Research Assistants - 6 Positions at The Center for International Health, Education and Biosecurity (CIHEB)

Job Summary

The Research Assistant will conduct data collection during the Knowledge, Attitude and Practice (KAP) study on routinizing catch-up vaccination, involving face-to-face interviews and focus group discussions and several surveys. Visits to health facilities and meeting venues (for group discussions) will be done in person, in a safe manner that is compliant with the Ministry of Health (MoH) and AMREF ESRC guidelines on COVID-19 prevention within Siaya County. This position will be funded for two months.

Roles and Responsibilities

Reporting to the Project Coordinator: Routine Immunization, the Research Assistant will;

• Attend the project study orientation to understand the purpose and intent of the study, as well as the plan for implementation.
• Work in close collaboration with County and Sub County health staffs in the selected facilities to ensure that only eligible clients are interviewed.
• Conduct quantitative surveys, on clients at the selected facilities to gather socio demographic information, immunization status and barriers and challenges in accessing immunization for children below 24 months.
• Conduct data abstraction based on the protocol plan
• In collaboration with the hospital staff, identify suitable sites (preferably quiet places) within the facilities, from where interviews can be conducted.
• Identify, from among clients interviewed for the survey, participants for focused group discussions to elicit more information as per the protocol guidelines.
• Conduct Key informant interviews with pre-selected subject matter experts/trusted sources of information on routine immunization.
• Promptly submit collected data to the electronic databases
• Uphold data quality procedures
• Any other duty that maybe assigned from time to time by the project coordinator.

Experience and academic qualifications

• Relevant experience working in a health institution and or participation in health research (Prior experience in qualitative research or public policy research, familiarity with quantitative methods is a plus).
• Strong qualitative analytical skills with the ability to collect, organize, analyze, and disseminate significant amounts of information with attention to detail and accuracy
• Experience in electronic data collection with a bias to ODK will be an added advantage
• Diploma/Degree health related courses or social science discipline

Required Skills, Knowledge and Abilities

• Willingness and ability to work in Siaya County (proficiency of the local language is a MUST)
• Communication skills both oral and written (proficiency in Swahili, English and Dholuo)
• Networking and collaboration skills
• Team player
• Ability to work under minimum supervision
• Attentive to details (Especially during FGD sessions)
• Training in COVID-19 vaccination will be an added advantage