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Job Title:    Scientist B/Social
Epidemiologist

Organisation: Medical Research Council (MRC UK) /UVRI
and LSHTM Uganda Research Unit

Duty Station:  Entebbe,
Uganda

Reports to:
Project Leader/Senior Scientist

Position Code:
SBPREPARE – 1120

 

About US:

The Medical Research
Council (MRC UK) is an internationally recognised centre of excellence with
dominant research themes in the areas of HIV and emerging infections, vaccines
and immunity, and chronic diseases and cancer. Through a multidisciplinary
approach, intersecting basic science, epidemiological research,
social-behavioural research and the conduct of new intervention evaluation
studies, the Unit contributes knowledge on changing epidemics and diseases, the
evaluation of innovative health care options, treatment and prevention and the
development of health policy and practice in Africa and worldwide. Following
the signing of strategic transfer agreements between the London School of
Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) and the Medical Research Council
(MRC UK), the Unit formally joined LSHTM on 1st February 2018. The exciting new
partnership will boost research capacity into current and emerging health
issues in Africa and throughout the world. The Unit is based at the UVRI
Entebbe campus with established outposts in Kalungu, Masaka, Wakiso and Kampala
Districts.

 

Job Summary:  The Scientist B/Social Epidemiologist will be supporting
the Preparing for Group B StreptococcuS vaccine studies (PREPARE) qualitative
studies at Kawempe Hospital and contributing to the social science team under
the supervision of the designated Project team leader.This programme of work,
under the EDCTP funded PREPARE consortium activities led by the MU-JHU Research
Collaboration, a Clinical Research and Service Delivery Organization, will
develop a clinical vaccine trial site in a Sub-Saharan setting capable of undertaking
phase 11-IV trials, determine the pregnancy outcome rates in this population in
preparation for trials of vaccines in pregnant women, conduct a vaccine trial
of a licenced pertussis vaccine, define the burden of neonatal, infant and
maternal GBS disease in a Sub-Saharan African population, estimate the
serocorrelates of protection against the major GBS types causing disease in
European and African settings; and conduct two trials of candidate GBS
vaccines.

 

Key Duties and Responsibilities:  

·       
Ensure well-planned
activities are implemented in order to engage all relevant stakeholders using
consistent and appropriate messaging and approaches;

·       
Guide
the development of detailed implementation plans and budgets which can be used
to plan activities and to monitor their progress;

·       
Train
and set up teams at hospital and community level to manage community engagement
activities and coordinate all national level meetings;

·       
Coordinate
the development of communication and training material in regard to maternal
vaccination for GBS disease;

·       
Conduct
qualitative interviews in regard to the infection prevention preparedness for
GBS vaccines at hospital level and inform the study teams on systems that need
to be set up;

·       
Enable
consistent and accurate communication regarding stakeholder engagement
activities and their intended outcomes internally as well as be responsible for
the overall oversight and management of PREPARE’s public engagement programme
at the pilot site;

·       
Develop,
deliver and evaluate a programme of creative and culturally relevant public
engagement focused on immunity, vaccination and infections in pregnancy
informed and in partnership with local communities, with relevance to a global
audience;

·       
Develop,
maintain and manage relationships with key personnel and partner organisations
including scientific, creative, community and patient partners;

·       
Support
the Public Engagement Advisory Board and Community Advisory Board and other
community influencers

·       
Design
and conduct focus groups and key informant interviews for the PREPARE study.

·       
Liaise
with research stakeholders, informing of progress in data collection and
analysis; discussing findings and next steps.

 

Qualifications, Skills and Experience:

·       
The
applicant must be an experienced and published Social Scientist, with a Masters
level degree in a relevant field.

·       
Prior
experience with both qualitative and quantitative research and analysis;

·       
Post
graduate qualification in Science Communication, Public Engagement, Health
Sciences or related subject is an advantage;

·       
At least
five years of experience in a clinical research setting, preferably including
experience in social and behavioural science research;

·       
Prior
interviewing and facilitation experience;

·       
Prior
experience with both qualitative and quantitative research and analysis;

·       
The
candidate should have knowledge of the principle and practices of public
engagement, knowledge of different methods of public engagement in health
research;

·       
Appreciation
of the potential impacts and methods evaluating public engagement in health
research, understanding of social research and co-production principles and
methodologies and experience with data management;

·       
Understanding
of working with policy-makers and informing policy, good understanding of
vaccine development and research, and concepts of herd immunity;

·       
Understanding
of attitudes to vaccine development and uptake, experience in cohort follow up
and conducting research in Uganda are desirable;

·       
Understanding
of the consent process with regard to vaccine trials and assessing individual
comprehension of research information

·       
Good
verbal and written communication skills;

·       
Good
command of both English and Luganda; and,

·       
Proficiency
in computer use (MS word, Excel, Access, Nvivo).

 

How to Apply:

Follow the link
below to fill a form and submit your application documentation:

 

Click
Here

 

Filling the form
more than once will lead to automatic disqualification. High level of integrity
while filling the form is required and will be considered during shortlisting. Combine
all your application documentation i.e. cover letter, CV & academic
documents into one PDF document. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted
for interview. This position is open to Ugandan nationals only. Strictly follow
the application procedure as failure to do so will lead to automatic
disqualification. Only online applications will be accepted.

 

The applications
should be addressed to:

 

The Head of Human
Resources,

MRC/ UVRI and LSHTM
Uganda Research Unit,

P.O. Box, 49,

Entebbe, Uganda.

 

Deadline: 26th February 2021 by 5:00pm

 

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