Lab Specialist / IT Systems Specialist

Integrated Business & Technical Consultants, Inc. (IBTCI), a U.S. based international development consulting company established in 1987, has worked in over 100 countries and implemented over 300 projects. IBTCI serves government agencies, private sector companies, and several donor agencies. IBTCI specializes in monitoring, evaluation, research, and learning (MERL) and institutional support across many areas and sectors including, but not limited to, conflict and crisis, democracy and governance, agriculture, economic growth, food security, education, environment, and global health.

Position Title: Lab Specialist / IT Systems Specialist

Department: Monitoring, Evaluation, Research, and Learning

Location: Fiji and Remote

Report To: Digital Health Systems and Surveillance Lead / Team Lead

Type: Short-term consultant (August–December 2026)

Classification: Consultancy

Clearance Required: N/A

About IBTCI and the Assignment

Integrated Business & Technical Consultants, Inc. (IBTCI) is a global consulting firm that helps government agencies, international organizations, and other partners address complex development challenges. IBTCI will implement its portion of STRIDES Fiji in partnership with The Pacific Community (SPC) and in coordination with FHI 360, Fiji’s Ministry of Health and Medical Services (MHMS), Fiji Centre for Disease Control (Fiji CDC), and other national and regional partners.

Working under the supervision of the Digital Health Systems and Surveillance Lead / Team Lead, the Laboratory and IT Systems Specialist will provide laboratory-domain validation and practical IT support for the listed tasks. The Specialist will confirm that proposed requirements, data flows, interfaces, controls, and procedures are technically sound and workable in Fiji’s laboratory environment. The assignment covers SENAITE, an open-source laboratory information management system (LIMS), and STARLIMS, a commercial LIMS, wherever each is deployed or planned for use in Fiji, as well as their connections with surveillance, clinical, and visualization systems.

· Work under the Team Lead’s direction and coordinate closely with the Lab Information Systems Officer, Data Analyst, laboratory stakeholders, IBTCI project management, MEL, and quality-review personnel.

· Contribute to the delivery of the following four tasks:

o Task 1 – LIMS Integration with Surveillance Systems: Assessment of the current LIMS landscape (Senaite and STARLIMS) – data formats, coding standards, export capability, and state of any existing LIMS-to-surveillance data exchange. Definition of a common minimum dataset and exchange standard for laboratory results with the Fiji CDC surveillance unit and emergency operations center (EOC). Drafting and updating of data-sharing agreements and policies between laboratories, the Fiji CDC surveillance unit, and EOC.

o Task 2 – Review Digital Systems and SOPs for Outbreak Response: Document inventory and desk review of existing SOPs, guidelines, and project reports relevant to digital-system use for outbreak response, including current PATIS+ and STARLIMS documentation. Key informant interviews with MHMS, Fiji CDC, MoA, BAF, and prior implementers (DFAT, WHO, SPC), including PATIS+ and STARLIMS system owners. User-perception survey across Tamanu, Senaite, Tupaia, PATIS+, and STARLIMS operator groups. Data-flow mapping across Tamanu / PATIS+ (clinical), Senaite / STARLIMS (laboratory), and Tupaia (visualization), including interface points and points of duplication. Synthesis and drafting of the review report with findings and recommendations. Stakeholder validation, revision, and finalization of the review report.

o Task 3 – Host Technical Working Group (TWG) Meetings for Digital Systems Action Plan: Confirmation of TWG composition and endorsement of Terms of Reference by MHMS and Fiji CDC. TWG inception meeting – preparation, facilitation, and minutes. Action-plan development workshops (two facilitated working sessions). Roadmap drafting, technical review, and partner consultation.

o Task 4 – Improve SOPs for Tamanu and Senaite: Gap analysis and prioritization of SOPs and job aids across the three systems. Drafting and review of SOPs for Tamanu (clinical / EMR) outbreak-response workflows. Drafting and review of SOPs for Senaite (LIMS).

· Validate the assessment of Fiji’s LIMS landscape by confirming laboratory workflows, facility practices, user roles, technical dependencies, data formats, coding, export capabilities, and constraints affecting SENAITE, STARLIMS, and related systems.

· Review available system architecture, configurations, interfaces, connectivity, hosting, security, access-control, backup, audit-trail, support, and maintenance information.

· Technically validate the proposed common minimum dataset and exchange requirements, including identifiers, coding, validation rules, transport methods, frequency, endpoints, permissions, error handling, data quality, and read/write boundaries.

· Assess operational IT requirements and risks – including infrastructure, connectivity, user administration, cybersecurity, privacy, data sovereignty, business continuity, and technical support – and recommend practical mitigations within the project’s scope.

· Provide technical input to interviews, facility consultations, user-perception activities, and Technical Working Group meetings; explain laboratory and IT implications and help resolve questions assigned by the Team Lead.

· Validate and support drafting of SENAITE/LIMS SOPs and laboratory-related workflow provisions, ensuring consistency with actual laboratory practice, quality requirements, and access controls.

· Provide limited hands-on IT support for agreed assessment and documentation tasks, such as reviewing exports, sample files, user-role settings, logs, interface specifications, or controlled demonstrations.

· Maintain concise technical review notes, issue and decision logs, evidence references, and comments on draft products; promptly escalate conflicting assumptions, cybersecurity concerns, infeasible requirements, or missing technical information to the Team Lead.

· Task 1 (LIMS Integration with Surveillance Systems): Data-sharing agreements drafted.

· Task 2 (Review Digital Systems and SOPs for Outbreak Response): A report on current implementation and attitudes toward digital systems completed.

· Task 3 (Host TWG Meetings for Digital Systems Action Plan): TWG meeting reports and digital systems action plan completed.

· Task 4 (Improve SOPs for Tamanu and Senaite): SOPs and Job Aids reviewed, SOPs for Tamanu and Senaite improved/developed.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in medical laboratory science or technology, health informatics, information technology, computer science, biomedical engineering, public health, or a closely related field.
• At least 7 years of experience in laboratory systems, health IT, LIMS, digital diagnostics, systems administration, integration, or related public-health technology.
• Experience reviewing or supporting LIMS or health-information-system architecture, configurations, interfaces, data exports, user roles, connectivity, technical support, and operational controls.
• Knowledge of health-information security, role-based access, audit trails, backup and recovery, confidentiality, patient privacy, data sovereignty, and government ownership of health data.
• Ability to work effectively with laboratory professionals, government IT teams, surveillance staff, software vendors or system owners, and multidisciplinary project teams.
• Strong English writing and communication skills.
• Availability for in-country work and travel within Fiji during the assignment period.

· Experience working with government health or laboratory systems in Fiji or the Pacific region.

· Direct experience with SENAITE, STARLIMS, or comparable LIMS platforms.

· Experience on donor-funded digital-health, laboratory-strengthening, surveillance, or global-health-security projects.

Working Environment and Conditions

The consultancy combines remote work with required travel to and within Fiji, including work in laboratories, health facilities, government offices, workshops, and other field locations. The Specialist must work independently under the Team Lead’s supervision, coordinate across Fiji and U.S. time zones, handle sensitive laboratory and technical information appropriately, and meet fixed milestone deadlines. The initial assignment is expected to run from August through December 2026, with a possible extension subject to satisfactory performance, continued project need, funding, and written agreement. Final level of effort, authorized travel, compensation, and contractual terms will be established in the consultant agreement.

Working Environment: Work is typically performed in an office environment, with some time spent in the field.

Travel: Travel within Fiji required.

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

IBTCI is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) employer. This means that IBTCI is committed to a policy of equal employment opportunity for all persons without regard to race, color, religion, sex (gender and gender identity), sexual orientation, national origin, age, protected veteran status, disabled status, genetic information, or any other classification protected by applicable anti-discrimination laws. We prohibit discrimination and harassment in all employment practices and decisions, and we comply with all applicable federal, state, and local nondiscrimination laws.

If you are an applicant with a disability that requires a reasonable accommodation to complete any part of the application process or are limited in the ability, or unable to use the online application system and need an alternative method for applying, you may contact Talent Acquisition at [email protected]