Research Assistant – Kamuzu University of Health Sciences

Job Description

VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT 

The Kamuzu University of Health Sciences (KUHeS) aims to recruit an experienced  Research Assistant to conduct research as part of the Psychosis Recovery Orientation in  Malawi by Improving Services and Engagement (PROMISE) study. PROMISE is a  collaboration led by the University of Edinburgh (EDIN) in close collaboration with  Kamuzu University of Health Sciences (KUHeS), London School of Economics and  Political Science (LSE), St John of God, and the Malawi Ministry of Health. It is a 5-year  Wellcome funded study that seeks to address and improve the mental health of people  living in low-middle-income countries (LMICs) such as Malawi. The project aims to work  with people living with psychosis, local community members, healthcare providers and  healthcare leaders to build on existing health services and initiatives to develop  acceptable and sustainable psychosis detection systems and management pathways to  improve awareness and health outcomes of people living with psychosis. The study will  be conducted in three districts in Malawi.

Job Summary 

PROMISE seeks to recruit a motivated and detail-oriented Research Assistant to join the  project team. The successful candidate will work as part of the field team with a lead  responsibility to support the economic evaluation of psychosis detection and  management interventions in Malawi. The post is based in Blantyre, with fieldwork  conducted in and in the surroundings of Chiradzulu, Ntcheu and Salima. The successful  candidate will be offered a 2-year contract, renewable, subject to satisfactory  performance.

Main responsibilities  

1. The individual will contribute to conducting cost-effectiveness analyses of  proposed interventions, collecting and managing data, and preparing reports and  publications to inform stakeholders and policymakers;
2. Collect and manage data related to the study. This will include clinical data and economic data on the costs of the intervention, costs linked to service use and  resource impacts, and unit costs. This includes;
3. Collecting and analysing data from persons with lived psychosis experience and  their families using the Client Service Receipt Inventory questionnaire (for  establishing service and resource use);
4. Applying and analysing data from time motion surveys of Health Surveillance  Assistants;
5. Gathering data for calculating unit costs from District Health Centres, health  departments and other sources;
6. Negotiating access to, coordinating, managing and analysing administrative data; 7. Conduct literature reviews and/ or synthesize evidence related to health  economics, including disability-adjusted life years (DALYs), Health-related quality

of life measures, and cost-effectiveness thresholds, to apply those in the analysis; 8. Perform data entry, cleaning, and analysis using appropriate statistical and  economic software;

9. Contribute to writing technical reports, policy briefs, and peer-reviewed  publications on the economic evaluation findings;
10. Engage with stakeholders, including health professionals at District Hospitals,  primary health centres, people with lived experience of psychosis and their  families and policymakers, to gather data, present findings, and gather feedback;
11. Support the integration of economic analysis within the broader project  framework, ensuring alignment with the Theory of Change and project goals. 12. Work closely with team members to develop a thorough understanding of  relevant study procedures and processes;
12. Take responsibility for organisational, budgetary and logistical tasks; 14.Monitor and communicate progress, maintaining workplan and ensuring timely  completion of tasks.

Requirements 

– Master’s degree in relevant social science in economics ethics, or public health  discipline;

– Demonstrated knowledge of and interest in clinical research, research ethics and health economics;

– Demonstrated evidence of leading and contributing to publications in relevant  social science, ethics, or a public health topic;

– Experience with conducting data collection, including with vulnerable  populations and in clinical research;

– Experience in and managing fieldwork and a research project;

– Experience in quantitative analysis, including the use of statistical analysis  packages (e.g., R, Stata, SPSS);

– Experience in presenting research results at national/international conferences; – Sensitivity to cultural differences and the ability to relate to people from a variety  of backgrounds, including policymakers and community members; – Excellent communication skills in the English language, both written and verbal. – Excellent spoken English and Chichewa;

– Excellent organisational and administrative skills, with great attention to detail; – Ability to work in resource-constrained settings and efficient use of resources; – Demonstrated commitment to and enthusiasm for a research career; – Commitment and willingness to promote high-quality social science, ethical

research practice and community engagement with research in Malawi; – To uphold the Kamuzu University of Health Science’s Motto: Excellence for  Life;

– Possession of a valid driver’s licence: Ability to drive independently to research  sites if needed.

Application Procedure 

Suitably qualified candidates should submit an application letter, a detailed CV including details of 3 contactable referees and copies of relevant certificates via email to: recruitment@kuhes.ac.mw (or by post to: 

The Registrar, Kamuzu University of

Health Sciences,

Private Bag 360,

Chichiri,

Blantyre 3.

Indicate the research project’s name as PROMISE Study on the envelope for hardcopy applications, and indicate the project name and title of the post in the subject line of your email for electronic submissions.

Applications should reach the Registrar no later than 21st February, 2025 Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.