Job Title: Researcher (field based)
Health Science Research in Africa Project (2 positions)
Salary: Approximately 2000 GBP per month
(subject to experience and setting)
Duration: up to 18 months (subject to satisfactory progress and funding availability).
Start Date: July 2018 (negotiable)
Application Closing date: 9 June 2018
Job Summary
The Health Science Research in Africa Project is a research project led by Dr. Justin Parkhurst and Dr. Clare Wenham at the London School of Economics and Political Science (the LSE), funded by the Wellcome Trust (UK). The project is investigating the development of health science research in Africa – undertaking in-depth case studies of up to 9 selected African countries to learn lessons about barriers and facilitators of success in health science research. This project is recruiting two African based Research Officers, each to be based in one of three broad regions of Africa (East/North East, West/North West, or Central/Southern).
These Researchers will be independent contractors providing research services to the project, but these will be full time positions, and Researchers will be core members of the research team. Researchers will report regularly and directly to the Principle Investigators and LSE based research staff. The appointed individuals will need to be willing and able to undertake international travel regularly for research tasks, engagement meetings, workshops or conferences, and other related activities (fieldwork and travel costs will be supported by the research project).
While in theory, the Researchers can be based in any African country, affiliation with, or potential to link with, a local university or research centre would be beneficial and preferred. The Researchers also will need good access to internet and phone, and other logistical elements such as access to international airports for travel to other regional countries for fieldwork, and trips to London if required (support can be provided for these).
Duties and Responsibilities
Research
* Design and independently conduct research tasks, e.g. organising and analysing surveys and interviews; coding interview data; summarising and presenting findings to team members; contributing to team analysis tasks;
* Present research and give invited papers at national and international conferences;
* Synthesise research outputs and translate into accessible formats;
* Write and contribute to reports and papers for publication in a variety of modes; including peer reviewed journals and forms that are more accessible to the public;
Organisation and teamwork
* Regularly respond to requests for action and information;
* Provide regular updates on activities and tasks;
* Contribute to regular programme reports;
* Provide requested data and information in a timely and professional manner;
* Communicate regularly with the project team and assist in the overall development of the project;
* Foster collegial relationships with the project team and at partner organisations;
* Liaise with administration as needed to resolve issues concerning research and research administration;
Job Criteria
Essential
* Experience in producing high quality research in: health policy, health economics, health services research, public policy, international development, or related fields;
* Masters degree or equivalent experience in health policy, health economics, health services research, public policy, international development, or related fields;
* Research interest in health sciences research, African health systems, African development, and policy implications;
* Excellent time management skills, including the ability to successfully coordinate project timelines and meet tight deadlines;
* Excellent organisational skills, including ability to organise own workload, prioritise efficiently and work independently with minimal supervision;
* Ability to co-author manuscripts and scientific reports, emanating from the project;
* Ability to analyse complex quantitative and/or qualitative data;
* Ability to contribute creative solutions to research challenges in African contexts;
* Ability to develop and sustain links with the research project and external bodies.
Desirable
* Doctoral level training or experience;
* Links or affiliations with a local research centre or University;
* Experience in conducting fieldwork (preferably in Africa);
* Experience in reviewing literature and document analysis;
* Experience in communicating research findings to academic and non-academic audiences;
* Experience of project planning and implementation;
* French language proficiency (one of the Research Officers may need this as essential).
To note:
This position does not constitute a job offer of employment at LSE. The candidate will work as a freelance contractor, and will be required to meet agreed scope of work deliverables, timeline for deliverables and monitoring by the LSE team. Payment will be retrospective at regular intervals, on provision of an invoice. For the avoidance of doubt, reporting income to local authorities for taxation purposes will be the responsibility of the freelancer.
How to Apply:
Applicants should submit a CV, cover letter of no more than 1 page, names of two referees, and a writing sample (a journal article, research report or similar).
*Note - if the writing sample is a co-authored piece of work, a brief note (200 words maximum) explaining the role played by the applicant in writing the material should be included. Preference is to see a sole-authored piece of writing. Please send all materials as attachments in an email to O.J.Wouters@lse.ac.uk
For further information: Contact for questions on this position: j.parkhurst@lse.ac.uk or c.wenham@lse.ac.uk