Position Title: Research Assistants

Reports to: Principal investigator

Group/Department: Institute of Global Health Equity Research, University of Global Health Equity (UGHE)

Location: Kigali and Butaro, with frequent travel to the data collection and research sites Rwanda.

Position Overview

The Research Assistant will work on a Research project entitled “Understanding solutions to promote healthy Aging and reduce multi morbidity in Rwanda” funded by the Institute for Global Health Global Innovation Challenge Award, Northwestern University, USA. The project is a collaboration between the University of Global Health Equity (UGHE), Northwestern University, University of Birmingham, and the Rwanda Biomedical Center (RBC). The focus of the project is to collect quantitative and qualitative data to provide evidence to design novel interventions to maintain health aging and inform policy and planning. The work involves stakeholder involvement, including work with health care workers, and policy makers to ensure reach and impact of the findings.

Key Responsibilities

• Support and contribute to the development of data collection tools, ensure accurate data collection and data entry processes.
• Conducting quantitative data collection at designated data collection sites and as directed by the project PIs, including data entry and data quality assurance.
• Conduct qualitative data at designated data collection sites including, focus group discussions, translation, transcription, desk reviews and contribute to various stakeholder’s workshop

• Supervise household survey data collectors
• Work closely with the PIs and Research Fellow to ensure teams’ ability to meet contractual requirements, identify gaps and create plans to address them, and provide ongoing support to teams.
• Support writing project deliverables such as reports
• Preparing PowerPoint slides, report and poster presentations as required
• Conduct literature searches and reviews and support with ethics review submissions.
• Support an interdisciplinary research team
• Any other tasks as designated by the supervisor

Qualifications

• BSc in health-related field, MSc in Public Health or Global Health Delivery, or MSc in other health related program
• Demonstrate training in research methods, data collection, and research experience of minimum 1 year
• Familiarity and practical knowledge and experience in qualitative and quantitative data collection from patients and community, and data quality assurance
• Experience with qualitative and quantitative data collection tools and survey methods
• Knowledge of the Rwandan health system

• Fluency in Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and OneDrive
• Ability to manage and prioritize project related tasks with high attention to detail
• Ability to work under pressure, meet tight deadlines, and manage competing priorities
• Evidence of excellent interpersonal skills, including ability to communicate effectively both orally and in writing
• Evidence of good organizational skills, including effective project management; experience with community engagement preferred
• Excellent written and oral communication skills in English and Kinyarwanda required

To apply

Applicants should provide: (1) a resume, (2) a cover letter, (3) names and contact information of three professional references who can attest to work experience, and (4) copies of all degrees earned. Please upload your cover letter and copies of degrees as a single PDF file under “Additional Files” on the application page.

Organizational Profile

The University of Global Health Equity (UGHE) is on a mission to radically change the way health care is delivered around the world. The UGHE is a new university based in Rwanda that is growing the next generation of global health professionals—doctors, nurses, researchers, and public health and policy experts—into leaders and change makers who strive to deliver more equitable, quality health services for all. The University was launched in September 2015 with the Master of Science in Global Health Delivery (MGHD). Through an academic experience uniquely rooted in the values of equity, students are empowered to both ease suffering at the bedside and drive transformational, systemic changes to the health system.

UGHE is an initiative of Partners in Health (PIH), an internationally recognized non-profit organization whose mission is to provide a preferential option for the poor in health care. In over nearly three decades of operating alongside public sectors in countries around the world, PIH has developed a model to deliver high quality healthcare to some of the world’s most marginalized communities. Nowhere has this impact been more profound than in Rwanda, where Inshuti Mu Buzima—PIH’s sister organization—and our government partners have driven innovation for a decade.

Members of the UGHE community are tenacious and resolute in our drive to attain social justice, make common cause with those in need, listen to and learn from others, and operate with honesty and humility as we uphold academic integrity and intellectual curiosity. The UGHE team seeks individuals committed to these values to join the team.

Commitment to Safeguarding and Prevention of Sexual Exploitation, Abuse and Sexual Harassment:

At UGHE, we are committed to ensuring that those who benefit from our work- including community members – as well as our students, contractors, staff and visitors to our campus are treated with dignity and respect and protected from sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment and any form of systemic abuse, whilst reducing risk and vulnerabilities. A range of pre-employment checks will be undertaken in conformity with UGHE’s policy.

UGHE will request information from applicants’ previous employers about any findings of fraud, harassment, sexual harassment and any form of systemic abuse or incidents under investigation when the applicant left employment. By submitting an application, the job applicant confirms their understanding of these recruitment procedures.