Research Assistant at Institute of Human Virology, Nigeria

Position Overview

• The Research Assistant will play a vital role in supporting research activities under the TB/HIV GC7 project. Working closely with the Research Officer, the Research Assistant will assist in development scientific output such as abstracts and manuscripts as well as ensuring high-quality data collection and other administrative tasks. This position will involve supporting data analysis, literature reviews, and manuscript preparation, contributing to the successful execution and reporting of the research project.

Required Competencies

• Strong scientific writing skills with the ability to synthesize complex information into clear, concise, and coherent narratives.
• Excellent command of English, including grammar, structure, and academic writing conventions.
• Ability to conduct high-quality literature searches and critically appraise scientific evidence.
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail, with the ability to manage multiple tasks and meet deadlines.
• Proficiency in referencing styles (e.g., APA, Vancouver, Harvard) and use of citation management tools (e.g., Zotero, Mendeley).
• Strong analytical and critical-thinking abilities, with the capacity to identify key insights in qualitative and quantitative research.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively within a multidisciplinary research team.
• High level of professionalism, integrity, and confidentiality in handling research materials.

Key Responsibilities

• Conduct comprehensive literature reviews and summarize key findings for use in manuscripts, technical reports, and presentations.
• Draft sections of scientific manuscripts, including introduction, methods, results, and discussion, under the guidance of senior researchers.
• Support the development and refinement of research protocols, study tools, and ethics submissions as needed.
• Assist with data cleaning, basic analysis, and interpretation of findings.
• Prepare well-structured drafts of policy briefs, research summaries, abstracts, and conference presentations.
• Ensure proper citation, referencing, and adherence to journal or donor-specific writing guidelines.
• Maintain accurate documentation of sources, drafts, and revisions.
• Participate in team meetings, provide updates on progress, and incorporate feedback promptly.
• Support overall project coordination and administrative tasks related to writing outputs.

Expected Deliverables

• High-quality literature review summaries and annotated bibliographies.
• Draft and revised sections of scientific manuscripts ready for internal or external review.
• Completed abstracts for conferences and technical meetings.
• Policy briefs, research summaries, and reports that meet required standards.
• Updated reference libraries using Zotero/Mendeley.
• Documentation logs of writing progress, revisions, and submitted outputs.
• Timely submission of all assigned writing tasks in line with project schedules.

Education and Experience

Academic

• Bachelor’s degree in public health, Epidemiology, Health Sciences, Biological Sciences, Social Sciences, or a related field.
• A Master’s degree (completed or in progress) in a relevant field is an added advantage.
• Demonstrated academic experience in scientific writing (e.g., academic papers, reports, essays, or thesis work).

Working Experience

• Prior experience in research assistance, data analysis, or academic writing is highly desirable.
• Experience drafting or contributing to manuscripts, reports, proposals, or policy briefs is an advantage.
• Experience conducting systematic or scoping literature reviews (preferred).
• Familiarity with qualitative or quantitative analysis tools (e.g., NVivo, STATA, SPSS, R) is an added advantage.