Research Specialist, Community Health Sciences

Research Specialist, Department of Community Health Sciences

Entity                         

Aga Khan University

Location                     

Karachi, Pakistan

Introduction     

Aga Khan University chartered in 1983 as Pakistan's first private international university, is committed to the provision of education, research, and health care of international standards relevant to Pakistan and the region. The affiliated Aga Khan University Hospital provides state-of-the-art clinical facilities and well-equipped diagnostic services. The University currently has teaching sites in Pakistan, East Africa, the United Kingdom, and Afghanistan, and is a major component of Aga Khan Development Network. As an equal opportunity employer, AKU believes in promoting a diverse and inclusive culture and is committed to adopt appropriate standards for safeguarding and promoting a respectful relationship with and between diverse workforce of its faculty, staff, trainees, volunteers, beneficiaries, wider communities, and other stakeholders with whom it works, including children and vulnerable adults and expects all employees/trainees and partners to share this commitment. The Department of Community Health Sciences (CHS) is the leading unit of its type in Pakistan, recognized regionally and internationally for the relevance, quality, and extent of its work in support of public health and the development of primary health care systems. It comprises of five major operational sections: Epidemiology & biostatistics, Health policy & management, Population & reproductive health, Environmental health & climate change, and non-communicable diseases & mental health. This is a grant-funded contractual position.           

Responsibilities           

You will be responsible for:

• supervise and monitor all field activities including patient registration, domiciliary visits, and disease surveillance
• ensure data quality through regular checks, proper documentation, and adherence to study protocols
• provide training to study staff in line with research guidelines and ethical standards
• conduct surprise visits to assess field data collection accuracy and compliance with Good Clinical Practices (GCP)
• prepare and submit timely progress reports in collaboration with the data management team
• develop and support high-quality research proposals and contribute to academic publications
• maintain effective communication with staff, communities, and stakeholders
• travel frequently to project sites, including remote areas, as needed.

Requirements             

You should have:

• a master’s degree in Epidemiology Public Health, Health Policy & Management, Psychology, Sociology, Anthropology, or any other related field
• two to three years of experience in qualitative or mixed-methods research, with field data collection and analysis
• knowledge of GCP and experience in training research teams preferred
• strong organizational skills with the ability to work independently and lead teams
• excellent written and verbal communication in English
• proficiency in computer and data management tools
• willingness to travel nationally and internationally, based on project needs
• strong interpersonal skills, research ethics, and ability to build community trust.

Comprehensive employment reference checks will be conducted.