Cancer Epidemiology Expert

About the role

The project aims to strengthen the Syrian Ministry of Health’s institutional capacity and governance. As a Cancer Epidemiology Expert, you will provide technical assistance in cancer epidemiological research, population‑based surveillance, statistical analysis and the translation of registry data into evidence‑based public‑health policies and national cancer‑control strategies.

Key responsibilities

• Conduct descriptive and analytical epidemiological studies using registry‑derived or health‑facility data, including incidence, prevalence, survival and trend analyses.
• Collaborate with cancer registry, health‑planning and digital‑transformation teams to ensure surveillance data inform national cancer‑control policy and resource allocation.
• Perform statistical modelling, age‑standardisation, survival analysis and visualisation of cancer‑surveillance data.
• Produce technical reports, policy briefs and peer‑reviewed publications that translate evidence into actionable recommendations.
• Build analytical capacity of national counterparts through structured training and mentoring.

Required profile

• Master’s degree or PhD in Epidemiology, Biostatistics, Public Health or a related quantitative discipline.
• Minimum 8 years of professional experience in epidemiological research or disease surveillance, with at least 4 years focused on cancer epidemiology or population‑based cancer‑registry analysis.
• Demonstrated experience producing peer‑reviewed publications and policy‑relevant outputs.
• Excellent written and spoken English; working knowledge of Arabic is an advantage.

Required skills

• Proficiency in statistical software such as R, STATA, SPSS or SAS.
• Advanced use of Microsoft Excel for data analysis and visualisation.
• Experience with data‑quality assessment methods for cancer‑registry data and familiarity with IARC/GLOBOCAN reporting standards.