Research Assistant at MSI Reproductive Choices

The Role

• 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.
• 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.

Key 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

Key Experience/Qualification

• First Degree in an or equivalent in any discipline is essential.
• Previous experience in field data collection using electronic questionnaires is essential.
• Fluency in speaking and reading in the predominant local language of the preferred location

Skills and Competencies:

• Technology savvy.
• Excellent oral communication skills.
• Excellent attitude to learning, and good ethical conduct with vulnerable populations including persons living with a disability.
• Pro-choice.
• Team player.
• Flexibility to operate in a changing environment including conflict-affected settings