International Consultant - Research Ethics and Governance

This consultancy supports the operational strengthening of the WHO Western Pacific Regional Office Ethics Review Committee and develops AI-enabled approaches, tools, and learning resources to enhance ethics review and research governance across the Western Pacific Region.

Responsibilities

• Screen research proposals and prepare documented assessments, reviewer briefing materials and recommendations to support ethics review and decision-making.
• Develop a consolidated repository of ERC review outcomes, reviewer feedback and common protocol deficiencies, with recommendations to improve submission quality and review efficiency.
• Update WPRO-ERC operational resources, including reviewer guidance, review templates, decision letter templates and documentation tools, in line with WHO ethics governance requirements.
• Prepare an annual analytical report on ERC activities, review trends, recurring ethical issues, review timelines and recommendations to strengthen ethics governance and review processes in the Western Pacific Region.
• Analyze information on international practices, opportunities, risks and governance considerations for using AI in research ethics review and prepare a technical briefing paper for WHO.
• Contribute technical input in the development of guidance framework on the responsible use of AI in ethics review and research governance, including safeguards, limitations and quality assurance measures.
• Contribute technical input in the design and testing of AI-enabled tools or workflows to support ethics review, such as protocol screening, checklist generation, reviewer support, knowledge retrieval or administrative process improvement, and document lessons learned.
• Develop and deliver training for WHO staff, ERC members and researchers on ethics review of AI-enabled research and responsible use of AI in research governance, including at least two virtual capacity-building sessions and a summary report.

Requirements

• University degree in bioethics, public health, medicine, law, health sciences, social sciences, artificial intelligence, data science or a related field.
• Additional training in research ethics, health research governance, digital health or AI governance is desirable.
• Minimum three years of professional experience in research ethics, research governance, health research management or ethics committee operations.
• Experience developing technical reports, guidance documents or training materials.
• Experience working with WHO, United Nations agencies or international organizations is desirable.
• Experience applying artificial intelligence or digital technologies within research, governance or health systems contexts is desirable.
• Experience designing and delivering capacity-building activities is desirable.
• Strong knowledge of international research ethics standards and governance frameworks.
• Knowledge of ethical issues related to artificial intelligence, health data and digital technologies.
• Strong technical writing, analysis and document development skills.
• Ability to synthesize complex technical information into practical guidance materials.
• Familiarity with WHO ethics review processes and WHO research governance frameworks is desirable.
• Knowledge of AI-assisted workflow tools, large language models or knowledge management systems is desirable.
• Expert knowledge of English.

Skills

• Research Ethics
• Research Governance
• Health Research Management
• Ethics Committee Operations
• Technical Report Preparation
• Guidance Document Drafting
• Training Material Development
• International Research Ethics Standards
• Governance Framework Analysis
• Ethical Issues in AI
• Health Data Ethics
• Digital Technologies Ethics
• Technical Writing
• Technical Analysis
• Synthesis of Technical Information
• Capacity Building Design and Implementation
• Capacity-building Delivery
• WHO Ethics Review Processes
• WHO Research Governance Frameworks
• AI-Assisted Workflow Tools
• Large Language Models
• Knowledge Management

Languages

English