Job Description

Senior Scientist (Seasoned)

Duration: One-year contract

The Health Systems Research Unit (HSRU), based at the South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC), leads work in the field of evidence-informed policy and practice. Appropriately qualified and experienced Senior Scientists are required to join our team on a full-time basis to support the successful conduct of research, project management and delivery on the three-year EDCTP funded project: Global Evidence, Local Adaptation (GELA). The time-period of the project is from April 2022 to March 2025. GELA aims to enhance evidence-informed guideline recommendations for newborn and young child health in three countries in sub-Saharan Africa.

The job holder's responsibilities will include developing protocols, conducting, and publishing research projects, project management and knowledge translation evaluation work of the project to understand the impact of the evidence we produce on policy and practice, particularly in the field of newborn and child health and public health. Knowledge translation research includes assisting with communication planning and dissemination products. The evaluation includes clarifying the project needs and timelines with the team, planning the evaluation, protocol development as needed, and data collection and analysis, and finally report write up and presentation.

Responsibilities:

• Conduct and publish scientific research

• Poster or oral presentations at local or international conferences or at external meetings where own research is presented

• Collaborate on proposal writing

• Project work that includes co-ordination of projects, management of small projects or aspects of large projects, developing of research tools and SOPs/ techniques, organisation of data, and supporting junior staff

• Capacity development includes supervision of Masters' and doctoral students, facilitating workshops, mentoring

Core Requirements:

• Master's level degree in Public Health, Clinical Epidemiology, or similar relevant qualification

• Specialized skills in evidence synthesis, qualitative evidence synthesis and knowledge translation evaluation.

• 3 years' experience in research project management working according to timelines and within budgets.

• 3 years' experience in networking and collaborating with national partners and stakeholders, including policymakers.

• 3 years' experience in developing proposals and publishing scientific articles in relevant national/international peer-reviewed journals, one co-authored and one 1st authored publication.

• 3-years' experience in presenting research findings and reports at relevant conferences/meetings, oral presentation at 1 conference or seminar or meeting

• 3-years' experience in training and developing capacity, including conducting short courses/seminars and providing mentorship and supervision to students related to the project including supervision of 1 Honours student or engagement in teaching or training of staff in the Unit

• 1 - 2-years' experience in applying the principles of evidence-based healthcare and knowledge translation

• Experience with working with statistical software packages e.g. Atlasti, GRADE Cerqual, iSoF or STATA

Advantageous:

• Public health, clinical epidemiology or social science health-related PhD

• Previous experience in conducting and publishing systematic reviews.

• Previous experience in knowledge translation research, and evaluation

• Understanding of clinical guideline and policy development methods

• Experience in networking and collaborating with international partners and stakeholders, including policymakers.

• Publication record as evidence of scientific writing

Terms & Conditions: The SAMRC retains the right not to make an appointment. In accordance with the SAMRC's Employment Equity Plan, preference will be given to suitably qualified candidates from the designated groups. For this reason, we require race, gender and disability status to be specified. Disabled persons are encouraged to apply. By submitting your application, SAMRC concludes that you are a competent person to consent and that you are giving consent to the SAMRC to process and further process all personal information contained in the application in accordance with the Protection of Personal Information Act, Act No 4 of 2013 (as amended). The SAMRC does its best to provide the most accurate information; however, if there is anything wrong and unclear applicants are encouraged to contact the HR Recruitment Office at 021-938 0648 before the closing date.

A salary in the region of R 865 331 per annum, cost-to-company, will be negotiated in consideration of experience and qualifications.

Closing date: 16 November 2023

PLEASE QUOTE THE REFERENCE NUMBER (R673A) IN ALL COMMUNICATIONS. PLEASE BE ADVISED THAT YOUR SUBMISSION WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED SHOULD YOUR APPLICATION NOT BE ACCOMPANIED BY THE REQUIRED INFORMATION AND DOCUMENTATION.

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