Research Officer

Job description

Overview

The Accelerating Measurable Progress and Leveraging Investments for Postpartum Haemorrhage Impact (AMPLI-PPHI) project expanded to Zambia and Nigeria, in June 2024, as part the Safe Birth Africa (SBA) Initiative, with joint support from Unitaid and the European Union. AMPLI-PPHI in Zambia builds on and leverages Zambia’s postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) leadership and efforts to date as well as learning and achievements from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Guinea, India and Kenya, where AMPLI-PPHI started in 2022. The project aims to catalyze early adoption and lay the groundwork for scaling up the World Health Organization (WHO) recommended but underutilized drugs — heat-stable carbetocin (HSC) for PPH prevention and tranexamic acid (TXA) for PPH treatment – in high-burden countries, including Zambia. Jhpiego is leading this project in collaboration with Ministry of Health (MOH) and the Zambia Association of Gynecologists and obstetricians (ZAGO).

As part of its learning agenda, the AMPLI-PPHI project is conducting implementation research, as part of a six-country study, to generate evidence on the feasibility, acceptability, and budgetary impact of expanding the use of HSC and TXA for PPH prevention and treatment. The project will also conduct a qualitative study to assess barriers and opportunities for advance distribution of misoprostol for PPH prevention at births outside of health facilities in Zambia.

Jhpiego seeks an experienced researcher (qualitative) to support planning, data collection, analysis and dissemination of both studies.

Responsibilities

The successful candidate will work closely with the Zambia study lead and co-investigators, the regional and global co-investigators, the global principal investigator and other project staff. Specific responsibilities include:

Study Planning & Management

Developing and supporting implementation of standard operating procedures (SOPs) to ensure adherence to study protocols, national and global research ethics review committee standards and organization policies, in collaboration with study leads and global research advisors.
Always ensuring compliance to the study SOPs throughout the research period
Adapting and finalizing qualitative data analysis plans in consultation with study team members
Ensuring confidential data protection in adherence to the study protocols. Ensuring the study adheres to the established schedule and remains within budget.
Travel to study sites to support and monitor activities throughout the research period
Monitor and report any deviations from the study protocols to the project management team.
Document all study activities, including challenges and lessons learned, to inform future projects

Training and Capacity Building

Participating in training on analytical frameworks and processes to ensure evidence generated meets project standards for inclusion in cross-country analysis
Supporting recruitment and training of qualitative data collectors as applicable
Supporting clinical and MERL team members with routine quantitative and qualitative data quality assurance and analysis, as requested

Participant Recruitment, Data Collection and Analysis

Managing, coordinating and/or facilitating participant recruitment and informed consent for primary data collection activities
Coordinating, supporting and/or facilitating key informant interviews for healthcare professionals, health managers and policymakers
Reviewing interview audio recordings and transcripts for completeness and accuracy
Co-lead analysis, coding interview transcripts using Dedoose software
Preparing summary memos and presentations on key findings by research objective and location
Compiling and reviewing program documentation to triangulate qualitative findings and other primary and secondary data sources

Dissemination

Contribute to preparation of reports, presentations, and other study outputs to effectively communicate study findings to in-country and international stakeholders

Collaboration and Communication

Contributing to country and global study team meetings and project-wide learning exchange
Collaborating with other members of the study team to ensure smooth and successful implementation.
Keeping the study leads, project management team and global PI informed of implementation progress through timely updates.
Coordinate with local health authorities, MOH, ZAGO, and other stakeholders to facilitate smooth implementation of the studies
Supporting administrative and logistical arrangements for research-related activities

Qualifications/Competencies

Masters degree in a relevant field (e.g., sociology, psychology, public health, or a related discipline) with 7-8 years’ strong experience in qualitative or mixed methods implementation science research.
Master-level research training or a degree in medicine, nursing or midwifery will be an added advantage.
Familiarity with interventions for postpartum hemorrhage prevention and treatment will be an advantage
Sound understanding of research ethics, regulations, and experience working with human subjects.
Prior experience in all stages of qualitative research implementation from study design through data collection, analysis and dissemination of results.
Prior experience conducting focus group discussions and/or in-depth interviews on medical or public health topics.
Experience in both inductive and deductive qualitative data analysis
Prior experience in publication of qualitative or mixed methods research in reputable peer-reviewed journals is an added advantage.
Proficiency in qualitative data analysis software platforms platforms (e.g. Atlas.ti, NVivo, MAXQDA, Dedoose).
Current/valid certification in human subjects research ethics, good clinical practice for social/behavioral studies, and Jhpiego IRB policies, or willingness to obtain these rapidly upon onboarding
Should be registered and accredited with the Zambia National Health Research Authority (NHRA)
Excellent communication, interpersonal, and team facilitation skills, with the ability to motivate and train teams effectively.
Strong organizational and time-management skills, with an ability to multitask and prioritize competing demands under tight deadlines.
Attention to detail and ability to maintain comprehensive and accurate records.
Commitment to high-quality work, with the ability to work independently and collaboratively within a team.

Interested Applicants Please open this link.