Research Assistant at Marie Stopes

OBJECTIVES:

• We are seeking a passionate, detail-oriented Research Assistants to join our team and provide routine support to research activities under the guidance of the Strategic Research and Learning Unit.

OVERALL RESPONSIBILITIES:

The key responsibilities of the research assistant include the following:

• Participate in scheduled training for research assistants. The training will focus on the following:
  • Survey methodology including sample size, sampling procedure, and quality assurance approach. 
  • How to identify eligible clients for recruitment into the survey.
  • How to obtain informed consent and interview the clients. 
  • How to use an electronic questionnaire configured on a mobile device to capture all responses from clients.
  • How to upload all data collected and refusal logs to the ONA server.
  • How to use the refusal log.
  • Channel of communication to address issues. 
  • Completion of activity report to supervisor.
• Work with the supervisor to finalise the survey work plan for the assigned health facilities. 
• Work with the SRH service provider to recruit eligible clients to participate in the survey using the approved recruitment approach.  
• Obtain written informed consent from the recruited clients. 
• Interview the clients who consent to be interviewed within the stipulated number of hours/days and upload the data to the server. 
• Document all refusals using the refusal tool provided.
• Keep a daily diary of the number of eligible clients, number recruited, number of refusals, and number of interviews completed and uploaded to the server.  
• Submit all signed or thumb-printed informed consent forms to the supervisor.
• Review activities daily with the supervisor and report any observations that may affect the survey.
• Submit field activity reports using the template provided upon completion of the fieldwork.

Note: The role contributes to furthering MSI’s Vision: To create A WORLD IN WHICH EVERY BIRTH IS WANTED and its mission of ensuring the individual’s right to CHILDREN BY CHOICE NOT CHANCE.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• First degree in an or equivalent in any discipline is essential. 
• Previous experience in field data collection using electronic questionnaires is essential.  – Proficiency in the predominant local language of the location of choice –Technology savvy. 
• Excellent oral communication skills.  
• Excellent attitude to learning, and patience with vulnerable populations including persons living with a disability. 
• Pro-choice.
• Team player.