Fresh Recruitment at Population Council – December 2016

The Population Council is an international, nonprofit, nongovernmental research organization that confronts critical health and development issues, from stopping the spread of HIV to improving reproductive health, and ensuring that young people lead full and productive lives. Through biomedical, social science, and public health research in 50 countries, we work with our partners to deliver solutions that lead to more effective policies, programs, and technologies that improve lives around the world.

In Zambia, the Population Council initiates, as well as collaborates on, research that contributes to achievement of global and national outcome goals in sexual and reproductive health (SRH); HIV/AIDS; and poverty, gender, and youth. The work entails helping the country to achieve its family planning and reproductive health targets, including the Family Planning 2020 goals, helping mitigate the effect and curtail the spread of HIV, and addressing the social dimensions of poverty and underlying causes, as well as help address the effects of gender inequality. The Population Council has a particular interest in youth, especially the discrepancies in opportunity that arise during adolescence, and the critical requirements for attaining a successful and productive adulthood.

Position Overview

The Health Research Officer will be based in Lusaka and will have the opportunity to gain experience in operations research with a world-leading reproductive health institution by working with senior research analysts to assist with qualitative and quantitative data analysis and policy research. The Health Research Officer will utilize datasets (including interviews, focus group transcripts, household surveys, health facility assessments, and facility utilization data) in order to answer a public health research question formulated based on his/her interests. The fellow will then work with Population Council staff to develop and execute a research agenda, with the ultimate goal of presenting research findings and submitting a manuscript for peer review.

Responsibilities

• Work closely with a senior analyst to identify a public health research topic that is relevant to the Population Council’s goals and focuses on quantitative, qualitative, or policy analysis
• Collaborate with a senior analyst to develop, implement, and execute an appropriate research agenda
• Upon completion of research and analyses, formally present findings to a variety of stakeholders
• Develop a manuscript of completed research and analyses to submit to peer reviewed publications

Desired Skills and Experience

Items indicated with an asterisk (*) are required

• Bachelor’s degree*
  • Preferred: Master’s degree in relevant field (e.g. applied informatics, public health, epidemiology, economics, demography, or similar social science program)
  • Other degree programs will be considered if the applicant can explain how their course of study is relevant to reproductive health, HIV/AIDS, or programs for financial literacy and health among adolescents
• Knowledge of global health issues*
• A practical understanding of Stata analytic package, or qualitative software
• Experience in quantitative, qualitative, or policy analysis. This includes one of the following
  • Quantitative analysis: experience with analytic software packages – R and Stata are preferred, although individuals with SPSS experience or other database management systems will be considered
  • Qualitative analysis: experience with market analysis or healthcare interviews; experience using NVivo is preferred, although manual analysis of interview and focus group transcripts is acceptable
  • Policy analysis: documentation of prior experience and ability to produce policy briefs and reports on healthcare finance
• Self-starter with proven ability to take initiative and work independently
• Strong project management skills
• Ability to learn on the job is highly valued

Fellowship Logistics

During the fellowship year, all fellows are provided with:

• A living stipend of $700/month
• Housing and utilities
• Health insurance
• A professional development grant of $600
• An award of $1500 upon successful completion of the fellowship year
• Travel costs covered to and from placement site, training and retreats

*Note: The living stipend and the completion award may be paid out in USD or local currency, as determined by the placement organization.

Living and Working in Zambia: Fellows are provided with basic housing and a utilities stipend during the fellowship year. GHC coordinates housing for fellows in shared apartments or houses that meet GHC’s safety standards. Fellows at Population Council will be housed in Lusaka, an urban city and capital of Zambia