Description 

Position Title: Postdoctoral Research Fellow

Reports to: Chair, Center for Equity in Global Surgery

Program: Center for Equity in Global Surgery, Research Team (Rwanda 912, Right Call)

Location: University of Global Health Equity (UGHE), Kigali and Butaro, Rwanda

Duration: 4 years

Organizational Profile

UGHE is a new kind of university focused on training the next generation of global leaders in health care delivery. The university launched in Rwanda in September 2015. Through an academic experience uniquely rooted in the values of equity, students are empowered to both ease suffering at the bedside and drive transformational, systemic changes to the health system.

UGHE is an initiative of Partners In Health (PIH), an internationally recognized non-profit organization whose mission is to provide a preferential option for the poor in health care. The UGHE Center for Equity in Global Surgery (CEGS) is focused on contributing solutions to the imbalance in surgical access through five key pillars- Fellowship, Education and Training, Global Convenings, Research and Innovation, and Policy and Advocacy. In partnership with several global surgery organizations, the Center provides support for both undergraduate and postgraduate curriculum development in the surgical sciences, clinical and community-based research across sub-Saharan Africa, and support for regional surgical, obstetrics, and anesthesia plans.

Members of the UGHE community are tenacious and resolute in our drive to attain social justice, make common cause with those in need, listen to and learn from others, and operate with honesty and humility as we uphold academic integrity and intellectual curiosity. The University of Global Health Equity seeks individuals committed to these values to join the team.

Background

Join our excellent team as the Research Fellow for an exciting 5-year project to develop, implement, and test a novel communication system to improve ambulance response times and patient outcomes in Rwanda.

The project involves working with teams of academics, policy makers, and software developers in the UK, Rwanda, and the US. The candidate will work closely with the Investigator and Rwandan team of researchers to deliver the project with a focus on team Capacity Development and wider Community Engagement. This will require leading studies on capacity development for, and implementation of the software solution and assessing patient, implementation, and health system outcomes.

The candidate will support developing protocols, conducting the research, analysing results, and dissemination of findings to multiple end-users, including via academic and lay publications as well as policy briefs. They will work closely with the Principal Investigator, and the Investigators and assist the Research Programme Manager in managing the research project, ensuring deliverables and milestones are met, and facilitating its interface with other ongoing projects.

In addition to the Person Specification (see below) the ideal candidate will be able to travel within Rwanda for extended periods of time, and outside Rwanda as work demands.

Role Summary

• Work within specified research grants and projects and contribute to writing bids
• Operate within area of specialization
• Analyse and interpret research findings and results
• Contribute to generating funding
• Contribute to licensing or spin out deals with demonstrated commercial success (such as revenues, asset or company sales, IP generated) and/or public understanding of the discipline or similar.

Key Responsibilities 

• Collect research data; this may be through a variety of research methods, such as scientific experimentation, literature reviews, and research interviews
• Present research outputs, including drafting academic publications or parts thereof, for example at seminars and as posters
• Deal with problems that may affect the achievement of research objectives and deadlines
• Provide guidance, as required, to support staff and any students who may be assisting with the research
• Develop research objectives and proposals for own or joint research, with assistance of a mentor if required
• Contribute to writing bids for research funding
• Analyse and interpret data
• Apply knowledge in a way which develops new intellectual understanding
• Disseminate research findings for publication, research seminars etc
• Supervise students on research related work and provide guidance to PhD students where appropriate to the discipline
• Contribute to developing new models, techniques and methods
• Undertake management/administration arising from research
• Contribute to Departmental/School research-related activities and research-related administration
• Contribute to enterprise, business development and/or public engagement activities of manifest benefit to the Center and the University, often under supervision of a project leader
• Promotes equality and values diversity acting as a role model and fostering an inclusive working culture.

Qualifications and Experience

• First degree in area of specialization and a higher degree (PhD) relevant to research area or equivalent qualifications. Training on development of prehospital surgical health systems will be an advantage.
• Knowledge of and experience in pre-hospital care and emergency medicine.
• Experience in implementing health system solutions in low- or middle-income countries (LMICs).
• High level analytical capability.
• Experience with Implementation Science methodology.
• Track record of impactful publications.
• Ability to communicate complex information clearly.
• Experience of managing projects
• Strong experience of working with diverse stakeholder groups
• Fluency in relevant models, techniques or methods and ability to contribute to developing new ones.
• Ability to assess resource requirements and use resources effectively.
• Understanding of and ability to contribute to broader management/administration processes.
• Capacity to plan and organize a research programme and/or specific research project.
• Ability to co-ordinate own work with others to avoid conflict or duplication of effort.
• Knowledge of concepts of equity and capacity to actively ensure this in day-to-day activity.
• Fluency in use of Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Google Drive.
• Excitement for working in a dynamic, fast-paced, start-up educational environment.
• Experience working in Rwanda and/or other relevant contexts.
• Excellent written and spoken English.
• Willingness to travel extensively within Rwanda.

BENEFITS: As per grant proposal 

SUBMIT

Applicants should provide: (1) curriculum vitae, (2) graduate transcripts, (3) a list of relevant publications (4) a personal statement addressing training and research focus, philosophy and experience working with diverse research programs, (5) at least 5 examples of representative scholarship, e.g. a peer-reviewed article. Please upload these under the ‘Additional Files’ tab on the application page.

• University of Global Health Equity is an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Commitment to Safeguarding and Prevention of Sexual Exploitation, Abuse and Sexual Harassment: 

At UGHE, we are committed to ensuring that those who benefit from our work- including community members – as well as our students, contractors, staff and visitors to our campus are treated with dignity and respect and protected from sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment and any form of systemic abuse, whilst reducing risk and vulnerabilities. A range of pre-employment checks will be undertaken in conformity with UGHE’s policy.

UGHE will request information from applicants’ previous employers about any findings of fraud, harassment, sexual harassment and any form of systemic abuse or incidents under investigation when the applicant left employment.  By submitting an application, the job applicant confirms their understanding of these recruitment procedures.