Job Summary:

The fellow will work closely with the Health system and reproductive health research directorate in designing and conducting priority MCH research studies with close mentorship.

Background

The HaSET (“happiness” in Amharic) program, a partnership between the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Saint Paul’s Hospital Millennium Medical College, and the Ethiopian Public Health Institute (EPHI) focuses on evidence generation, capacity building, and translating evidence to policy in the area of maternal and child health (MCH). HaSET aims to foster a culture of evidence-based policy formulation and good clinical practice through on-the-job capacity building of interested academics and health system and MCH program leaders with an end-to-end research implementation approach. Please visit www.HaSETmch.org for more information about the program.

The successful candidate will develop and extend skills in study implementation and supervision, project research design, protocol development, data quality monitoring, quantitative and qualitative data analysis, results dissemination, and will have an opportunity to lead substudies and collaborate on research papers. The HaSET fellowship will enroll five postdoc fellows for this year. The fellows will work closely with the Boston and Ethiopia-based research teams comprising program managers, data analysts, field implementers, data system developers, trainees, and faculty on the HaSET team.

HaSET MNCH research fellowship objectives

The core objectives for HaSET postdoctoral fellows are to:

1. Pursue research in priority research topics in MCH
2. Generate high quality evidence to help inform decision making
3. Advance skills in research methods, data analysis, and written and verbal communication
4. Establish a research network with HaSET institutions (St. Paul’s, EPHI, Harvard), local universities, and regional health bureaus for collaboration and sustainable research
5. Collaborate with policy makers to translate research findings into action

Fellows will form a research team with other postdoctoral and implementation fellows, under the leadership of a mentor, to fulfill the following specific objectives during a two-year fellowship stay with the HaSET program:

1. Develop research expertise in an area of maternal and child health (e.g., nutrition, infectious disease, environmental health, psychosocial).
2. Design and conduct research studies, specifically a systematic review/meta-analysis, secondary data analysis of existing data, primary data analysis of fellow collected data, to addres priority MCH research questions
3. Develop a successful (funded) grant proposal describing the study aims, study design, analysis plan, and budget
4. Submit three manuscripts to peer-reviewed journals (one systematic review, one secondary data analysis, one primary data analysis)
5. Mentor the implementation fellows

The HaSET program offers mentorship, a research platform and funding support for the realization of the fellowship objectives and identified research questions. The fellowship is a funded program that will support both research costs and living expenses. It is jointly supported through its three host institutions, but is not affiliated with a university registrar and does not confer a degree or course credit. A certificate and letters of recommendation will be provided by the three institutions to candidates who successfully complete the fellowship.

Qualifications and skills

Doctoral qualification in epidemiology, statistics, public health, or a related field with 2+ years research experience. The ideal candidate will have experience with data collection and field work. Desired skills include:

• Excellent analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills to ensure high quality data collection, cleaning, and analysis
• Knowledge of study design, sampling approaches and sample size estimation, statistical methods
• Descriptive and inferential data analysis
• Experience with analytical software (e.g., Stata, R, SAS, SPSS)
• Scoping and systematic literature reviews (and meta-analysis).
• Data collection and management (e.g., web-based electronic data capture system such as REDCAP or ODK).
• Excellent interpersonal and oral and written communication in English.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team with collaborators, stakeholders, and research staff.
• Research experience in national or global maternal and child health areas

JOB REQUIREMENT

•  Location: – Addis Ababa
• Duration of contract: – 24 months, with possible extension
• Salary:-  As per EPHI project scale
• DSA: – As per EPHI scale
• Required number: – five
• Report to: – Health System and Reproductive Health Research Directorate

Fellowship enrollment requirements

• Commitment to minimum 24 months, full-time in Addis Ababa and Birhan field site
• Individuals may arrange different means to be able to arrange 2 year leave from their host institution to join the fellowship (eg. Sabbatical leave)
• Research proposals on priority MCH research questions.
• Commitment to continue conducting MCH research in Ethiopia after the fellowship
• Special consideration given to Ethiopian nationals
• Female candidates are encouraged to apply

Applications, including a cover letter, C.V that includes names of three references., writing sample, a research statement describing interests in the field of maternal and child health, and letter of support from host institute granting 24 months for the fellowship, should be submitted online through Ethiojobs subject line “HaSET Maternal and Child Health Postdoctoral Fellows”  or in person (if there is limited internet connectivity) at the address given below within 15 working days from the first appearance of the announcement. Only shortlisted applicants will be contacted within one month after the closure of the call.

Ethiopian Public Health Institute

Human Resource Management Directorate

Human Resource Management Case Team

Room No. 112

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia