Job Information
Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Senior Program Officer, Technology, Research and Analytics in Seattle, Washington
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
This is an exciting time to join the foundation’s Polio Team to be a part of the global effort to eradicate the disease gathering momentum in the final phases of the Endgame and new scientific innovations on the horizon to achieve and sustain eradication. The Polio Team works with partners of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) as well as with country governments, donors and other collaborators to build and implement the Polio eradication strategy. We do this by developing relationships and uplifting each other through our journey together. We believe that energized people, working well together, motivated by great leadership in an inclusive environment in which they thrive, will do phenomenal things! The foundation’s Leadership Team is invested in our success, as we continue to provide updates, identify key risks, and build engagement opportunities.
Your Role
As a key member of the Polio Technology, Research and Analytics (TRA) team, the Senior Program Officer (SPO), TRA will support the team’s efforts to analyze and synthesize evidence to inform strategic decision making in the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (https://polioeradication.org/) (GPEI). Additionally, you will:
What You’ll Do
Provide technical support and leadership to the GPEI partnership, work groups, and grantees to identify and address key knowledge gaps with existing or prospectively collected epidemiologic data. Work closely with global stakeholders, national and provincial governments and partners to effectively use and visualize data to inform decisions.
Provide analytic guidance to polio team members and GPEI working groups for priority issues such as impact of vaccination efforts, optimum choice of polio vaccines for outbreak response, and near- and long-term policies for vaccines for essential immunization against polio. Actively collaborate with external and internal groups in order to use analytical resources to inform critical program decisions.
In coordination with key internal and external partners, identify research priorities and innovative technologies to complete eradication, focusing on novel detection methodologies and assays that could also be applied for other disease control initiatives. Work closely with colleagues at the foundation to formulate target product profile of such tools and provide technical and managerial guidance to build grant relationships for rapid implementation for development and evaluation.
Partner with Program Strategy Teams (PSTs) and foundation leadership to ensure evolving strategies for next steps for polio eradication are supported by scientific evidence with synthesis, interpretation and dissemination of emerging evidence base from epidemiologic, clinical and program data.
Collaborate with grantees and partners to plan and implement field studies, scientific experiments and evaluation methods to strengthen global policy for eradication.
Your Experience
7+ years of experience in applied epidemiology, global health or infectious disease control.
A Ph.D. or MD degree or an equivalent advanced degree preferably in epidemiology, global health or similar quantitative field.
Significant hands-on field experience or demonstrated evidence through peer-reviewed publications in the field of expertise.
Significant experience managing global health implementation programs or related innovation projects (health R&D, data).
Deep knowledge of vaccine science, epidemiologic methods, particularly for survey, longitudinal, and geo-spatial data.
Expertise in grant-making and management skills, as well as expertise in program and project monitoring and evaluation.
Proven ability to work creatively, rigorously, and collaboratively with public health and non-traditional data sources, partnering with governmental, non-governmental, and research organizations across the world.
Excellent verbal and written communication skills; capability to clearly and effectively communicate with a wide range of technical and non-technical partners and audiences, including with the foundation senior management.
Ability to travel up to 20%; largely internationally.
Other Attributes
In-depth knowledge of infectious disease epidemiology and significant experience in designing epidemiologic, case control or clinical studies and interpretation of disease modeling data preferred.
Experience related to immunization policies and/or polio eradication strongly preferred but not required.
Experience in interpretation of data from novel assays and detection methodologies a plus.
A high level of personal initiative and capability to be self-directed, combined with great teamwork skills.
Empathy and a sense of humor.
The salary range for this role is $229,100 to $355,200 USD. 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.
Guided by the belief that every life has equal value, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (http://www.gatesfoundation.org/) works to help all people lead healthy, productive lives. In developing countries, it focuses on improving people’s health and giving them the chance to lift themselves out of hunger and extreme poverty. In the United States, it seeks to ensure that all people—especially those with the fewest resources—have access to the opportunities they need to succeed in school and life. Based in Seattle, Washington, the foundation is led by CEO Mark Suzman, under the direction of co-chairs Bill Gates and Melinda French Gates and the board of trustees.