Independent Consultant (Microbiologist)

Overview

WJCF is an Indian non-profit organisation committed to saving lives by reducing the burden of disease and strengthening government-owned, high-quality health systems. Since 2007, WJCF has combined data-driven approaches and deep public health expertise with strong government partnerships to design, implement, and scale solutions across India’s national and state health programmes. We work for and at the service of governments — supporting the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare and State Departments of Health to build systems that are strong, sustainable, and led by Indian institutions.

As an Indian organisation, WJCF brings an unmatched depth of contextual understanding of India’s health system architecture, policy landscape, and implementation realities across diverse geographies and population groups. This local institutional credibility, combined with global technical rigour, is central to WJCF’s effectiveness as a partner to governments and donors.

Our work is built around four complementary roles: as a Trusted Government Partner, co-designing programmes and strengthening health system architecture; as an Operational Partner, translating strategies into effective on-the-ground delivery; as a Market Shaper, improving the availability and affordability of health commodities; and as an Ecosystem Catalyst, convening governments, development partners, academia, and the private sector to drive solutions at scale.

WJCF’s programme portfolio spans thematic areas like hepatitis, HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, vector-borne diseases), syphilis, cervical cancer, diabetes, maternal and childhood anaemia, immunisation, under-5 diarrhoea and pneumonia, sexual and reproductive health, Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri – Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY), Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM), hypoxemia and oxygen, safe drinking water, sickle cell disease, presbyopia, lead poisoning, and cross cutting thematic areas like AI and Health, integrated disease surveillance, and climate and health. We currently support programmes across 19 states and union territories, with teams working at national, state, district, and sub-district levels.

Our people are our greatest asset. WJCF brings together a talented, diverse team of professionals from public health, analytics, consulting, healthcare, the development sector, and academia, all united by a shared commitment to improving health outcomes for the people of India. We are entrepreneurial, action-oriented, and deeply grounded in the communities and systems we work in. Our field teams collectively bring hundreds of years of experience managing public health programmes across the country.

WJCF collaborates with a range of international and domestic partners and donors to advance its mission, including an affiliation with the Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI), a global health organisation with which WJCF shares a common mission and values.

Programme Overview

India has the world's highest burden of tuberculosis (TB). The National TB Elimination Program (NTEP), led by the Central TB Division (CTD), Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, aims to end TB, and expanding access to rapid molecular testing is central to that goal. WJCF has supported the CTD and state health departments on TB since 2012, across case detection, access to diagnostics, preventive therapy, private-sector engagement and technical support to governments.

India built a large network of RT-PCR laboratories during COVID-19, and much of it now sits underused. With ICMR having validated an open RT-PCR kit for TB, this network could substantially expand rapid molecular testing for TB. Since July 2026, WJCF has supported the Central TB Division's operational feasibility assessment of open RT-PCR for TB, including at IGIMS Patna and Siwan District Hospital.

Before the feasibility assessment was conducted, sites collocated with open real time PCR and NAAT (currently used under the programme) were identified by the State and CTD. These facilities were individually assessed on site by a team of technical experts using a detailed structured checklist. The non-conformities were addressed; kits and consumables were procured; the lab personnel trained subsequently on laboratory practices by the microbiologist followed by demonstration and hands on practice facilitated jointly by a microbiologist and the manufacturer's technical representative.

Learnings from the feasibility assessment encourage scale up of Open Real Time PCR-based testing for TB to other 42 potential sites across the state. To do this, it is vital to assess the readiness at the identified facility. A two-step approach with initial self-assessment by the site through a structured questionnaire will be followed by a detailed-on site assessment by technical expert is intended. The recommendations based on the findings during the assessment would be provided to the State health authorities for addressing non- conformities. Consequently, training of laboratory staff will be facilitated jointly by the microbiologist and the manufacturer's technical personnel.

Position Summary:

WJCF is looking for a microbiologist to lead the technical laboratory work cited above.

Location: Patna (preferred), flexible to other base locations as well, however must be willing to travel within Bihar as required (up to 20-25 days a month)

Duration: Six months, with the possibility of extension

Guided by: Advisor, Diagnostics

Responsibilities

The work falls into four areas. The balance between them will shift over the six months, as the State's plan moves from assessment to training and rollout.

• Assess laboratories and plan what each need

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• Review the self-assessment checklists already returned by labs, and follow up on gaps with respect to key metrics (AMC status, working equipment, staff in post) as required
• Lead on-site assessments of open RT-PCR labs across Bihar, including infrastructure, biosafety, equipment and AMCs, staffing, current workload, quality control and linkage to NAAT. Complete the assessment checklist, recommend corrective actions.
• Share the recommendations with the state health authorities and follow up on the remedial actions taken.
• Estimate the quantum of kits, consumable and reagent requirements for each facility.
• Train and support laboratory staff

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• Facilitate training laboratory personnel on good laboratory practices, Real time PCR principles, Biosafety (including unidirectional workflow, use of PPE, spill management), sample packaging and transport, equipment maintenance, quality control, contamination mitigation methods etc.
• Co- facilitate (with the manufacturer's technical personnel) on- site demonstration and hands on practice on open RT-PCR testing for TB, recording & reporting, and trouble shooting.
• Plan and run in-person trainings for microbiologists and lab technicians with WJCF and the State, through hands-on sessions at a running lab followed by supervised testing
• Make mentoring visits to newly started labs, stay available for troubleshooting by phone and make supervisory visits to ensure smooth functioning
• Help labs put internal quality control in place, investigate contamination, interpret results correctly, and resolve results that disagree with NAAT
• Support the State on the systems scale-up depends on

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• Advise on staffing norms and roles for the new microbiologist, lab technician and lab attendant posts, including job descriptions and key responsibilities
• Support with designing suitable sample collection, storage and transport mechanisms
• Learn from the pilot labs

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• Stay closely involved with the open RT-PCR assessment at IGIMS Patna and Siwan District Hospital, use what works there to shape the state rollout, and help these labs serve as reference and training sites
• Write up site visits and lessons learnt, and contribute to WJCF's operational playbook for open RT-PCR.

Outputs

We expect the following outputs:

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• Readiness assessment findings and a readiness status for each lab visited;
• Support to the State's equipment, procurement and staffing plans;
• Bihar-adapted SOPs and training materials;
• Training delivery;
• Supportive supervisory visits;
• Short monthly updates; and
• A closing report with recommendations.

Much of this work depends on government processes, so priorities and timelines will be agreed with the Advisor, Diagnostics and reviewed every month.

Qualifications

Who we are looking for

• A postgraduate degree in microbiology (MD Microbiology, or MSc or PhD in Medical Microbiology/ Applied Microbiology/ Biotechnology/General Microbiology) or related field.
• At least 5 years of relevant experience in molecular testing for TB, ideally including work with NTEP, at IRL or NRL, or national or state governments, or non-profit organizations.
• Hands-on real-time PCR experience, with a good grasp of laboratory quality systems, BSL-2 biosafety and quality assurance
• Experience assessing or setting up laboratories, training lab staff, and working with state government teams; knowledge of Bihar is a plus
• Fluent Hindi and English, and comfortable travelling across Bihar and working independently
• Ability to independently handle workstreams and meet deliverables in a fast-paced environments.

Terms of engagement:

This is an independent consultancy based in Patna. Fees will be paid monthly against invoices for progress agreed with the Advisor, Diagnostics and the State Lead, and all travel will be invoiced as per WJCF policy. All outputs belong to WJCF and the Government of Bihar, and are confidential.

Last Date to apply: 13 December, 2026