Consultant Researcher – APHRC

The African Population and Health Research Center (APHRC) is a leading Africa-based, African-led, international research institution headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya, with a regional office in Dakar, Senegal. Our researchers are contributing to the body of evidence about the critical issues in population health and wellbeing impeding Africa’s development in order to provide strong direction and recommendations to policy and decision-makers at all levels. Our priority research areas are Human Development, Health and Well-Being, Data Science and Evaluation, and Population Dynamics and Urbanization in Africa. In addition to the research component, APHRC has other programmatic areas in Research and Related Capacity Strengthening, Policy Engagement and Communications and International programs.

APHRC seeks to recruit a consultant to lead a feasibility study to assess the readiness to establish biobanking of patient samples from selected health facilities in Uganda and Kenya. The Initial contract period will be 6 months with a possibility of extension based on performance and additional activities to undertake.

Responsibilities

The consultant will provide overall project management for a feasibility study with the following specific tasks; obtain ethical approvals, recruit a study team and supervise study activities including the following:

1. Assess the current practices with left-over samples in hospitals and the attitude, willingness and acceptability of stakeholder including patients, healthcare providers, administrators, researchers, and those working with regulatory bodies that guide storage and shipment of samples at national level.
2. Assess the patient caseloads and the common types of specimen collected for diagnosis in in selected healthcare facilities in Kenya and Uganda.
3. Assess the human resource needs for managing a biobank in the selected health facilities.
4. Conduct an audit of laboratory infrastructure, quality assurance and data systems to understand the resources available and identify hospitals and health facilities that can be potentially supported to pilot biobanking of left-over samples.
5. Undertake a cost-analysis to inform planning and investments into biobanking.
6. Develop and validate a model of governance for the biobanking facility.

The consultant will also supervise a team consisting of a research officer and laboratory technicians running the APHRC laboratory who will also be involved in the feasibility study. The consultant is also expected to contribute to proposals and scientific writing in related areas of work and presenting research findings in meetings and conferences.

Minimum qualifications, skills and experience required

1. PhD, preferably in Biomedical Sciences (Immunology, Microbiology, Biochemistry).
2. Post-doctoral experience on laboratory-based research in sub-Saharan Africa.
3. GCLP, GCP and HSP training and certification.
4. Experience in biobanking.
5. Demonstrated experience in managing research teams and partnerships.
6. Strong quantitative skills (managing, analysing and interpreting data), with extensive familiarity with quantitative statistical packages (e.g. STATA, SAS or SPSS).
7. Excellent interpersonal and organizational skills and ability to work in a culturally diverse team.

Desirable skills

1. Expertise/experience in audits, laboratory quality assurance processes, costing of lab infrastructure and other resources needed for biobanking.
2. A good understanding of records reviews including quantification of patient caseloads.
3. Familiarity with qualitative analysis software packages (e.g. NVivo).
4. Very good report writing skills.
5. Demonstrated capabilities and skillset to support our existing laboratory staff.
6. IATA training and certification (Infectious substances shipping regulations aviation training course).