Senior Program Officer, Public Health Surveillance, Data Integration, and Artificial Intelligence

The Foundation

We 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 Team
Our Global Health (GH) 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 don't, we invest in research and development of new interventions, such as vaccines, drugs, biologics, and diagnostics. Our work in infectious diseases focuses on strategies to fight and prevent HIV/AIDS, malaria, tuberculosis, neglected tropical diseases, enteric and diarrheal diseases, and pneumonia. These strategies are supported by functional and cross-cutting teams that focus on Discovery & Translational Sciences, Vaccine Development, Surveillance, Integrated Development, Diagnostics, and Innovation Introduction.

With a focus on low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), the Pneumonia & Pandemic Preparedness (PPP) Team aims to 1) accelerate the reduction in childhood deaths from pneumonia, meningitis, and neonatal sepsis; 2) improve disease surveillance for public health action; 3) minimize mortality and prevent transmission during epidemics and pandemics; and 4) prevent mortality due to antimicrobial resistance (AMR) risk pathogens. Guiding the prioritization of our global health interventions based on mortality estimates, our team's surveillance work better defines the global disease burden through high quality primary mortality data, assists countries to implement promising surveillance methods such as sample registration systems and multi-pathogen serosurveillance and to integrate data from surveillance systems, and supports the WHO's Collaborative Surveillance initiative. Our global health interventions accelerate the development and commercialization of novel and lower-cost vaccines and monoclonal antibodies for our target populations. Our prevention efforts target the following pathogens: pneumococcus, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), group B streptococcus (GBS), meningococcus, Klebsiella pneumoniae. Given that a growing portion of deaths in young children happen before a child can be immunized, we are developing vaccines that can be delivered safely during pregnancy (maternal immunization) to protect vulnerable infants during the first months of life through antibodies transferred from their mothers. We are also focused on antimicrobial resistance as an increasing global health threat that disproportionately contributes to neonatal sepsis deaths.

The person in this role will report directly to the Deputy Director, Surveillance and Epidemiology on the PPP team and will have "dotted line" reporting to the Director, Africa Health. In PPP, we believe that energized people, working well together, fueled by great leadership in an inclusive environment in which they thrive, will do phenomenal things.

Your Role

You are a creative, thoughtful, and curious leader who identifies as a problem solver and subject matter expert in public health informatics and surveillance, including applications of artificial intelligence (AI) for disease intelligence in low- and middle-income countries. You will develop and implement a strategy for global data architecture and digital infrastructure, including artificial intelligence for cross-cutting public health surveillance and epidemic readiness. You will work with internal and external partners across diverse subject areas and bridge a wide range of expertise with agility, efficiency, and diplomacy in a dynamic environment.

What You'll Do

Are you passionate about using the power of information technology to support better surveillance and public health decision making and thereby improve health and reduce inequality in low- and middle-income countries? Do you have experience working in low- and middle-income countries on AI or digital public health initiatives? If so, we want you to join our team at the largest nonprofit fighting poverty, disease, and inequity around the world.

The Senior Program Officer, Public Health Surveillance, Data Integration, and Artificial Intelligence is a key member of the foundation's Surveillance unit in the Pneumonia and Pandemic Preparedness Team. This role will focus on public health informatics and AI for the Foundation's cross-cutting public health surveillance initiative and will also support other groups in PPP that are considering investments in public health informatics and AI. Beyond the PPP portfolio, this role requires cross-foundation collaboration with surveillance activities with other teams, including Africa Regional Office; Genomics, Epidemiology, & Modeling; Global Policy & Advocacy; and Global Health Agencies & Funds. This role also collaborates with the AI Core Team and Program Strategy Teams on other infectious disease surveillance programs to ensure coordination and integration of surveillance activities. Taking advantage of the promise of AI and preventing an AI digital divide in Africa and other areas of the global south is a high priority area for the Foundation. As such, this role will be responsible for developing our overarching strategy for public health surveillance applications in AI, as well as other applications of information technology to public health surveillance and epidemic readiness. This person will also provide technical assistance to other PSTs and advocate for the safe, responsible use of AI as a force multiplier to improve public health surveillance in LMICs.

• Create and implement a strategy for digital innovation, including AI, to improve actionable, integrated, and timely information for public health decision-makers in the global south
  • Develop a strategy for the Foundation's work on public health informatics and AI for public health surveillance, consistent with our theory of change, with quantifiable impact goals
  • Develop a clear understanding of specific ecosystem constraints and opportunities related to AI for public health surveillance
  • Map the pathways by which promising public health surveillance technologies transition from small, defined proof-of concepts to minimal viable products and ultimately scaled products/applications that are sustainable across multiple countries
  • Identify a key set of partners and stakeholders for success in this focus area across the technical, advocacy, government, academic and funding spheres

• Use your scientific and technical expertise to identify, develop, and manage a portfolio of strategic investments related to our strategy
  • Review submitted concept notes and grant proposals to support projects and programs on public health informatics for surveillance, including global and national data architecture, norms, and standards; unique health ID and privacy-preserving record linkage; early warning systems for outbreak detection and notification
  • Shape and manage investments on AI tool effectiveness, safety, and regulatory strategies for AI-informed public health surveillance in LMICs
  • Develop an overarching evaluation plan to understand the viability of tools deployed in LMIC settings and why they succeed or fail
  • Ensure that funding is appropriately managed and where appropriate, done in collaboration with other foundation teams and external funders
  • Prepare background documents, briefs, and presentations for internal leadership and external stakeholders related to information technology and AI for public health surveillance
  • Ensure investments are well aligned to strategies and led with a needs-based (versus tools-based) approach
  • Build and manage highly collaborative grantee and partner relationships to maximize impact of projects and ensure optional learning. This may include identifying and cultivating partner relationships; conducting site visits; providing technical expertise and guidance; and convening meetings of key partners
  • Represent the foundation and influence global, regional, and country agendas in line with global objectives. The role will require the ability to travel up to 20% domestically and internationally to grantee meetings, conferences, and convenings.

Your Experience

• Doctoral degree in data science, public health informatics, epidemiology, computer science, or related data-centric field with 10+ years of technology development/application experience; or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Technical expert/leader in information technology and public health informatics including processes, systems, and tools, as well as a demonstrated understanding of AI at a conceptual level
• Knowledge of the public health surveillance, informatics, and AI landscape, particularly in Africa, South Asia, and Latin America
• Ability to collaborate effectively in a matrixed environment - manage, organize and prioritize multiple projects and meet deadlines within a fast-paced environment with multiple and competing demands
• Experience working on teams with diverse cultural and professional backgrounds
• Experience building and managing productive relationships with governments, Ministries of Health, National Public Health Institutes, NGOs, academic institutions, and global funders is required

Other Attributes

• Experience working in low- and middle-income countries strongly preferred
• Experience in having supported the development, testing, launch, or scale-up of any AI-based technology is a plus
• Excellence in scientific writing and data analysis, written and oral communication skills, and experience synthesizing technical information toward strategic decision making
• Proven ability to assess concepts and approaches with potential for high impact
• Comfortable dealing with ambiguity and, through analytical thinking and creativity, able to turn ambiguity into clarity and impact

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 USD. 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.

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Hiring Requirements

As part of our standard hiring process for new employees, employment will be contingent upon successful completion of a background check.

Candidate Accommodations

If you require assistance due to a disability in the application or recruitment process, please submit a request here.

Inclusion Statement

We 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.

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