Public Health Evaluation Assistants - Homa Bay at Elizabeth Glaser

Job Summary:

The PHE Assistant will be supervised by the PHE Officer. The Incumbent will work closely with the PHE Officer and the SOAR Kenya team on the PedAC Study (Pediatric Active Case Finding of HIV through Facility and Community-based Testing Models in Kenya. He/she collects and processes research data in support of the PedAC study. He/she arranges and conducts field interviews as appropriate to the study, and records research data in accordance with specified protocol and procedures at the study sites.

Core Duties and Responsibilities

1. Travel to field sites and participants’ homes if needed to collect and record data as appropriate to the specific objectives of the study.

2. Work closely with health care workers at the sites and in communities to identify potential study participants, assess eligibility and recruit them.

3. Describe purpose of the research study to all participants

4. Conduct informed consent processes with potential participants according to study procedures and obtain informed written informed consent from participants.

5. Conduct interviews in accordance with the protocol, data collection procedures, and documentation standards.

6. As appropriate to the specified position, code and verify data in accordance with standard operating procedures (SOPs).

7. Enter study data into the electronic data capture system

8. Ensure that data collected are accurate, complete, properly handled and stored in accordance with study SOPs and confidentiality stipulations.  

9. Comply with protocol, ethics and human subjects regulations and adhere to good research practices.

10. Assists in monitoring study progress including updating timelines, tracking data quality, and enrolment and notifying PHE Officer and investigators of progress.

11. Provide timely reports and communicate regularly with the PHE Officer and investigators as required.

Minimum Requirements

Education and Experience

1. Diploma in relevant field plus 3 to 5 years of experience conducting health service related research.

2. A basic degree in social science, public health or other relevant discipline and 1-3 years relevant work experience.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

1. Prior experience in conducting research (e.g. data collection and recording and conducting interviews).

   Experience collecting data using electronic gadgets.

2. Knowledge of and prior training in protection of human subjects in research and ethics regulations (evidence of research ethics certificate)

3. Excellent organizational skills and ability to follow study-specific procedures and guidelines reliably.

4. Excellent interpersonal communication skills, including ability to adapt to changing situations and group dynamics.

5. Knowledge of MOH facility data collection registers an added advantage.

6. Ability to understand and apply specified field research procedures and protocols.

7. Fluent in English, Kiswahili and Dholuo.

Physical demands:

• The position can entail long periods of sitting, standing and/or walking.
• There will be varied exposure to environmental elements such as sunshine, rain, cold, winds.
• Field schedules vary from day to day and according to the preference of the potential study participants so there may be need to work on Saturdays and Sundays.