PATH International ,Research Officer Jobs in Uganda

Job Title: Research Officer

Organisation: PATH

Project: Sayana Press Project

Duty Station: Kampala, Uganda

Tracking Code: 6467

About PATH:

PATH is an
international organization that drives transformative innovation to save lives
and improve health, especially among women and children. We accelerate
innovation across five platforms—vaccines, drugs, diagnostics, devices, and
system and service innovations—that harness our entrepreneurial insight,
scientific and public health expertise, and passion for health equity. By
mobilizing partners around the world, we take innovation to scale, working
alongside countries primarily in Africa and Asia to tackle their greatest
health needs. Together, we deliver measurable results that disrupt the cycle of
poor health.

About Sayana
Project:

The Sayana Press
Pilot Introduction Project is a four-year project funded by the Bill and
Melinda Gates Foundation and the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation. Sayana
Press is a three-month, progestin-only injectable contraceptive product
packaged in the Uniject™ injection system, a small prefilled auto-disable
device. It contains 104 mg per 0.65 mL dose of depot medroxyprogesterone
acetate (DMPA) and is administered via subcutaneous injection. Because Sayana
Press is small, light, easy to use, and requires minimal training, it is
especially suitable for community- based distribution—and potentially for women
to administer themselves through self-injection. The project is coordinating
the introduction of Sayana Press in four African countries – Senegal, Burkina
Faso, Niger and Uganda. In Uganda, the project aims to make Sayana Press
available in the public and NGO sector, with delivery by VHTs. In addition,
PATH will conduct research in Uganda that will build the evidence base for
global decision-making about whether and how to include Sayana Press in family
planning programs in the future. As part of the evidence base, global and
country stakeholders are interested in learning about the possibility of
offering Sayana Press through self-injection, as well as assessing its value
administered through “normal” delivery channels.

Job Summary: The PATH Research Officer will participate
in the in-country implementation of Sayana Press research activities, project
monitoring activities in the districts of implementation and support the Sayana
Press Project Coordinator with the implementation of the pilot introduction.

Key Duties and
Responsibilities:

1. The
incumbent will implement Sayana Press research activities, in close collaboration
with the Sayana Press Uganda Research Coordinator, as follows:

Participate
in the development of research study protocols, data collection
instruments, consent forms, and SOPs, and manage the process of
translating research materials into local languages.
Carry
out field work and training, and supervise study staff and data collection.
Actively
participate in the coordination of activities of any subcontracted
research organization(s), as needed (including organizing & co-
facilitating trainings, monitoring quality of data collection and
addressing problems/challenges with data collection as they arise,
overseeing data entry).
Actively
participate in data analysis, in close collaboration with Sayana Press
Uganda Research Coordinator, and the Sayana Press Research Manager in
Seattle.
Participate
in-country data dissemination plan and ensure on-going data sharing for
decision-making with partners.
Actively
coordinate and resolve issues as they arise, in consultation witlr project
team, to assure effective implementation of research activities.

2. Assist
with the timely collection and processing of monitoring data from Sayana Press
implementing partners, as follows:

Actively
collaborate effectively with non-governmental implementation partners to
ensure on-going, collection of high quality monitoring data
Conduct
site visits for data collection and quality assurance, and work with FP
focal persons and VHTs (as needed) to ensure that reporting forms are
completed accurately and in a timely fashion.
Enter
data into database and transfer data to PATH/Seattle each quarter for
incorporation into the four country monitoring database.
Actively
coordinate and resolve issues as they arise, in consultation with project
team, to assure effective implementation of monitoring activities.
Offers
technical support to Sayana Press project implementation and represent
PATH in specific forums, in consultation with the PATH Sayana Press Uganda
Team, and the PATH Seattle-based team.

Qualifications,
Skills and Experience:

The
Research Officer should have significant and strong expertise in research
and, preferably, research related to family planning.
The
ideal candidate should also hold a Master’s degree in public health or
related field
At least
six years of demonstrated experience in implementing and managing public
health research projects, preferably with family planning or reproductive
health components, demonstrated experience in qualitative and quantitative
research methods acquired through both practical and academic experience,
experience interacting with country governments, donor agencies, research
organizations, and other local and international non- profit agencies,
experience with project monitoring and evaluation
Possess
excellent interpersonal skills as well as written and oral presentation
skills.
Possess
excellent analytical skills
Proven
ability to work collaboratively with local and international project
management team to effectively oversee project implementation, and to work
harmoniously as a team member;
Proven
ability to nurture effective and positive relationships with national
governmental stakeholders, NGO partners, and donor representatives:
Skills
in SPSS, STATA and/ or SAS