Postdoctoral Research Fellow at University of Global Health Equity (UGHE)” (Deadline 7 September 2023)

Postdoctoral Research Fellow at University of Global Health Equity (UGHE)” (Deadline 7 September 2023)

Position Title: Postdoctoral Research Fellow

Reports to: Chair, Center for Equity in Global Surgery

Program: Center for Equity in Global Surgery, Research Team (iPrOTeCT)

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

Duration: 3 years

Position overview

Join our excellent team as the Postdoctoral Research Fellow for an exciting 3-year project funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) as part of the Global Health Research Group on Physical Trauma from Injury & POsT Conflict (iPrOTeCT). Given the growing burden of road traffic accidents due to rapid increases in urbanization and motor vehicle use, this project focuses on saving limbs after injuries through surgery and technology, and where limbs cannot be saved, ensuring the best possible functional outcomes in Rwanda. The project involves working with teams of academics, policy makers, and software developers in the UK, Rwanda, Libya, Syria, Lebanon, the Gaza Strip and Sri Lanka. The candidate will work closely with the Principal Investigator and Rwandan team of researchers to deliver the project with a focus on team Capacity Development and wider Community Engagement. This will require the establishment of trauma surveillance systems in key hospitals in Rwanda and community engagement efforts to better understand the impacts on healthcare services in Rwanda and patient’s concerns about treatments, devices, and socioeconomic needs.

The candidate will support developing protocols, conducting research, analyzing results, and disseminating findings to multiple end-users, including academic and lay publications and policy briefs. The candidate will work closely with the Principal Investigator, and the international team of various Investigators and assist the Research Program Manager in managing the research project, ensuring deliverables and milestones are met, and facilitating its interface with other ongoing projects. The post-holder should be with strong quantitative and/or qualitative analytical skills, ideally, and preferably experience in surgery. The successful applicant will be a key lead in the project to coordinate all aspects of the research from protocol development, ethics submission, coordinate data collection and data analysis. The post holder will be responsible for liaising and coordinating with all team members and planning and delivering all project-related activities. S/he must have excellent analytic, communication and organization skills. 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 the project demands.

Role Summary

• Work within specified research grants and projects and contribute to writing bids
• Operate within area of specialization
• Analyze 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.
• Ability to work collaboratively across the international team
• Effective communicator and organizational skills

 Key Responsibilities

• Coordinate and collect research data; this may be through a variety qualitative and quantitative 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
• Analyze 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
• Provide relevant information to feed into reporting to the funder
• 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.
• Work collaboratively across the international team.

Qualifications and Experience

• A PhD in a medical field, healthcare, or other health related subjects. Training on development of trauma surveillance systems in hospitals will be an advantage.
• At least two years of experience in health research after the latest degree earned
• Training on development of trauma surveillance systems in hospitals will be an advantage.
• 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 program 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 One 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.

How to Apply 

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.

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.

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 applying, the job applicant confirms their understanding of these recruitment procedures.

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