Vacancies

  1. MEIRU Public Engagement Award Officer

The Malawi Epidemiology and Intervention Research Unit (MEIRU) operates in Karonga District, and Lilongwe City. The research programme is conducted in partnership with the Malawi College of Medicine, Malawi Ministry of Health, and international partners. The programme is developing capacity in non-communicable disease research (including mental health), health informatics, epidemiology, and other areas.  Research is done in partnerships and in highly conducive academic environments.

MEIRU seeks a dynamic graduate to lead a public engagement award connected to the Healthy Lives and Generation Malawi Projects. The award will produce an arts based-programme in schools which explores chronic illness, a series of audio/visual vignettes on maternal mental health and a documentary film about infant and family development in Malawi.

The post holder will work with a multidisciplinary team of specialists to deliver this ambitious package of material for public consumption in Malawi and for international audiences.

The work will require excellent leadership, communication and organisation skills, as well as strong abilities to use IT systems effectively.

MEIRU Public Engagement Award Officer: job description

Job Title:                                         Public Engagement Award Officers

Grade:                                             C

Accountable to:                             Director, Senior Social Scientist

Supervises:                                     External consultants, Field Staff (Field Supervisors, Interviewers)                       

Liaises with:                                   MEIRU Senior Staff, Public Engagement Team, Social science team, study participants and general community, district, regional and national policy makers, international collaborators, MEIRU staff

Minimum qualifications:             Undergraduate degree in humanities, social sciences, public health or related fields. A minimum of 3 years post graduate experience in public engagement or related field obtained from a reputable organisation.  

Hours:                                             08.30 am – 4.30 pm Monday to Friday. However, hours are expected to be flexible to ensure scientific and educational targets are achieved

Main objectives of the Post:

To co-ordinate and deliver the public engagement award activities, with appropriate support from senior staff. Specifically, this will involve:

  • Liaising with and co-ordinating external public engagement partners (film makers, academics, third sector organisations, schools, communities, media outlets etc);
  • co-ordinating and working with the public engagement team to plan and organise public engagement activities;
  • managing public engagement activities to ensure delivery targets are met; and
  • ensuring the public engagement team deliver the public engagement award activities on time and to a high standard.

The role will also assist in updating and producing content for the MEIRU website.

Main Duties:

  1. To work with the public engagement team to construct and maintain a GANTT chart of the team’s activities, drawing attention to milestones and deadlines when necessary.
  2. To co-ordinate external partner contributions to public engagement programme.
  3. To organise regular meetings, both internal and external, relating to public engagement activities.
  4. To contribute to a school-based arts programme that explores the early origins of chronic illnesses.
  5. To contribute to a series of audio/visual vignettes on maternal mental health.
  6. To contribute to a documentary film on infant and family development in collaboration with participants in MEIRU’s birth cohort.
  7. To support the production of audio-visual material following priorities agreed with the public engagement team, including the MEIRU Director.
  8. To lead the creation of a dissemination and communication plan for the public engagement award, specifying how each output will be shared with the public to achieve maximum reach and impact.
  9. To assist in the planning, arranging and delivery of public-facing events run by the public engagement teams.
  10. To write reports for MEIRU and the funder of the public engagement award, as required
  11. To contribute to the MEIRU website, by co-ordinating and producing content as requested.
  12. To contribute to the MEIRU website, by co-ordinating and producing content as requested.
  13. To contribute to the field supervision, data management and analysis of other social science studies, as requested by the Science Manager or Senior Social Scientist.
  14. To always ensure good representation of Malawi Epidemiology and Intervention Research Unit (MEIRU)and their harmonious relations with health services and the wider community.
  15. To always ensure that all work is carried out in accordance with MEIRU’s health and safety policy and abide by Terms and conditions of service.
  16. To perform other duties as requested relevant to skills and experience.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

The ideal candidate should be able to demonstrate the following abilities, although it is recognised that potential applicants might fulfil each of these criteria to a greater or lesser extent:

Knowledge, Skills and Experience

Essential

  • Good spoken English and other relevant local language(s)
  • Good oral and written communication skills
  • Attention to detail and accuracy
  • Ability to use a computer, including MS-Word, MS-Excel, reference management software e.g. Endnote, Zotero etc
  • Ability to communicate effectively through e-mail and telephone with external institutions
  • Ability to manage significant packages of work
  • Ability to supervise staff
  • Ability to summarise information and provide progress reports
  • Ability to work both independently and as part of the team
  • Ability to see projects through to completion in a timely manner
  • Able to work to complete work in a timely manner
  • Able to maintain confidentiality

Desirable

  • Experience with community engagement
  • Experience with writing for websites
  • Experience developing content in the WordPress environment
  • Experience in project management
  • Experience in both qualitative and quantitative research methods

SALARY AND CONDITIONS OF APPOINTMENT

Salary will be on Grade C of our scale, depending on qualifications and experience and subject to the terms and conditions of service.

HOW TO APPLY

Please submit letter of application and CV (with contact details of at least 2 professional referees) to: recruitment@meiru.mw

Closing date for applications: 17 March 2023. Only shortlisted candidates will be notified.

2. MEIRU Longitudinal Study Lead Karonga

The Malawi Epidemiology and Intervention Research Unit (MEIRU) operates in Karonga District and Lilongwe City. The research programme is a partnership of the Kamuzu University of Health Sciences and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, the University of Glasgow and the Malawi Ministry of Health. 

MEIRU has an ongoing programme of research into long-term conditions and is developing capacity in NCD research, health informatics and epidemiology, and other areas, principally through the Kamuzu University of Health Sciences and capitalising on links with other institutions in the region to conduct multi-country studies. Research is done in partnerships and in highly conducive academic environments. 

The post holder will be coordinating the implementation of several sub-studies nested within the Healthy Lives Malawi programme. The post-holder will be based in Karonga and will work closely with Senior Scientists from MEIRU and participating institutions in Malawi and the UK. The post holder will also engage in other MEIRU projects as requested. 

The ideal candidate should have a minimum of a bachelor’s degree qualification in Public Health, or related area. Good Oral and communication skills will be essential.

Job Details

Job Title:                                         Study Lead Karonga

Grade:                                             C

Accountable to:                             Science Programme Manager

Supervises:                                     Field Staff (Field Supervisors, Interviewers)                           

Liaises with:                                   MEIRU Senior Staff, study participants and general community, MEIRU staff.

Minimum qualifications:             Nutrition, Public Health, or related area

Hours:                                             07.30 am – 4.30 pm Monday to Friday. However, hours are expected to be flexible to ensure scientific and educational targets are achieved

Main objectives of the Post:

To be responsible for the coordination and implementation of projects nested within the Healthy Lives Malawi programme. 

Main Duties:

  1. Liaise with collaborators on all aspects of the nested studies. 
  2. Ensure compliance with research governance procedures.  
  1. Where appropriate, assist in the development and review of data collection instruments and lead the training of data collectors. 
  2. Provide study updates to study management meetings.
  3. Assist in data audit and routine dissemination of research outputs to the national and regional stakeholders.
  4. Assist in data analysis and writing up manuscripts for publication in peer reviewed journals as requested. 
  5. Contribution to the field supervision, data management and analysis of other studies as requested by the Director and Science Programme Manager. 
  6. To always ensure good representation of Malawi Epidemiology and Intervention Research Unit (MEIRU) and their harmonious relations with health services and the wider community. 
  7. To always ensure that all work is carried out in accordance with MEIRU’s health and safety policy and abide by Terms and conditions of service. 
  8. To perform other duties and engage with other MEIRU research as requested relevant to skills and experience. 
  9. To participate in the Karonga site cover roster as requested.

Please note that this job description is not exhaustive, and duties may vary from time to time in the light of changing circumstances, after consultation with you. 

PERSON SPECIFICATION

The ideal candidate would possess the following characteristics, although it is recognised that potential applicants might fulfil each of these criteria to a greater or lesser extent:

Knowledge, Skills, and Experience 

Essential 

  • Someone with a passion for scientific research who is prepared to manage all aspects of a research project
  • Knowledge of quantitative or qualitative research methods
  • Knowledge of quantitative or qualitative data analysis
  • Good communication skills both in academic writing and in writing for a non-academic audience, but also good oral communication and networking skills.
  • Experience in field work 
  • Good oral and written communication skills 
  • Attention to detail and accuracy. 
  • Good computing skills  
  • Ability to work in a diverse team.
  • Ability to summarise information and provide progress reports. 
  • Ability to work both independently and as part of the team. 
  • Ability to see projects through to completion. 
  • Willingness to learn. 
  • Able to work to complete work in a timely manner. 
  • Able to maintain confidentiality. 
  • Fluency in Chitumbuka

Desirable 

  • Experience in field work in rural setting 
  • Experience of quantitative or qualitative data analysis
  • Experience working remotely and/or with international colleagues. 

SALARY AND CONDITIONS OF APPOINTMENT 

Salary will be on Grade C of our scale; salary point will depend on qualifications and experience. Post is subject to the MEIRU terms and conditions of service. 

 HOW TO APPLY

Please submit letter of application and CV (with contact details of at least 2 professional referees) to: recruitment@meiru.mw

Closing date for applications:  17 March 2023. Only shortlisted candidates will be notified.