Research Assistants – Biomedical Research and Training Institute(BRTI)

The BRTI was registered in Zimbabwe in 1995 as a non-profit making organization under Section 22 of the Companies Act (Reg. No.1676/95). The Institute implements research projects and provides training and support services in public health, biomedicine and health research mostly focusing on HIV/AIDS, SRH, TB, Bone and Malaria in clinical trials and operational research. Its mission is to promote the health and quality of life of the peoples of Zimbabwe and the Southern Africa Development Community SADC region through fostering research, training and research informed interventions in all fields that are relevant to essential national health needs.

The main role of the BRTI is to provide the support that researchers in all aspects of health need to become effective in influencing policy.

The CHIEDZA prevalence survey position
The research nurses and research assistants will conduct a community cross-sectional survey among 18-24 year olds after two and half years of implementation of an intervention. The intervention consisted of HIV and SRH services delivered at community centers in the intervention cluster. The survey will recruit a total of ~700 randomly selected youth per cluster. The survey will be done in both the intervention and control clusters. The primary objective of this survey is to measure the impact of an integrated community-based package of SRH and HIV services addressing the whole HIV care cascade on HIV VL among youth at population level. The nurses and Research assistants are expected to carry out the survey in the intervention and control clusters. The CHIEDZA trial seeks to employ nurses and Research assistance for a very short 3-month contract to carry out the study’s endline survey.

Duties And Responsibilities

Position summary
Identify cluster boundaries and streets for Household Enumeration; Identify and Recruit eligible households for enumeration into the survey; Consent eligible individuals into the CHIEDZA Prevalence Survey; Follow up clients eligible not found at home but are eligible for the survey; Check weight, height and blood pressure for clients in survey; Collect a good blood sample for HIV / Viral load testing using a DBS card; Collect a urine sample for STI testing; Refer clients to local clinic for HIV testing if need be; Communicate with relevant community and health facility stakeholders; Making sure all commodities are available for use in the field every morning; Making sure that the specimens are properly collected and all data submitted every day.

Qualifications And Experience

Qualifications
A degree / diploma (degree or diploma in nursing for the nurse), social sciences or psychology degree, diploma / degree in social work; Driver’s license is an added advantage for the Research Nurse; Certificate in Rapid HIV testing; Able to relate well with young people; Excellent communication skills; Enthusiastic and friendly; Tolerant, and non-judgemental; Demonstrated ability to discuss sensitive HIV, SRH and other sensitive issues eg mental health, substance use with young people; Familiar with local communities’ culture and diversity; Previous research experience is required; Able to work under minimal supervision, follow protocol and standard operating procedures; Complete all protocol forms; Flexibility in hours of work to include working during weekends.