Postdoctoral Research Fellowship

Project Title: Innovative methods for assessing and evaluating South African Community Health Worker programmes

Scope of Research:

The Institute for Life Course Health Research is currently looking for a post-doctoral research fellow to engage in and deepen ongoing research related to the implementation and evaluation of community health worker interventions in South Africa and beyond as well as engage with the Institute’s ongoing work on evidence synthesis.

The focal research activities for this scope of work include the bridging of ongoing work with the Perinatal Mental Health Project’s Nyamakela4Care intervention, and the Enable Mentor Mother Programme, both of which support community health workers.

The research activities will include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Developing innovative methodologies for evaluating quality of care provided by CHWs

• Improving and enhancing existing methods for assessing the delivery of home visiting interventions;

• Experience conducting systematic reviews and evidence synthesis;

• Managing a research team;

• Qualitative and quantitative data analysis skills;

• Publications in the peer review literature using both methodologies;

• Experience managing ethical approval submissions

• Observing and analysing sessions on community health workers’ self-care and ongoing training opportunities;

• Querying the impact of COVID-19 on community health worker programmes generally and documenting programmatic responses for a policy brief or widely-disseminable output

Host:

Institute for Life Course Health Research, Department of Global Health

Requirement:

PhD (must have completed PhD within the last two years)

• Previous experience in managing and leading research projects in rural and challenging contexts

• Advanced qualitative analysis skills; quantitative analysis skills

• Experience conducting systematic reviews

• At least five publications in peer-reviewed journals and/or other demonstrated high-quality writing products

• Familiarity with knowledge translation specifically for policy-related outputs

• Time management and organisational skills

• Ability to conduct site visits to Western Cape and Eastern Cape project sites

• Computing literacy, with emphasis on Microsoft Office suite, ATLAS.ti, and EndNote X.9

Please note that postdoctoral fellows are not appointed as employees and their fellowships are awarded tax free. They are therefore not eligible for employee benefits.

Commencement of duties: As soon as possible

Closing date: 19 October 2020

Enquiries: Send a letter of application, accompanied by a comprehensive curriculum vitae, including list of publications and the names and contact details of at least two referees, to Assoc Prof Sarah Skeen at skeen@sun.ac.za.

Applicants should request their referees to forward confidential reports by the closing date direct to the same address.