Job Description

The GHBN is a collaboration between the five Wellcome Trust Africa and Asia Programmes (AAPs) in Kenya, Thailand-Laos, South Africa, Vietnam, Malawi and the Ethox Centre at the University of Oxford. We also partner with the Wellcome Trust Brighton and Sussex Centre for Global Health Research. Within AHRI the network sits within the Social Science Department and supported by Prof Nothando Ngwenya's programme of work which has a goal of contributing to the reduction of burden of suffering of mental health for adolescents through task-sharing scale-up interventions. This work is based at the Africa Health Research Institute (AHRI) an independent, transdisciplinary scientific research institute based across two campuses in the province of KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) in South Africa.

The Africa Health Research Institute seeks a postdoctoral fellow to support the scientific and research activities within the Global Health Bioethics Network - that will be conducted in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. This is part of the GHBN an international network of researchers with a focus on developing capacity of bioethics, social science and community engagement science in low and middle income countries. The fellow will work on various initiatives with the explicit aim of encouraging ethical reflection in work conducted at AHRI. The successful incumbent will also have the opportunity to develop their own work and get support in applying for competitive grant funding within the area of bioethics. This postdoctoral fellowship involves considerable fieldwork, collaborating with leading researchers in South Africa, UK, Kenya, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia and liaising with clinicians locally. This position focuses heavily on developing skills in the application of bioethics to global mental health, new technologies and clinical trails in rural settings.

Responsibilities: Under the supervision of Nothando Ngwenya, the fellow will assume mentored responsibility for:
(1) acting as the lead scientific liaison for day-to-day oversight of research activities, includingconducting and leading data analyses across the study components, financial reporting, etc.;

(2) supporting the design of data collection instruments, obtaining IRB approvals, analyzingassociated data, writing manuscripts, and submitting these for peer reviewed publication;

(3) working with the research teams in Durban and Somkhele to support the implementationof study protocols and to monitor data collection and quality in the field;

(4) supervising, orienting, and training project students and staff who contribute to theseefforts. Ability to manage virtual meetings and to travel as required to project sites is required;And,

(5) supporting capacity building at the project sites through presenting work to localstakeholders and research collaborators, providing guidance and mentorship to research staffinvolved in different aspects of the research project, and engaging stakeholders at the studysites and globally in dissemination of the project findings.

• Applicants must have a doctoral degree in a relevant field which may include but is not limited to bioethics, medical anthropology, or psychology

Other desirable experiences include:

• Record of scholarly publication, including first-authored scientific journal articles.

• Expertise in research design and data analysis, including any of the following: clinical trials, grounded theory, systematic reviews, etc.

• Demonstrated track record engaging in fieldwork, involving meeting with stakeholders including adolescent study participants, clinicians, community members, and researchers.

• Experience working in or collaborating with researchers in global health and HIV.

• Prior supervision of research team or coordination of research activities in low and middle income settings.

• Current knowledge of bioethics in resource limited settings

• IsiZulu language skills as the data collection will be in Zulu

To apply: Email the following items in one PDF with your surname as the first word of the PDF file (ex. SURNAME_Cover Letter): (1) cover letter stating long-term career aims, interest in the project, and suitability for the position, specifically referring to the criteria listed above; (2) curriculum vitae; (3) copies of two or three relevant publications; and (4) contact information for three to five potential references. Applications should be emailed to: education@ahri.org

For additional information regarding the project or the post, please e-mail:nothando.ngwenya@ahri.org

Closing date for applications: 15 March 2024

AHRI will only consider applications that comply with the above requirements. Applicants may be required to undertake a written exercise or an oral presentation in the competencies required for the position. AHRI reserves the right to not make an appointment or change the role in light of applications received.

Africa Health Research Institute