Pharmacist

Pharmacist

Caption A pharmacy staff member reviews patient documentation and prepares nutritional supplies and medications to dispense to patients at MSF’s ambulatory therapeutic feeding centre in Kandahar, Afghanistan. Our staff ensures each child receives the appropriate treatment according to their prescribed care plan. © Nazia Kamal/MSF

Our pharmacists provide essential expertise in our projects.

From training national staff how to store and manage lifesaving medications through to ensuring enough medications are flown in to tackle sudden malaria outbreaks, Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders (MSF) pharmacists ensure that essential medicines are there when they are needed, well managed, transported and stored appropriately.

Responsibilities

Our pharmacists are often based in the country capital, supporting all projects in that country, often through more than one MSF Operation Centre.

It’s a diverse role and you would be responsible for:

• Ensuring good practice in distribution and pharmaceutical practices comply with national rules
• Drug management and medical equipment order, storage and distribution in MSF projects
• Training and supervising local staff working in the project pharmacies and warehouses
• Assist the coordination team with ensuring that medications safely reach the projects where needed

Fast forward a few weeks to the present, and I watch Kor taking his first steps around the hospital with our excellent ER doctor. It’s an emotional sight that brings tears to many eyes. The community watch in awe.

I’m an MSF pharmacist and together, we save lives!

LAMYA ABDI | Pharmacist

Application guide

Read our guide on the application process for all overseas roles

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Role requirements

• Qualification as a pharmacist and significant post qualification experience, ideally in hospital pharmacy management
• Active General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) registration
• Experience in supervising, training and managing others
• A minimum of A2 level in French (according to CEFR)
• Ability to work well as a part of a multi-cultural and multi-disciplinary team
• Ability to organise and prioritise workload and use initiative
• Willingness to work in unstable areas and ability to cope in a difficult and unpredictable environment
• Fluency in English
• Available for a minimum period of nine months
• Minimum of three months’ work, volunteering or travelling experience in low- and/or middle-income countries

Languages

We're currently looking for pharmacists with a minimum of A2 level in French (according to CEFR)

If you can also speak Arabic you're much more likely to be accepted onto our register.

Your language level may be tested during the recruitment process.