a strong attention to detail, flexibility and diplomacy.
      • Demonstrated passion for the Foundation's values with a commitment to deliver results against our mission.The salary range for this role is $229,100 to $355,200. We recognize high-wage market differences in Seattle and Washington D.C., where our offices are located. The range for this role in these locations is $249,600 to $386,900. As a mission-driven organization, we strive to balance competitive pay with our mission. New hires salaries are typically between the range minimum and the salary range midpoint. Actual placement in the range will depend on a candidate's job-related skills, experience, and expertise, as evaluated during the interview process.Hiring RequirementsAs part of our standard hiring process for new employees, employment will be contingent upon successful completion of a background check.Candidate AccommodationsIf you require assistance due to a disability in the application or recruitment process, please submit a request .Inclusion StatementWe are dedicated to the belief that all lives have equal value. We strive for a global and cultural workplace that supports ever greater diversity, equity, and inclusion - of voices, ideas, and approaches - and we support this diversity through all our employment practices.All applicants and employees who are drawn to serve our mission will enjoy equality of opportunity and fair treatment without regard to race, color, age, religion, pregnancy, sex, sexual orientation, disability, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, genetic information, veteran status, marital status, and prior protected activity.

Keywords: Disability Solutions, Edmonds , Senior Program Officer, Bioinformatics and Genomic Epidemiology, Other , Seattle, Washington