Research Medical Specialist II - HSU

JOB DIMENSIONS:

The Job will involve coordination of the WHO-led sentinel surveillance for the RTS, S/AS01 malaria vaccine in 6 hospitals in western Kenya and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) surveillance in several hospitals in Kenya. The AMR surveillance seeks to investigate applicability of the ‘hub’ and ‘spoke’ approach as a surveillance approach and to estimate the burden of AMR in hospitalised children. The post is based in Kenya at the KEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Programme (KWTRP), Nairobi, but involves extensive interactions with collaborators in the Ministry of Health (MoH), county governments, academic research collaborators, and other scientists in the programme.  Suitable candidates will be highly driven, with string negotiation skills, an effective communication, able to lead teams and strong research publication skills. This is a full-time appointment for a period of 12 months initially, with the possibility of extension

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Coordinate day to day running of the study in consultation with the principal investigator and other team members to ensure that overall execution of studies in line with approved protocol  
• Work with the Principal Investigator and other relevant staff members to prepare and execute research plans in liaison with other partners in the project
• Track quality of the surveillance to ensure high quality data
• Identify data queries and coordinate their resolution
• Coordinating field and data management teams
• Conduct trainings for study teams as required
• Develop research interests and publish manuscripts linked to the study project.
• Prepare progress reports for submission to funders and sponsors
• Liaise with MoH, county hospitals and other stakeholders to ensure smooth conduct of the study.
• Represent the principal investigator at external meetings and present study outputs at scientific meetings

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery ((MBChB, MBBS or equivalent) degree or its equivalent.
• and Master of Medicine (M.MED.) degree in any specified field (e.g. Paediatrics, Obstetrics & Gynaecology etc or its equivalent from any recognized university or institution.
• Current registration Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists’ Board
• Experience working in a biomedical research environment.
• Competence in use of R, STATA or other software applications to undertake statistical analyses is an added advantage.
• Knowledge of Good Clinical Practice (GCP) training and Human subject Protection.
• Experience in writing reports or publication of master’s dissertation is an added advantage.

COMPETENCIES:

• Strong interpersonal and communication skills
• Excellent scientific writing skills and presentation skills (use of PowerPoint or other media)
• Ability to work with limited supervision and meet deadlines
• Excellent diagnostic, analytical and investigative skills
• Strong leadership skills
• Ability to work independently, in a team, and in a multi-cultural environment
• Confidentiality, attention to detail, punctuality, and high integrity

PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT/CONDITIONS:

• Based at the Nairobi office of KEMRI/ Wellcome Trust Research Programme, Kenya
• Travels as required to study sites and other study related meetings.