Career Opportunities at Kenya Medical Research Institute

Vacancy No. CGHR/211/09/21

Program description: The KEMRI/CGHR program has expanded considerably in its research and program support activities. This program is collaboration between Kenya Medical Research Institute, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and other partners and funders. It involves conducting research and programmatic support for activities related to Malaria, HIV, Tuberculosis and other diseases. The Family Health Unit at KEMRI-CGHR, Kisumu, has a vacancy in the Antenatal and Postnatal COVID-19 (ANCOV) study for the following position.

Position: Registered Nurse (2 position) KMR 8
Location: Kisumu, Kenya
Reporting to: Study Coordinator

Job purpose:

The incumbent will be responsible for providing nursing care to study participants, conducting antenatal, perinatal and post-natal care to mother and follow up for mother and baby pair. He/she will participate in taking histories, vital signs, physical examination, anthropometrics, assist in conducting deliveries and management of patients. Coordinate referral of pregnant women, enrolment and follow-ups.

Requirements:

1. Diploma in in nursing from a recognized institution.
2. Registration Certificate issued by the Nursing Council of Kenya
3. Valid Practicing License from Nursing Council of Kenya
4. Excellent written/oral communication, interpersonal and organization skills
5. Fluency in English and Swahili both written and spoken
6. Training as a midwife and having worked in an Maternal and Child health and Nutrition (MCHN) or reproductive and child health environment

Skills & Abilities

1. Ability to withstand post-mortem procedures
2. Advance level of computer literacy
3. Excellent organizational skills and record keeping skills
4. Ability to communicate with tact, diplomacy and counselling skills to bereaved family members
5. Ability to work in a complex multidisciplinary group, especially in MOH set-up
6. Be a team player

Duties and Responsibilities:

1. Provide basic triage to study participants
2. Enrolment and follow-up of study participants
3. Collection of high dimensional longitudinal clinical data
4. Participate in antenatal, perinatal and post-natal care of study participants
5. Identify danger signs of pregnancy and do appropriate referral
6. Conduct rapid HIV test in study participants with pre and post-test counselling
7. Maintains strict confidentiality and participants’ privacy
8. Maintain adequate amounts of required clinic supplies
9. Ensures high quality accurate data collection and recording of confidential clinical data.
10. Advices the study participants on availability of referral services.
11. Develop in-depth understanding of the study design and goals for successful
12. Implementation and execution of the study
13. Develop and review study SOPs
14. Perform any other duties as may be assigned by your immediate supervisor

Terms of Employment:

This employment is a one-year (1) renewable contract with probation period for the first 3 months. Salary is as per the stated job scale. Applications MUST include the following:

1. Letter of Application (INDICATE VACANCY NUMBER)
2. Current Curriculum Vitae with telephone number and e-mail address
3. Three letters of reference with contact telephone numbers and e-mail addresses
4. Copies of Certificates or Transcripts
5. Contact telephone number

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Vacancy No. CGHR/215/09/21

Job Description

We are seeking to fill the one PhD position with a PhD project nested in the main MiMBa pregnancy registry project. The PhD project could either focus on specific clinical research component such as assessment of congenital anomalies and neurodevelopmental assessment of infants exposed in-utero to antimalarials or focus on the methodology for record linkage from women to mother to child to explore prenatal exposures on birth and child outcomes. The successful applicant will be encouraged to develop a PhD proposal based on these opportunities in the first 6 month of the programme with the support of the supervisory team.

Location: Centre for Global Health Research, KEMRI, Kisumu
Reporting to: Study Principal Investigator(s)

Expectations of the PhD Candidate

1. This will be a three-year, full-time, research PhD registered with the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine (LSTM), UK
2. The PhD student will be based and domiciled in KEMRI/CGHR with travel to LSTM in the UK at specified time for related training and administration purposes. 
3. The PhD student will develop a research proposal nested within the MiMBa Pregnancy Registry project, lead the conduct of specific component of field work related to the PhD project and/or methodology work under the guidance of the supervisory team.

Support for the PhD Candidate

1. This is a fully funded PhD opportunity.
2. Items covered by the scholarship include

• Salary and other emoluments/ benefits
• PhD registration fees
• Cost of a training attachment at LSTM: airfare, visa fees, accommodation and subsistence
• Cost of dissertation research / field work

Eligibility

1. Must be citizens or permanent residents of Kenya
2. Masters degree or the equivalent from a recognised University, relevant to the area of study (medicine, public health, epidemiology, biostatistics or related field) and fulfilment of PhD entry requirements of LSTM. It is the policy of LSTM to consider only applicants that hold a first class, or high upper second-class Honours degree (or equivalent) in an area relevant to the MiMBa Pregnancy Registry project. Where an applicant does not meet this requirement (e.g. they hold a lower second class undergraduate degree), they may be eligible to apply if they also hold a master's degree with an awarded distinction or equivalent (in an area relevant to their proposed PhD) and are able to provide an award certificate and transcript for both qualifications. Unfortunately, we are unable to consider masters qualifications that have not yet been awarded.
3. Willingness to commit 100% (full) time and effort to the PhD
4. Previous publications related to the research themes of the project will be an added advantage
5. Knowledge and skills relevant to the PhD topic (e.g. experience in malaria research or related fields, pharmacovigilance, pharmacoepidemiology)
6. Personal motivation of the candidates as demonstrated by their motivation letter and responses during the interview
7. A candidate already registered for a PhD or holding another fellowship will only be considered if they are willing to drop their current commitments. 

Application Procedure
The following documents should be included in the application

1. Current curriculum vitae (use the NIH template for pre-doctoral fellows available on https://grants.nih.gov/grants/forms/biosketch.htm)
2. A motivation letter (max 1000 words). This should cover your academic and professional background, any experience relevant to this project and position, why you want to undertake a
3. PhD, what do you hope to gain from this PhD and your plans after the PhD.
4. Name and contacts of two referees, one should be your current supervisor. Referees should be senior academic and/or professional persons who are currently or have recently been responsible for supervising you. Friends and family are not acceptable.
5. A commitment letter from current employer guarantying study leave and salary support during the training
    

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Vacancy No. CGHR/214/09/21
Project description: The Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI), Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine (LSTM) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will be conducting a large
community-based study of Attractive Targeted Sugar Bait (ATSB) aimed at reducing malaria transmission in western Kenya. The 3-year project is part of a larger international ATSB consortium involving three countries in Africa, and international partners in the UK and USA. As part of this effort, KEMRI is searching for an exceptional trial manager with three years of relevant work experience to lead the study team.

Position: Senior Research Scientist (KMR 5)
Reports to: Principal Investigator
Location: Homabay

Minimum Requirements

1. Medical Doctor (MCChB or MD or equivalent), or MSc in Epidemiology, or MPH or equivalent
2. Minimum of 3 years of experience in public health, or experience in managing and conducting clinical or epidemiological research in resource-limited settings.
3. Demonstrated team or project management ability
4. Strong leadership and supervisory abilities
5. Strong computer skills including in data analysis and the ability to produce high-quality written reports
6. Fulfil the requirements of Chapter Six (6) of the Kenya Constitution

Key Skills and Competencies

1. Ability to collaborate closely with Donors, Ministry of Health and Partners
2. Good interpersonal, decision making and analytical skills
3. Knowledge and behaviours that support equality, diversity and inclusive practice
4. Self motivated, pro-active, and able to multi-task and take initiative
5. Ability to work independently and effectively under challenging field conditions
6. Moderate to advanced level analytical skills and use of at least one statistical software package, e.g. STATA, R, SPSS or SAS
7. Fluency in English, both spoken and written
8. Excellent communication skills including oral presentations of scientific information

Summary of function:

The incumbent will be responsible for overseeing a large cluster randomised trial in 80 villages in Siaya County to evaluate the efficacy of a novel tool for reducing malaria transmission. The evaluation will include longitudinal assessments of community and facility-based surveillance for malaria case burden, a year-round household malaria indicator survey and an incidence cohort study. The post holder will work in close consultation with the Principal and Co-Investigators, including with the entomological team. He/She will be responsible for reviewing standard operating procedures, manage submission of protocol amendments as required, coordinate fieldwork, overseeing centralised functions of the study, including coordinating data management and procurement of study supplies. For exceptional candidates, the option for PhD training as part of the project can be considered.

Major Duties and Responsibilities

1. The incumbent will be responsible for managing all clinical, epidemiological and public health aspects of the study, which will be implemented in Siaya County in western Kenya.
2. He/She will be responsible for the development of any amendments to the protocol, obtaining ethics and regulatory clearances, developing case record forms and standard operating procedures, and coordinating the fieldwork.
3. The person will also be responsible for overseeing any centralised functions for ATSB, including coordinating data management between KEMRI, CDC and LSTM, laboratory testing, and procurement.
4. She/he will establish good working relationships with the country PI and Co-investigators in Kenya, field, laboratory, entomological, and data staff, as well as members of the financial, IT and other
5. departments within partner institutions in the UK (LSTM and IVCC), US (CDC-Atlanta), and PATH.
6. He/she will be expected to organise and prioritise his/her own workload within the overall research objectives with minimal onsite supervision.
7. Review/develop Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), ensuring standardised methods are used, and that all Ministry of Health Guidelines are followed
8. To undertake analysis of study results and draft reports as agreed with the PI.
9. Coordinate the preparation and publication of data, reports and information, ensuring that they meet contractual and ethical requirements
10. Establish excellent relationships with the study participants and their communities
11. Disseminate findings in publications and scientific meetings

Management Responsibilities

1. Conduct performance appraisal of study site staff in liaison with the relevant technical supervisors of the staff members in Kenya
2. Monitor and evaluate participant recruitment, retention, and completeness of data capture in collaboration with data team members. Provide regular feedback reports to the PI and take immediate remedial action as and when required
3. Plan and coordinate meetings for both internal project staff and external collaborators and visitors in liaision with the Principal Investigator.
4. Work with data managers and Principal Investigator and Co-investigators to analyse data and contribute to the writing of reports, publications and manuscripts. To present study updates at meetings as necessary

Other Duties

1. Promote equality of opportunity and inclusive practice in all aspects of work undertaken
2. Any other duties commensurate with the grade and nature of the role
3. Terms of Employment: A one-year renewable contract as per KEMRI scheme of service and a probation period for the first 3 months.
4. Remuneration: Salary is negotiable within the appropriate KEMRI pay grade depending on education and experience 

Terms of Employment:

1. A one-year renewable contract as per KEMRI scheme of service and a probation period for the first 3 months.

Remuneration:

1. Salary is negotiable within the appropriate KEMRI pay grade depending on education and experience

Applications MUST include the following:

1. Letter of Application (INDICATE VACANCY NUMBER)
2. Current Curriculum Vitae with telephone number and email address
3. Three letters of reference with contact telephone numbers and email addresses of the referees
4. Copies of Certificates, Diplomas or Transcripts

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Vacancy No. CGHR/213/09/21
Program description: The KEMRI/CGHR Research Program has expanded considerably in its research and program support activities. This program is a collaboration between Kenya Medical Research
Institute and other organizations. It involves conducting research and programmatic support for activities related to Malaria, HIV, Tuberculosis and other diseases. Due to its continued growth, the program seeks to fill the position of a Medical Officer/Pediatrician in an ongoing epidemiological study in the malaria branch.

POSITION: Clinical Research Scientist/ Pediatrician KMR 5- (1 Position)
LOCATION: Siaya County
REPORTING: Principal Investigators

Essential Requirements

1. Bachelor’s Degree in Medicine and Surgery from a recognized university.
2. MMed Pediatrics an added advantage and will be considered highly desirable.
3. Registered by Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentist Board
4. Research experience is an added advantage.

Job Description
Reporting to the Principal Investigators, the Medical Officer/Pediatrician will work with a team consisting of clinical officers and community interviewers who will be based at health facilities in Gem, Bondo and Siaya and recruit/follow up children into an epidemiological surveillance study which runs alongside the pilot implementation of the RTS,S Malaria vaccine in the area. S/he must be flexible and work within the existing structures and standard operating procedures, in a professional and ethical manner with competence, accountability and integrity.

Desirable qualities

1. Excellent writing skills.
2. Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
3. Flexibility to work long hours including weekends and public holidays.
4. Ability to take personal initiatives and working with minimal supervision.

Specific tasks and responsibilities

1. The medical officer’s responsibilities shall include but not limited to the following:
2. Supervision and management of the study team, clinical and research operations of the study.
3. Development and review of study related tools (SOPs, training materials), training of study staff.
4. Medical evaluation of those children who fulfill the criteria for adverse events of special interest (AESI) and for reporting these events in a timely manner.
5. Develop an in-depth understanding of the study design and goals and ensure that study is conducted in compliance with study protocols and other regulatory requirements.
6. Attend to and give expert opinion on study patients in hospital and outpatient facilities.
7. Conduct CMEs at the hospital and lead discussions with the clinical and nursing personnel
8. Work harmoniously with non-study staff in the health facilities
9. Assist with timely and accurate data collection and data entry.
10. Collaborate with PI and institution to respond to any monitoring and audit findings and implement approved recommendations.
11. Report to the Pharmacy and Poisons Board and the Ethical Review Committee (SERU) any adverse events as needed
12. Perform any other duties as assigned by the PIs.

Terms of Employment:

This is a one (1) year renewable contract as per KEMRI scheme of service with a probation period in the first 3 months.

Remuneration:

1. The salary is as per the stated KEMRI scales.

Applications should include the following:

1. Letter of Application (Indicate Vacancy Number)
2. Current Resume or Curriculum Vitae with Telephone number and e-mail address
3. Three letters of reference with contact telephone numbers
4. Copies of Academic Certificates and Transcripts

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Vacancy: CGHR/212/09/21
Project description: The Malaria Vaccine Implementation Program (MVIP) Evaluation in Kenya is a collaboration between the Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI) and the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention, USA (CDC). The vaccine is implemented by the National Vaccines and Immunizations Program (NVIP) in moderate to high malaria transmission settings in eight counties in
Western Kenya: Bungoma, Busia, Homa Bay, Kakamega, Kisumu, Migori, Siaya, and Vihiga. The primary objective of this evaluation is to estimate the effect of the routine delivery of RTS,S/AS01 on
all-cause mortality in children aged 5-48 months. Secondary study objectives include evaluation of the safety and feasibility of vaccine implementation in this setting. The Malaria Branch has a vacancy for
a Clinical Officer for the Malaria Vaccine Pilot Evaluation study;

Position: Clinical Officers (1 positions) KMR 8
Location: Homabay
Reporting to: Clinical Research Scientist/ Hospital Pediatrician

Requirements:

1. Diploma in Clinical Medicine.
2. Be registered and with a valid practicing license from the Clinical Officers Council of Kenya.
3. At least 1 year of experience working in a hospital
4. Computer literacy in Microsoft Office suite.
5. Be willing to reside near the assigned Health Facility in the respective County
6. Post-basic training in pediatrics will be an added advantage
7. Certificate in “Good Clinical Practice” and/or “Human Subjects Protection”

Knowledge, skills and abilities

1. Advanced Life Support (ALS)
2. Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS)
3. Experience using tablets (handheld computers)
4. Excellent written/oral communication, interpersonal and organization skills
5. Fluency in English and Swahili, written and spoken
6. Familiarity with Kenyan Paediatric Guidelines
7. Ability to perform lumbar puncture, venipunctures, intravenous cannulation etc

Job Summary:.

The clinical officer will track and ensure compliance with Kenya Pediatric guidelines and provide quality assurance for hospital surveillance. S/he will work closely with the clinical surveillance coordinator, study coordinator, pediatrician, laboratory manager, and hospital teams. S/he will have direct supervisory role of study clerks based at the hospital and will report directly to the clinical surveillance coordinator and the hospital pediatrician. The successful candidate will be trained on human subject protection and the Evaluation protocol before commencing work.

Major duties and responsibilities:
The specific roles for this position are as listed below:

1. Develop an in-depth understanding of the study design and goals
2. Daily review of medical notes for completeness
3. Taking additional history and completing case record forms where necessary
4. Perform clinical procedures and duties as may be required
5. Consenting parents/guardian for storage of samples
6. Liaising with laboratory personnel for appropriate sample processing and storage
7. Provision of regular updates to study coordination team
8. Coordinate the production of regular summary reports with the surveillance coordinator and data manager
9. Coordinate supply and ensure availability of required materials in hospitals
10. Reinforce adherence to clinical algorithms by clinical teams
11. Work closely with the clinical, nursing, laboratory and health records teams to ensure smooth conduct of the evaluation.
12. Support study monitoring visits and respond to monitoring queries 

Terms of Employment

1. This is a six (6) months fixed term contract. Compensation is as per the stated salary grade.

Applications should include the following:

1. Letter of Application (indicate vacancy number)
2. Current Resume or CV, with names and contact information
3. 3 letters of reference from referees listed on the CV
4. Copies of Certificates or transcripts 

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Vacancy No. CGHR/210/09/21
Program Description: This Program is collaboration between Kenya Medical Research Institute and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) whose remit is to conduct research
in Malaria/HIV and other diseases. Due to its continued growth, the Family Health Unit at KEMRI-CGHR, Kisumu, has a vacancy in the Antenatal and Postnatal COVID-19 (ANCOV)
study for the following position.

Position: Clerk- Community Interviewer (4 Position) KMR 10
Location: Kisumu and Siaya

Requirements

1. O-Level secondary education with a minimum grade of a D+ (plus)
2. Good command of English, Kiswahili and Dholuo in written and spoken
3. Ability to write brief reports and keep records.
4. Previous experience in research, including clinical trials is an added advantage
5. Willingness to devote additional time to work including working during public holidays
6. Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively with members of the community and health facility staff
7. Knowledge of GCP principles

Job Description
The clerk (community interviewer) will be responsible for screening, consenting and enrolment of study participants as well as collection of relevant information to facilitate follow up and retention
and ensure that these tasks are conducted in the highest standards possible as per the ANCOV study protocol and GCP. S/he must be flexible and work within the existing structure, in a professional
and ethical manner with competence, accountability and integrity.

Specific Tasks and Responsibilities

1. Obtaining pregnancy notifications from CHVs and other sources, including MOH staff
2. Collection of accurate information from the study participants in line with the standards and guidelines set in the study protocol
3. Schedule and prepare a work plan for phone calls, home follow up visits and reminders for scheduled visits for participants
4. Checking ANC/PNC registers to verify if all pregnant mothers can be approached and enrolled if eligible
5. Administer the consenting process and enroll participants in the study.
6. Taking a detailed locator for all the enrolled participants
7. Ensure that all the relevant case reports and appointment cards are administered appropriately, and all research questions are asked when interviewing each participant
8. Check questionnaires for accuracy and completeness at the end of interview sessions
9. Keep clean and comprehensive records of study visits and their outcomes
10. Conduct debriefing with each study participant at the conclusion of interviews
11. Ensure that one has requisite supplies in time
12. Adhere strictly to the project deadlines for completion of duties assigned
13. Attend all the routine study meetings in time and with progress reports as appropriate
14. Any other duties assigned/ delegated from time to time by your immediate supervisor. 

Terms of Employment

This is a six (6) months fixed term contract. Compensation is as per the stated salary grade.

Applications should include the following:

1. Letter of Application (indicate vacancy number) Current Resume or CV, with names and contact information
2. 3 letters of reference from referees listed on the CV Copies of Certificates or transcripts

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Vacancy number CGHR/209/09/21

The Tuberculosis Laboratory of the KEMRI CGHR Tuberculosis Division performs clinical, drug and vaccine trials (studies) and operational research in collaboration with the US CDC and other partners. The laboratory also supports the DR-TB Surveillance MoH program, funded by US-PEPFAR in Western Kenya, , and serves as a referral laboratory for core mycobacteriology services, including mycobacterial cultures, drug susceptibility testing, and molecular diagnostic capacity. The laboratory serves as the backup laboratory for National Tuberculosis referral laboratory - NTRL. The TB Laboratory is seeking applications from energetic, motivated and innovative individuals trained in laboratory sciences to fill vacancies in the department.

Position: Laboratory Analyst –J/G KMR 6 (2 positions)
Reports to: Laboratory Director
LOCATION : Kisumu

Job Specifications
The duties and responsibilities at this level will entail:

1. Performing mycobacterial culture, phenotypic and molecular 1st and 2nd line drug susceptibility tests, and molecular assays (including Xpert Mtb/RIF, line probe assays, conventional and qPCR, among others).
2. Preparing Standard Operating Procedures related to mycobacteriology, quality management systems, biosafety, media and reagent preparation, among others; and ensures implementation of these procedures for efficient laboratory operations
3. Observing the general laboratory biosafety and biosecurity requirements, determining safe procedures, controls and implementing standard safety procedures
4. Supporting programmatically relevant implementation science protocols, evaluation of novel diagnostic methods for the MoH and managing data
5. Managing inventory and ensuring laboratory supplies align with the appropriate projects. Ability to create and maintain inventory spreadsheets to ensure accountability
6. Maintaining laboratory registers, recording analyzed samples, archiving specimens of medical importance for reference
7. Ability to generate, present monthly and timely laboratory reports as required as well as participating in budget and procurement plan preparation
8. Preparing work plans and periodical reports, preparing requisitions for procuring laboratory equipment, chemicals, stains and reagents
9. Work with MoH and liaise with respective staff on MoH DR TB surveillance activities including meetings, visits, mentorships etc
10. Verifying, approving and recording laboratory findings and able to present laboratory results , analysis and make necessary presentations in trainings, meetings, workshops etc
11. Identifying training gaps for laboratory staff and recommending appropriate interventions.

Person Specification
For appointment to this grade, a candidate must have:-

1. At least one (1) year relevant work experience;
2. Bachelor’s Degree in any of the following fields; Medical Laboratory Sciences Laboratory
3. Sciences .i.e. Biomedical Sciences, Biochemistry, or Microbiology from a recognized institution;
4. MUST be registered by the Kenya Medical Laboratory Technicians and
5. Technologists Board (KMLTTB) if applicable, with a valid current practicing license
6. Proficiency in computer application;
7. Trained in ISO 15189 implementation, and working in an ISO laboratory is an added advantage
8. Previous experience in working in a tuberculosis laboratory is an added advantage.
9. Fulfil the requirements of Chapter Six of the Constitution.

Key Skills and Competencies

1. Analytical Skills
2. Communication skills and reporting skills
3. Mentorship Skills
4. Interpersonal skills
5. Team player

Terms of Employment:

1. A one-year renewable contract as per KEMRI scheme of service and a probation period for the first 3 months.

Remuneration:

Salary is as per the stated KEMRI pay grade Applications MUST include the following:

1. Letter of Application (INDICATE VACANCY NUMBER)
2. Current Curriculum Vitae with telephone number and e-mail address
3. Three letters of reference with contact telephone numbers and e-mail addresses of the referees
4. Copies of Certificates, Diplomas or Transcripts