Research Assistants

Makerere University School of Public Health is conducting a community-based evaluation in flood-affected refugee communities in West Nile, Uganda, under the CORD/4As consortium. The research, known as the CORD Project, aims to assess the health impacts of floods on both host and refugee households in Adjumani district.

We are seeking to recruit committed and qualified Research Assistants to undertake data collection for the CORD Project in Adjumani district.

Key Responsibilities

• Obtain written informed consent from study participants, including youth, community leaders, and other stakeholders, ensuring full understanding of the study's aims and procedures.
• Conduct thorough quantitative interviews, adhering strictly to the study protocol to ensure the reliability and consistency of data collection.
• Coordinate and manage study activities across multiple sites, ensuring smooth execution, and timelines to meet project goals.
• Maintain professional and positive interactions with community leaders, healthcare workers, and other key stakeholders at the study sites.
• Conduct qualitative interviews and facilitate focus group discussions with diverse participants, including youth and community leaders.
• Transcribe recordings from interviews and focus group discussions with attention to accuracy and detail.
• Address any questions or concerns from participants before or during data collection to ensure transparency and trust.
• Participate in data management activities, including data validation, to ensure accuracy and quality of the collected information.
• Perform other duties as assigned by the Principal Investigators (PI) to support the overall success of the study.

Required Qualifications

• Diploma or Bachelor’s degree in a health-related field, including Environmental Health and social sciences.
• Proficiency in both English and local languages spoken in the study areas i.e. Arabic or Madi languages.
• Prior experience in both quantitative and qualitative data collection, particularly in research projects conducted by tertiary institutions in Uganda.
• Certification in Good Clinical Practice (GCP), Human Subjects Protection, or equivalent ethical training.
• Ability to work independently, meet deadlines, and manage tasks with minimal supervision.

Competencies and Skills

• Excellent communication, organizational, and interpersonal skills.
• Experience working with refugee populations or within refugee settings.
• Ability to conduct research activities through virtual platforms like phone, Zoom, and similar technologies.
• Familiarity and proficiency with Computer-Assisted Personal Interviewing (CAPI) tools.
• Strong report-writing skills and attention to detail.

Contract Period: 1 month (renewable)

To Apply:
Submit an application letter (addressed to the PI, CORD Project, and copied to the Dean, MakSPH), a current curriculum vitae (maximum two pages, highlighting qualifications, relevant experience, and contact details for two referees), academic documents, and any supporting certificates (including GCP and Human Research Protection certificate). All documents must be clear and legible; unclear documents will not be considered.

Important Notes:

1. The deadline for submitting applications is October 2nd, 2024, 23:59 hours (Ugandan Time).
2. Only applications submitted online before the deadline will be considered.
3. Shortlisted candidates will be contacted for interviews.
4. Application link here