Research Assistants (Qualitative and Quantitative Data collectors and Supervisors)

Brief introduction:

REACH Ethiopia is a registered Ethiopian nonprofit organization dedicated to community development by executing innovative and targeted projects, delivering high-quality health services to underprivileged communities. Since its establishment in 2013, REACH Ethiopia has implemented more than 16 projects and harmoniously worked with over 19 partners worldwide. The organization has proven its capacity in taking up new initiatives and carefully executing them to retain good practice and disseminate the learning to partners. REACH Ethiopia is currently implementing multiple TB related activities at national and regional level.

REACH Ethiopia, in collaboration with Tigray Regional Health Bureau, is implementing Stop TB Partnership funded project entitled Identifying and Recommending CRG related TB service Barriers and Ensuring Community Engagement at war affected Zone of Tigray with the primary goal of ensuring patient centered TB program. The project focuses its activities in two Zones of the region to reach more than 2.6 million population.

REACH Ethiopia is seeking an experienced consultant to lead the operational research activity planned to assess community, right and gender barrier among war affected community by using mixed study design. The purpose of this consultancy service is to assist the REACH Ethiopia Team in the effective management of this operational study.

Duties and Responsibilities

Supervisors (2 Individuals): Under the Principal investigator and Study coordinator the study supervisor will execute the following activities: -

• Attend the research assistance training in person on February 26-27, 2024, at Mekele Town.
• Coordinate the overall data collection, site selection and data management.
• Cross check the validity and meaningfulness of the collected data
• Manage logistics and supplies for data collection.
• Manage the time and effort of data collection.
• In collaboration with data collectors, prepare micro plans for the data collection and effectively manage the movement of data collectors.
• Provide technical support and troubleshooting to the data collectors.
• Adhere to confidentiality procedures and policies when collecting, storing and sharing data
• Make sure that quality data is collected by each data collector and submitted to the cloud server.
• Anticipate unusual situations and make quick and responsible decisions in consultation with the study coordinator.
• In consultation with the study coordinator, provide onsite orientation for the data collectors (if necessary)
• Perform other activities related to data collection when assigned by PI or

Qualitative Data Collectors (6 Individuals): Under the study coordinator and supervisors, the qualitative study collector will execute the following activities: -

• Attend the research assistance training in person on February 26-27, 2024, at Mekele Town.
• Prepare micro plans in order to conduct data collection including logistics for the data collection.
• Communicate Zonal and Woreda TB program experts in order to assist the movement in the catchment area.
• Conduct a key informant interview as per the protocol.
• Conduct quality focus group discussions (FGD) with key populations as per the protocol.
• Properly document the interviews and FGDs
• Transcribe the records from local language to English;
• Properly utilize equipment for qualitative data collection;
• Collect and manage data files including interview and focus group transcripts as per the protocol; transcribe and clean interviews in a timely manner.
• Regularly communicate and coordinate with study coordinator and rest of study team to ensure data collection progresses smoothly.
• Other duties as assigned.

Quantitative Data Collectors: Under the consultant study coordinator, and supervisor study data collector will execute the following activities: -

• Attend the research assistance training in person on February 26-27, 2024, at Mekele Town.
• Prepare micro plans in order to conduct data collection including logistics for the data collection.
• Inform Zonal Health Department and Woreda Health offices in advance before data collection.
• Communicate supervisors in order to assist the movement in each study site.
• Apply sampling procedures to the selected study sites.
• Complete Health Facility, Patients and Providers questionnaire using mobile data collection application for all will participants.
• Work with data collection supervisor in order to maintain quality of the data before submitting the data to cloud server.

Employment type: Short term contract

Number of positions: 12 (6 Qualitative and 4 Quantitative Data Collectors and 2 Supervisors)

Location: Tigray Region, Central and Northwest Zones

Payment rate: As per the scale of the organization

Duration: 10 Days

Duration of work: - 10 Days (February 19-28, 2024)

Location: Addis Ababa, Dire Dawa and Harari all TB key affected population residence areas.

Required educational Qualification.

• At least BSc in field of health science from recognized College/University or equivalent.

Work Experience required.

• Five and above years of relevant work experience after graduation and with at least six months of experience in research related activities.
• Work experience in TB control program is an asset.

Desirable:

• Relevant Experience as supervisor or data collector for clinical research, Survey and surveillance
• Good Computer-Assisted Personal Interviews (CAPI) skills
• Aware of the existing health system structure particularly on TB prevention and control program
• Good communication and teamwork experience
• Fluency in written and spoken Tigrigna languages spoken at the project implementation area.