Head of Biomedical Engineering at Medical Research Council (MRC) Unit, The Gambia

Medical Research Council (MRC) Unit, The Gambia - We are the leading research centre in sub-Saharan Africa, carrying out internationally competitive research into tropical medicine for over 50 years. Our current research agenda focuses on three themes: Disease Control & Elimination; Nutrition; Vaccines & Immunity. Looking towards the future. we are aiming to push forward into new and challenging areas reflecting changes in national and global health priorities.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Head of Biomedical Engineering

Location: Fajara
Grade: Grade 2, 37 Points.

Accountability             

• The post-holder will be accountable to the Head of Laboratory Management, Dr Davis Nwakanma.

Introduction

• The Biomedical Engineering Department at the MRC is fully responsible for the management and in-house maintenance of over 1,700 clinical and laboratory biomedical technologies, with a total asset value of over £4 million.
• The program’s team of biomedical engineering technologists has been factory service trained on sophisticated technologies including flow cytometry, diagnostic imaging, automated chemistry and haematology analysers, safety cabinet certification, etc.

Purpose of the Job

• The post-holder will ensure that MRC the Gambia has an effective biomedical technology management program for all laboratory and clinical equipment at all field stations and project sites.
• The post-holder will lead capacity development of biomedical technology management and maintenance programs with approved West African research partners.

Key Responsibilities
The post-holder will have the following responsibilities during their contract term:

Maintain and improve current biomedical engineering services for the Unit’s clinical service, research platform and external projects:

• Consult and plan pre-technology purchase for the laboratory, clinic, projects, and Grants Office as well as provide support to the Capital Equipment Committee towards implementation of the Unit’s equipment programme.
• Manage service contracts and service support agreements
• Manage service and  training relationships with vendors and consultants
• Manage the program’s technical services (incoming inspection, installation and commissioning, preventive and corrective maintenance, inventory and inspection, decommissioning, retirement and donation)
• Supervise the program’s technologists to deliver technical services and manage workshop and facilities themselves
• Plan and manage technical and non-technical training for the program’s technologists to ensure future sustainability
• Supervise use of the equipment management database
• Improve communication between the biomedical engineering program and service users
• Manage the donation of suitable retired technologies to the Gambian health and research institutions
• Manage the biomedical engineering program budget
• Work with senior laboratory and clinical staff to further standardise laboratory and clinical technologies

Improve biomedical engineering process quality:

• Continue to work towards meeting the biomedical equipment requirements of Good Clinical Laboratory Practice (GCLP) and ISO 15189.
• Continue to improve biomedical engineering processes to meet the MHRA’s DB 2006 (05) ‘Managing Medical Devices’ guidance document standard
• Lead continued process improvement plan for biomedical engineering service delivery
• Ensure biomedical engineering policy and standard operating procedures (SOPs) are fully implemented and reviewed annually
• Write and implement any additional biomedical engineering documentation as required
• Develop and implement quality control activities for the equipment management database
• Supervise senior technologists to develop competency assessments for all supported biomedical technologies that do not require factory service training
• Assist in any audits, monitoring visits and assessments as required
• Coordinate external biomedical engineering peer audit (against MHRA’s DB 2006 (05) or another appropriate biomedical engineering best practice standard) two years after taking up the post.

Expand biomedical engineering’s biomedical technology maintenance and management model to approved partners in West Africa. This will include (a) service delivery for supportable technologies at partner institutions that will expand biomedical engineering into a business unit and (b) training for approved candidates at partner institutions in biomedical engineering:

• Assess baseline equipment maintenance and management capacity at approved partner institutions.
• Post assessment, to determine possible supportable technologies at partner institutions and manage service relationship.
• Manage growth targets for the service delivery program and balance them with post requirements outlined in first 2 sentence(s) above.
• Identify possible training candidates at partner institutions and develop partner-specific training programs and oversee their training in the biomedical engineering workshop. 
• Host a health technology management workshop for equipment management trainees at the Unit.
• Develop a monitoring and evaluation framework for capacity building programs.
• Document and publish unique solutions and lessons developed through this development effort.

Relationships:

• The post-holder is a full-time member of MRC staff.
• The post-holder will report to the Head of Laboratory Management, Dr Davis Nwakanma.
• The Director of Operations is Mr Joan Vives Tomas.
• The Unit Director is Professor Umberto D’Alessandro.

Appraisals:

• Appraisals are held at least annually.

Length of appointment:

• The appointment is up to 31st March 2021 initially and is subject to a probationary period of 6 months. 

Any other duties:

• To carry out any other duties consistent with the remit and level of the post.

Person Specification
Essential:

• B.Sc/M.Sc in Biomedical Engineering, Electrical Engineering or other suitable engineering graduate degree from an accredited institute
• Membership in a suitable Professional Institution (IEEE, IET, ACCE, etc.)
• Post-graduate training in health technology management (HTM) preferred 
• Minimum of three years experience managing biomedical technology and staff at health and/or research facilities.
• Demonstrated experience working in a managerial position providing biomedical engineering support services to a medium-sized organisation.
• Technical knowledge of laboratory and clinical technologies (e.g., flow cytometers, genetics technology, diagnostic imaging equipment, chemistry and haematology analysers, etc.)
• Training and/or knowledge in capacity and policy development related to technology management in the developing world.
• Excellent communication skills.
• Excellent time management skills.
• Demonstrated budgetary and cost management skills.
• Demonstrated change management skills.
• Keenness to train and impart knowledge.
• Excellent organisational and staff management skills.
• Experience of working with people from different disciplines and cultures.
• Willingness to travel and stay at the upcountry field stations, West African and other locations on a regular basis.

Desirable:

• Professional engineering designation or ability to acquire during the post-holders contract.
• Experience of working with a cross-cultural range of staff and developing training plans and strategies to meet their unique capacity development needs.

Condition

• The appointment is up to 31st March 2021 and is subject to a probationary period of 6 months.

Remuneration

• An attractive salary will be paid in MRCG’s Grade 2, 37 Points at a minimum take home pay of 94, 249 Dalasi per month. This is equivalent to $2, 005 per month using the prevailing USD/Dalasi exchange rate. Please note the salary will be paid in Dalasi and the USD/Dalasi exchange rate is only given as a guide using the prevailing exchange rate.
• For displaced staff the package will include, rent-free furnished accommodation, flights, displacement allowances for dependents, contribution to school fees for children and shipment of personal effects.

Application Closing Date
31st July, 2018.

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should download and complete the MRCG Job Application Form and send to: [email protected]

Click here to download the MRCG Job Application (MS Word)

Click here for more information (MS Word)

Note: MRCG at LSHTM is an Equal Opportunities Employer and operates a strict no smoking policy.