Research Assistants

Overview

The EPharmacy Family Planning (FP) Project seeks to strengthen the use of private-sector digital health platforms, including telemedicine and e-pharmacy services, to expand access to quality FP information, counselling, and contraceptive products in Kenya.

As part of the project's MERL activities, a mixed-methods assessment is being conducted to understand the uptake and reach, user experience, quality of FP counselling, contraceptive method choice and continuation, and barriers and facilitators to accessing FP services through digital platforms.

The Research Assistants (RAs) will support participant recruitment and quantitative and qualitative data collection in assigned study areas, working closely with the MERL Advisor and project team to ensure that data are collected ethically, consistently, and in accordance with the approved study protocol.

Responsibilities

• Identify, screen, and recruit eligible study participants using approved procedures.
• Obtain informed consent before data collection.
• Administer approved survey tools and conduct in-depth interviews, as assigned.
• Facilitate interviews using appropriate probing, active listening, and neutral interviewing techniques.
• Conduct interviews in the participant's preferred language, where appropriate.
• Record interviews and take comprehensive field notes where consent has been obtained.
• Maintain accurate participant and interview tracking records.
• Participate in daily field briefings and debriefing sessions.
• Provide regular updates on recruitment and data collection progress.
• Report recruitment challenges, technical issues, participant concerns, and protocol deviations promptly.
• Maintain confidentiality and secure custody of study data, equipment, and materials.
• Support data quality assurance activities as required by the study team.

Required Qualifications

• Degree in Social Sciences, Public Health, Community Development, Sociology, Anthropology, Psychology, or a related field.
• Demonstrated experience in qualitative research, in-depth interviews, and/or survey data collection.
• Experience in participant recruitment, screening, and informed consent.
• Experience working with human subjects in health, social science, community, or related research.
• Experience in FP, reproductive health, digital health, telemedicine, e-pharmacy, or related health services research is an added advantage.
• Experience in qualitative data management, transcription, cleaning, or coding is desirable.
• Ability to establish rapport and communicate respectfully with diverse participants.

Preferred Qualifications

• Strong interpersonal, listening, and interviewing skills.
• High level of integrity, professionalism, confidentiality, and attention to detail.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a research team.
• Good organizational and time-management skills.
• Ability to meet assigned data collection targets without compromising data quality.
• Competence in using smartphones, tablets, digital recording devices, and electronic data collection tools.
• Willingness and ability to travel within the assigned study area.
• Flexibility to conduct interviews at times and locations convenient and safe for participants.
• Availability to work full-time during the assigned data collection period.

Jhpiego offers competitive salaries and a comprehensive employee benefits package

Please apply at www.jhpiego.org/careers

Applicants must submit a single document for upload to include: cover letter, resume, and references.

For further information about Jhpiego, visit our website at www.jhpiego.org

Note: The successful candidate selected for this position will be subject to a pre-employment background investigation.

Jhpiego is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer

“Jhpiego, a Johns Hopkins University affiliate, is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of gender, marital status, pregnancy, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, disability, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran status, other legally protected characteristics or any other occupationally irrelevant criteria. Jhpiego promotes affirmative action for minorities, women, individuals who are disabled, and veterans.

EEO is the Law”

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