Gender: LLL:EXT:escmid_job_offers/Resources/Private/Language/locallang_tca.xlf:tx_escmidjoboffers_domain_model_jobseeker.gender.I.1
Residence: Mogadishu, Somalia
Short summary of skills, experience and career objective
I am a public health scientist and epidemiologist with over a decade of experience in global health research, teaching, and program leadership across Africa. My expertise spans molecular epidemiology of zoonotic diseases, humanitarian health, and health systems strengthening. As Director of the SIMAD Institute for Global Health, I have participated and led multidisciplinary teams implementing WHO- and CDC-funded projects on mortality surveillance, antimicrobial resistance, and WASH in crisis-affected settings. I am skilled in proposal development, capacity building, and cross-sectoral partnerships. My career objective is to advance evidence-driven policies and research capacity that improve population health and resilience in fragile contexts.
Professional profile
Career level:
LLL:EXT:escmid_job_offers/Resources/Private/Language/locallang_tca.xlf:tx_escmidjoboffers_domain_model_jobseeker.career_level.I.4
Status as medical specialist:
LLL:EXT:escmid_job_offers/Resources/Private/Language/locallang_tca.xlf:tx_escmidjoboffers_domain_model_jobseeker.status_as_medical_specialist.I.0
Medical specialty, field of interest:
LLL:EXT:escmid_job_offers/Resources/Private/Language/locallang_tca.xlf:tx_escmidjoboffers_domain_model_jobseeker.medical_speciality_field_of_interest.I.0, LLL:EXT:escmid_job_offers/Resources/Private/Language/locallang_tca.xlf:tx_escmidjoboffers_domain_model_jobseeker.medical_speciality_field_of_interest.I.1, LLL:EXT:escmid_job_offers/Resources/Private/Language/locallang_tca.xlf:tx_escmidjoboffers_domain_model_jobseeker.medical_speciality_field_of_interest.I.2, LLL:EXT:escmid_job_offers/Resources/Private/Language/locallang_tca.xlf:tx_escmidjoboffers_domain_model_jobseeker.medical_speciality_field_of_interest.I.3, LLL:EXT:escmid_job_offers/Resources/Private/Language/locallang_tca.xlf:tx_escmidjoboffers_domain_model_jobseeker.medical_speciality_field_of_interest.I.4
Research profile:
https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=fcBq-VoAAAAJ&hl=en
Current (last) position held
Current employer company:
Director, SIMAD Institute for Global Health, SIMAD University Mogadishu, Somalia
Mogadishu, Somalia
https://sight.simad.edu.so/#projects
Job title:
Lecturer and Researcher
Duration:
03 April 2021 - 01 October 2027
Work experience
I am a public health scientist and epidemiologist with extensive experience leading research, teaching, and institutional development in fragile and humanitarian settings. I currently serve as the Director of the SIMAD Institute for Global Health (SIGHt) at SIMAD University, Somalia, where I oversee a portfolio of multidisciplinary projects focused on mortality surveillance, antimicrobial resistance (AMR), and health systems resilience. Under my leadership, SIGHt has implemented WHO-, CDC-, and UK Humanitarian Innovation Hub–supported programs on disease surveillance, WASH, and sexual and reproductive health (SRH) in internally displaced population (IDP) camps.
I led the establishment of the SIMAD Molecular Diagnostics and Research Laboratory, which serves as a national platform for molecular testing and postgraduate training in RT-qPCR, HPV, and AMR pathogen detection. I also coordinate strategic research partnerships with the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), University of Nairobi, Queen Margaret University, and WHO Somalia. Through these collaborations, I work to strengthen public health research capacity, promote data-driven policy, and position SIMAD as a regional hub for One Health and humanitarian health research.
Before joining SIMAD University, I served as an Associate Professor of Public Health and Epidemiology at Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, Nigeria. There, I taught epidemiology, biostatistics, and infectious disease control, supervised MSc and PhD students, and contributed to curriculum reforms. I also served as Head of Department and Laboratory Coordinator, where I strengthened biosafety standards and mentoring structures for postgraduate research.
As Principal Investigator, I have led several international research collaborations and mixed-methods studies on mortality estimation, hand hygiene behavior, and SRH access among adolescents and youth in Somalia. I coordinated the CDC-funded project on COVID-19 and Related Public Health Threats in Somalia, generating actionable evidence to improve pandemic preparedness and health system response. I have also led studies on seroprevalence, vaccine uptake, and antimicrobial stewardship, as well as operational and implementation research on WASH and SRH service delivery.
Earlier in my career, I worked on zoonotic disease surveillance and laboratory research in Nigeria and Malaysia, including my PhD study on Leptospira circulation among urban rat populations using ELISA and RT-PCR. My career has consistently focused on integrating molecular epidemiology, public health systems research, and One Health approaches to generate evidence that informs policy and strengthens resilience in crisis-affected settings.
Education and Qualifications
2018
Ph.D. in Epidemiology and Public Health. Thesis: Development of a multivalent recombinant DNA vaccine against pathogenic leptospiral infection in a laboratory animal model.
Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), Malaysia
2014
Master of Veterinary Public Health (MVPH). Dissertation: Serological prevalence of leptospires among sheep slaughtered at Sokoto metropolitan abattoir.
Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, Nigeria
2006
Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM). Final Year Project: Effect of mastitis on some biochemical and haematological parameters of Red Sokoto goats.
Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, Nigeria
Language skills:
English: LLL:EXT:escmid_job_offers/Resources/Private/Language/locallang_tca.xlf:tx_escmidjoboffers_domain_model_jobseeker.skill0.I.1
Special skills:
1. Epidemiological Research Design and Analysis: Advanced expertise in quantitative and qualitative epidemiology, including cross-sectional, cohort, and mixed-methods studies focused on infectious diseases and public health in humanitarian contexts.
2. Molecular Diagnostics and Laboratory Science: Proficient in DNA extraction, PCR/RT-qPCR, ELISA, molecular typing, and sequencing techniques for zoonotic and antimicrobial-resistant pathogens.
3. One Health and Zoonotic Disease Surveillance: Skilled in integrating veterinary, environmental, and human health data to study leptospirosis, AMR, and other zoonoses in tropical and crisis-affected regions.
4. Research Management and Grant Leadership: Experienced in leading multi-partner research consortia, proposal development, ethical review coordination, and donor reporting (WHO, CDC, UKHIH, UNICEF).
5. Data Management and Statistical Analysis: Competent in SPSS, Epi Info, and KoboToolbox for epidemiological data entry, cleaning, and analysis; trained in digital survey tools and geospatial mapping.
6. Teaching and Capacity Building: Over a decade of teaching and supervision experience at undergraduate and postgraduate levels in epidemiology, biostatistics, WASH, and public health research methods.
7. Qualitative and Participatory Research Methods: Experienced in conducting and training others in focus groups, in-depth interviews, thematic analysis, and participatory co-design in humanitarian health studies.
Scientific Writing and Publication: Strong track record of peer-reviewed publications in global health, zoonoses, AMR, and humanitarian epidemiology; skilled in manuscript preparation and academic editing.
8. Leadership and Institutional Development: Proven ability to establish and manage new research platforms and laboratories, foster inter-university collaborations, and mentor early-career scientists.
Desired job profile
Desired job profile:
I seek a senior academic or research leadership position in public health, epidemiology, or global health research, where I can apply my expertise in molecular epidemiology, One Health, and humanitarian health systems. My ideal role would involve designing and leading multidisciplinary research programs, mentoring postgraduate researchers, and strengthening institutional capacity for disease surveillance and outbreak response in low-resource or crisis-affected settings.
I am particularly interested in roles that integrate evidence generation, policy translation, and capacity development, such as Director of Research, Principal Investigator, Senior Epidemiologist, or Global Health Program Lead within a university, public health agency, or international research consortium.
Desired job title:
Infectious diseases, humanitarian health research
Type of position:
LLL:EXT:escmid_job_offers/Resources/Private/Language/locallang_tca.xlf:tx_escmidjoboffers_domain_model_jobseeker.type_of_position.I.0, LLL:EXT:escmid_job_offers/Resources/Private/Language/locallang_tca.xlf:tx_escmidjoboffers_domain_model_jobseeker.type_of_position.I.1, LLL:EXT:escmid_job_offers/Resources/Private/Language/locallang_tca.xlf:tx_escmidjoboffers_domain_model_jobseeker.type_of_position.I.3
Medical speciality:
LLL:EXT:escmid_job_offers/Resources/Private/Language/locallang_tca.xlf:tx_escmidjoboffers_domain_model_jobseeker.medical_speciality.I.0, LLL:EXT:escmid_job_offers/Resources/Private/Language/locallang_tca.xlf:tx_escmidjoboffers_domain_model_jobseeker.medical_speciality.I.1, LLL:EXT:escmid_job_offers/Resources/Private/Language/locallang_tca.xlf:tx_escmidjoboffers_domain_model_jobseeker.medical_speciality.I.2, LLL:EXT:escmid_job_offers/Resources/Private/Language/locallang_tca.xlf:tx_escmidjoboffers_domain_model_jobseeker.medical_speciality.I.3, LLL:EXT:escmid_job_offers/Resources/Private/Language/locallang_tca.xlf:tx_escmidjoboffers_domain_model_jobseeker.medical_speciality.I.4
Type of contract:
LLL:EXT:escmid_job_offers/Resources/Private/Language/locallang_tca.xlf:tx_escmidjoboffers_domain_model_jobseeker.type_of_contract.I.0, LLL:EXT:escmid_job_offers/Resources/Private/Language/locallang_tca.xlf:tx_escmidjoboffers_domain_model_jobseeker.type_of_contract.I.1, LLL:EXT:escmid_job_offers/Resources/Private/Language/locallang_tca.xlf:tx_escmidjoboffers_domain_model_jobseeker.type_of_contract.I.2
Job status:
LLL:EXT:escmid_job_offers/Resources/Private/Language/locallang_tca.xlf:tx_escmidjoboffers_domain_model_jobseeker.job_status.I.0, LLL:EXT:escmid_job_offers/Resources/Private/Language/locallang_tca.xlf:tx_escmidjoboffers_domain_model_jobseeker.job_status.I.1
Years of relevant work:
17
Geographical preference:
Anywhere
Availability:
12 December 2025
Please log in to proceed