Consultant- Microbiologist

1. POSITIONS VACANT: Consultant- Microbiologist, International Not-for-Profit Organization, Delhi.

2. ORGANISATIONAL BACKGROUND:

Our client is a respected international not-for-profit, that works in public health, to improve the health of disadvantaged communities, across the globe.

3. JOB DESCRIPTION/ RESPONSIBILITIES:

The Consultant Microbiologist to support the establishment of veterinary sentinel surveillance sites (VSSS) under the World Bank-supported Animal Health program. The consultant will carry out site assessments of potential hubs and spokes, along with readiness assessments, to evaluate laboratory capacity, infrastructure and biosafety needs. The findings will guide the selection and nomination of sites for the VSSS network and identify gaps to be addressed through targeted training and infrastructure support. The consultant will report to the Associate director as well as work closely with the Client team and DAHD, using the standardized assessment tools and SOPs developed under the program. S/he will be responsible for the following work;

Key Job Responsibilities: 

(1) The scope of work encompasses conducting comprehensive site assessments and gap analyses to support the establishment of the Veterinary Disease Surveillance System (VSSS) network. Initial activities focus on planning assessment schedules and liaising with the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying (DAHD) alongside state authorities to secure site access. On-site evaluations will be conducted across four times the designated number of hubs and spokes, utilizing standardized tools to systematically assess laboratory capacity, infrastructure, biosafety standards, and human resources. Based on these site visits, detailed gap analyses will be performed to document critical training, capacity, and infrastructural deficiencies across all network tiers. Finally, evidence – based recommendations for suitable hub and spoke nominations will be compiled for DAHD's consideration, supported by continuous tool refinement feedback and regular progress reporting to the project management team;

4. QUALIFICATIONS, EXPERIENCE AND COMPETENCIES:

Qualifications and Experience:

(1) Applicants must have Master’s degree (MSc/MVSc/MD) or PhD in Microbiology, Veterinary Microbiology, or a related field such as Veterinary Public Health or Medical Microbiology;
(2) At least 5-7 years of experience in diagnostic laboratories, including assessment or quality work in a laboratory;
(3) Experience in assessing laboratories, such as quality systems, biosafety and biosecurity, infrastructure, equipment and human resource capacity;

(4) Knowledge of laboratory diagnostics, including specimen collection, handling, transport and testing methods;

(5) Familiarity with laboratory quality standards (for example NABL/ISO 17025) and biosafety practices;
(6) Willingness to travel extensively to the assessment sites in the states;

(7) Good analytical and report-writing skills, and fluency in English and Hindi;

Skills and Competencies:

(1) Strong knowledge of laboratory systems, including diagnostics, quality management, biosafety and biosecurity;

(2) Ability to use standardized assessment tools to evaluate site capacity, infrastructure and readiness, and to score and interpret the findings;

(3) Skill in identifying capacity, training and infrastructure gaps and turning them into practical recommendations;
(4) Understanding of specimen-based surveillance and the hub-and-spoke referral and data linkages;

(6) Good analytical, data-handling and report-writing skills, including clear and concise assessment reports;

(7) Proficiency in MS Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and in using digital tools for data collection;

(8) Stakeholder engagement: works well with government officials (DAHD, state departments), laboratory heads and technical staff, with tact and professionalism;

(9) Communication: presents findings and gaps clearly, including to non-technical audiences, in both written and spoken form;

(10) Independence and ownership: manages field assessments and deadlines with limited supervision;

(11) Objectivity and integrity: gives an unbiased assessment of each site, even when the findings are sensitive;

(12) Adaptability: copes with varied field conditions, frequent travel and changing schedules;

(13) Collaboration: works as part of a team across Client, DAHD and partner institutions;

5. CONSULTANCY FEE: Gross compensation budgeted for the position is attractive. Please note that the offer made to the selected candidate shall be commensurate with qualifications, experience, and salary history.

6. LOCATION: New Delhi

7. REFERENCE: C-R-D-INPO

8. NATURE OF CONTRACT:

The selected candidate shall be engaged as a Consultant on the rolls of SAMS, a third-party payrolling agency, for a full-time consultancy engagement initially offered for a period of One months. The contract is extendable based on performance and project requirements. It is explicitly clarified that this consultancy engagement does not constitute a promise or guarantee of future employment, with SAMS, or our client, or any other organization associated with the project.

9. CONTACT INFORMATION:

Team SAMS
Strategic Alliance Management Services P Ltd.
1/1B, Choudhary Hetram House, Bharat Nagar 
New Friends Colony, New Delhi 110 025

Phone Nos.: 011- 4081 9900; 4165 3612

10. APPLICATION PROCESS:

Eligible candidates interested in the position are requested to urgently apply before October 20, 2026.