The Clinton Health Access Initiative, Inc. (CHAI) is a global health organization committed to our mission of saving lives and reducing the burden of disease in low-and middle-income countries. We work at the invitation of governments to support them and the private sector to create and sustain high-quality health systems.

CHAI was founded in 2002 in response to the HIV/AIDS epidemic, with the goal of dramatically reducing the price of life-saving drugs and increasing access to these medicines in the countries with the highest burden of the disease. Over the following two decades, CHAI has expanded its focus. Today, along with HIV, we work in conjunction with our partners to prevent and treat infectious diseases such as COVID-19, malaria, tuberculosis, and hepatitis. Our work has also expanded into cancer, diabetes, hypertension, and other non-communicable diseases, and we work to accelerate the rollout of lifesaving vaccines, reduce maternal and child mortality, combat chronic malnutrition, and increase access to assistive technology. We are investing in horizontal approaches to strengthen health systems through programs in human resources for health, digital health, and health financing. With each new and innovative program, our strategy is grounded in maximizing sustainable impact at scale, ensuring that governments lead the solutions, that programs are designed to scale nationally, and learnings are shared globally.

At CHAI, our people are our greatest asset, and none of this work would be possible without their talent, time, dedication and passion for our mission and values. We are a highly diverse team of enthusiastic individuals across 40 countries with a broad range of skill sets and life experiences. CHAI is deeply grounded in the countries we work in, with the majority of our staff based in program countries. Learn more about our exciting work: http://www.clintonhealthaccess.org

CHAI is an Equal Opportunity Employer, and is committed to providing an environment of fairness, and mutual respect where all applicants have access to equal employment opportunities. CHAI values diversity and inclusion, and recognizes that our mission is best advanced by the leadership and contributions of people with diverse experience, backgrounds, and culture.

Program Background:

Following the announcement of the Stop Work Order by the United States Government in January 2025, the Government of Zambia like other LMICS that were affected by this abrupt announcement began to evaluate how to navigate this change in the country’s health financing landscape. At the request of the Ministry of Health, CHAI has been working with the MOH to ensure that the health system remains resilient in the face of these external funding shifts. This support will primarily be delivered through technical assistance embedded in Ministries of Health departments.

In line with this, CHAI is seeking the services of a Data Scientist/Biostatistician to be part of the Ministry of Health (MOH) team as a thought partner to develop and execute strategies that will enable the health system to remain resilient in the short term, while simultaneously re-establishing a foundation for long-term, sustainable, and improved health outcomes.

Position Overview:

The Data Scientist/Biostatistician will be based at the Ministry of Health (MOH) Headquarters and report to the Director Infectious Diseases. The hire will work closely with the leadership of the Sustainability Steering Committee, which is a multi- departmental leadership team set up by the Ministry of Health to lead the process of developing a sustainable health care system that will withstand the effects of reduced external funding to health.

The incumbent will be responsible for providing expert data analytics, statistical modelling, and evidence-based insights to support health policy formulation, strategic planning, disease surveillance, and program monitoring and evaluation across the Ministry of Health. S/he will also support integration of data science methods into routine health information systems and research activities. The role will contribute towards proving the necessary health data analytic outputs required as inputs to support effective strategizing, designing and implementation of interventions, and approaches to developing a sustainable health care system in line with national priorities.

Health Data Analysis and Modelling for Program Decisions

• Analyze large-scale health datasets (e.g., DHIS2, SmartCare, HMIS) to identify trends, service delivery gaps, and opportunities for optimization.
• Develop predictive and simulation models to estimate disease burden and resource requirements.
• Provide analysis outputs that inform funding strategies, operational decisions, and program performance reviews.

Actionable Data Visualization

• Design dashboards and tools that clearly communicate complex data to policymakers and technical staff.
• Tailor visualizations for high-level use in program reviews and resource planning.
• Create tailored visualizations that directly support health sector planning and stakeholder engagement.

Targeted Research and Study Support

• Support operational and implementation research activities with a focus on producing policy-relevant evidence.
• Prioritize studies and evaluations that will yield actionable insights within the contract duration.
• Align all research contributions with immediate program and funding decision cycles.

Fast-Track Capacity Building

• Provide focused mentorship and coaching to MOH staff and partners in statistical methods and data interpretation.
• Equip counterparts with practical skills and tools they can continue using after the assignment ends.
• Deliver high-value training that leaves a sustainable footprint within a limited period.

Collaborative Support and Communication

• Work with cross-functional teams of researchers, program implementers, and policymakers to integrate statistical insights into project design and decision-making.
• Communicate statistical methods and findings in accessible language to both technical and non-technical audiences.
• Facilitate knowledge exchange among key actors, including donors and implementing partners.

• A Master’s degree or higher in Biostatistics, Data Science, Statistics, Epidemiology, Health Economics, or a related field.
• Minimum 3–5 years of progressive experience in data analytics or biostatistics in the health sector.
• Proven experience working with national health information systems (e.g., DHIS2, SmartCare, HMIS).
• Strong knowledge of health systems financing and public health program design.
• Advanced proficiency in R, STATA, Python, and/or SQL.
• Experience conducting resource allocation and scenario modelling, especially in low-resource settings.
• Experience in supporting grant proposals, donor negotiations, or cost-effectiveness analyses is an added advantage.
• Experience working with the government will be an added advantage.

#jobreference2 #region3