Job Advert: Quantitative Research Assistants (24) | Qualitative Research Assistants (10)

Makerere University college of Health Sciences, School of Public Health (MakSPH) in
partnership with the Uganda Prisons Service (UPS) has received funding from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to conduct a study entitled “Evaluating impact of Uganda Prisons Service Cooperative Agreement (Project) on HIV/TB outcomes among Uganda Prison Health Facilities.”

In 2015, the Uganda Prisons Service (UPS) was awarded a cooperative agreement to provide Comprehensive HIV/AIDS, STI and TB Services Including Prevention, Care, Support and Treatment to Prisoners and Staff of the Prisons Service in the Republic of Uganda. The UPS mechanism is defined as a President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR)-Centers for Disease Control (CDC)-funded HIV Prevention, Care and Treatment Program. It is implemented in Uganda Prisons health facilities all over Uganda under the stewardship of Uganda Prisons Service Department of Health. 

The main purpose of the proposed study is to use a series of quantitative and qualitative approaches to data collection to generate datasets and information about the best practices and lessons learned during the execution of the cooperative agreement. Such data and information will be useful in shaping the future direction of HIV/TB programming in Ugandan prisons.

The study team seeks to recruit responsible, qualified, and competent individuals who can work with minimum supervision to join its team as research assistants to support data collection for the period of data collection. The study will be done across 85 health facilities in 62 districts 

 Job title:  Quantitative Research Assistants (24)

Report to: Field supervisor, who then reports to the Study Coordinator
Main role: working together with researchers, field supervisors, study coordinators, and investigators to collect data and ensure successful implementation of the study.

Key Specific Responsibilities
•    Attend all trainings and pretesting sessions.
•    Pre-test data collection guides, forms and devices for data collection
•    Identify relevant HMIS registers at the health facility and abstract data into the electronic data collection platform
•    Ensure safe custody of both hardcopy and digital data collected and follow all quality checks provided
•    Provide the study team with daily updates on data collection and participate in the development of daily field reports.
•    Perform any other duties relevant to this position as may be assigned from time to time through the field supervisor.
•    Adhere to infection prevention and control measures as guided by Ministry of Health.

Ability to fluently speak and read any of the local languages: Luganda, Runyakole- Rukiga, Runyoro, Lumasaba, Lusoga, Alur, Acholi and Pokot.

Minimum qualifications and experience
•    Must possess a bachelor’s degree or diploma, from any recognized higher institution of learning.
•    Applicants should have demonstrated experience working with HMIS tools including but not limited to the HTS, ART, TB, MCH/EID, Lab activity(log), Viral load registers as well as HMIS 105, 106a reports.  
•    Worked in at least one research health study/project involving data abstraction as a research assistant within the past 3 years.
•    Possession of a Certificate in Good Clinical Practice or/and Human Subjects Protection is an added advantage.
•    Good oral and written communication skills
•    Ability to work well in a team
•    Willingness to work in fast -paced and occasionally demanding environment
•    Ability to fluently speak any of the local languages in the regions/districts specified above.

Job title:  Qualitative Research Assistants (10)
Report to: Field supervisor who then reports to the qualitative coordinator
Main role: Collect qualitative data and ensure successful implementation of the study.

Key Specific Responsibilities
    Participate in orientation trainings for research assistants 
    Pretest data collection tools in selected facilities
    Select participants for key informant interviews and focus group discussions in accordance to the eligibility criteria stipulated in the protocol
    Conduct key informant interviews and focus group discussions in selected facilities
    Transcribe the interview recordings into verbatim transcripts
    Ensure compliance to all ethical considerations in accordance to the study protocol 
    Update the study team on the progress of qualitative data collection during debrief meetings 
    Perform any other duties assigned by the field supervisor

Ability to fluently speak and read any of the local languages: Luganda, Runyakole- Rukiga, Runyoro, Lumasaba, Lusoga, Alur, Acholi and Pokot.

Minimum qualifications and experience
    Must possess a bachelor’s degree from any recognized higher institution of learning
    Possession of a Masters’ degree and experience in qualitative data analysis is an added advantage
    Certificate in Good Clinical Practice or/and Human Subjects Protection 
    Ability to fluently speak any of the local languages in the regions/districts specified above.

Duration: Appointment for Quantitative and Qualitative research assistants is valid for the period of data collection and shall be automatically terminated.

Note:  Recruitment of Research Assistants will be based on the above -mentioned study districts. Candidates should indicate their Region/district of interest and language as they apply for this position. Applicants should also clearly state their experience with quantitative data collection and data abstraction from HMIS tools.

How to apply: Interested persons should send their application and updated curriculum vitae (CV) to the links below stating two referees and their contacts not later than 18th October 2023, 5.00 pm. Applications should be addressed to: The Dean, Makerere University School of Public Health.

Quantitative research Assistant Application link: https://forms.gle/9t6ogvC62JYEA5Hg6
Qualitative Research Assistant Application link: https://forms.gle/99cmxyFwx1aQ7N2R8

NB: Only short-listed candidates will be contacted. Canvassing for any position is highly prohibited.