Data Engineer, Public Health Surveillance at Resolve to Save Lives

Resolve to Save Lives was created in 2017 by Dr. Tom Frieden, former director of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Through his work in government and with philanthropy, Dr. Frieden pinpointed a unique problem: no one is thinking about how to systematically combat the world’s leading killers. Heart disease carries the distinction of being the world’s #1 cause of death. And few organizations raise their focus from one disease to look at epidemics as a whole—and how they can be prevented. Resolve to Save Lives is committed to saving lives from these preventable causes by partnering with government and civil society to implement scalable, proven strategies. We prioritize partnerships with national and local organizations in low- and middle-income countries to co-create, advocate for, and scale up activities in heart disease prevention and epidemic preparedness. We work with global organizations to produce and promote policies that maximize health gains. Our funders include Bloomberg Philanthropies, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Gates Philanthropy Partners, which is funded with support from the Chan Zuckerberg Foundation. We are resolved to save lives.

Experience 8 years
Location Abuja

Position Purpose

RTSL is seeking a Public Health Surveillance Data Engineer to be embedded within the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC). The Data Engineer will provide engineering support for key public health digital platforms, including SORMAS, Laboratory Information Management Systems (LIMS), SitAware and their integrations. This role is critical in ensuring the optimal performance, interoperability, and sustainability of NCDC’s digital surveillance systems, strengthening disease surveillance, outbreak response, and laboratory data management.
Beyond system maintenance and troubleshooting, the engineer will work closely with NCDC technical teams to build institutional capacity by training and mentoring relevant staff on system operations, troubleshooting, and to identify, design and implement internal process improvements to optimize data delivery as well as digital public health surveillance data management systems best practices.

This position sits within the Department of Surveillance and Epidemiology, NCDC. The role will have a matrix reporting structure, reporting to both the Divisional Head of the Public Health Informatics Division and the Senior Technical Advisor for Health Security and Event-Based Surveillance at RTSL. The incumbent will also have regular reporting, technical support, and collaboration on outputs with global members of the RTSL team.

Length of Engagement: This is a fixed-term appointment through December 2026 with the possibility of extension.

Core Duties And Responsibilities

The Data Engineer will provide technical support and evolve the systems-level and architectural framework for digital solutions at NCDC. Responsibilities will span across the data lifecycle but are not limited to the following:

Provide technical guidance in defining and implementing data integration solutions, including APIs, middleware, and data pipelines, to support system interoperability and collaborative surveillance needs at NCDC
Drive the integration of priority platforms such as SitAware, SORMAS, and LIMS, ensuring seamless data exchange for laboratory, surveillance, and decision-making processes
Collaborate with the Legal and Data Governance and Architecture consultants, along with the NCDC and RTSL staff, to develop a data governance plan to inform architecture requirements
Support the development of a roadmap for NCDC data architecture that enables data sharing both within the NCDC and between NCDC and the other sectors
Design and launch a digital governance framework to clarify authority for decision-making for digital systems related to surveillance
Provide technical support for the implementation of several surveillance digital solutions, including SORMAS, SITAware, and LIMS
Collaborate with the NCDC ICT team to ensure continuous uptime, functionality, and security of relevant surveillance information systems by proactively addressing technical issues, performing software updates, patches, and regular maintenance
Develop technical documentation, user manuals, and standard operating procedures (SOPs) for system use and troubleshooting

Conduct hands-on workshops, training and mentorship sessions for NCDC technical staff and other system users to enhance institutional knowledge of system architecture and functionality
Work with development partners to explore scalable and sustainable digital solutions for public health
Participate in technical working groups, community of practice, and other knowledge-sharing forums on health information systems
Perform any other incident-specific related duties, as required by supervisor

Required Qualifications

Education

Bachelor’s or master’s degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Software Engineering, Health Informatics, Information Technology, or a related field

Experience

At least 8 years of experience in software development, system integration, or digital health implementation
Strong expertise in programming languages (Python, Java, JavaScript, C#), database management (SQL, PostgreSQL, etc.) and frameworks (Angular, React etc.), and DevOps
Experience working/familiarity with health information systems (SORMAS, mSERS, DHIS2, LIMS, etc.) or similar platforms

Skills & Abilities

Familiarity with API development, cloud computing (AWS, Azure, Google Cloud), and DevOps practices
Familiarity with healthcare informatics standards (HL7, FHIR, LOINC, etc.)
Experience developing and providing training and mentorship to technical teams in public health settings through day-to-day collaboration, developer guides, and presentations
Knowledge of cybersecurity principles, data privacy regulations, and health data governance
Strong analytical, troubleshooting, and problem-solving skills
Familiarity with machine learning, AI, or blockchain applications in health data management
Ability to work in fast-paced, high-pressure environments and manage multiple priorities

Preferred Skills & Attributes

Experience with public health surveillance and laboratory information systems
Experience with managing digital health implementations, including strong knowledge of digital health and data governance