Head of Bioscience
Reference Number: HOB010319
Reference Number: HOB010319
Background
KEMRI-Wellcome
Trust Research Programme is a large research Programme, with 800 staff
supported by £20M per year. We produce 170-200 papers per year, operating
across hubs in Kilifi, Nairobi and Uganda. We have direct influence on
areas such as vaccination policy, critical care in hospitals and health
economic policy across Africa.
Capacity
building is central in our mission, with 76 PhD awards to date and 10 Training,
5 Intermediate and 1 Oak Fellowships and 4 African Research Leader awards over
the last 5 years. We are building on this to expand and transition a
scientific leadership team with a centre of gravity in Kenya.
The
Head of Biosciences will be a critical part of the new leadership team. The
Head of Biosciences will be responsible for:
·
Scientific strategy including core
renewal plans.
·
Personal research portfolio as an
independent PI.
·
Oversight of a Laboratory Management
team.
Description
Biosciences
Our
biosciences work is based in the Kilifi campus, supported by an integrated
surveillance system linking demographic surveillance of 0.25M residents,
clinical phenotyping of hospital admissions continuously for 27 years, a
biobank and a state-of-the-art immunology and molecular biology facility
including next generation sequencing facilities, cell sorting, multi-colour
flow and multi-dimensional serological platforms.
The
Head of Biosciences will be responsible for setting strategic priorities and
plans for Biosciences. The post holder will be an independent Principal
Investogator, allocated substantial time for developing independent research
leveraging the facilities described above. The Head of Biosciences will be
supported by a team of laboratory managers covering all laboratory areas to
support oversight and planning.
The
post requires a scientist with a track record of extensive and noteworthy
independent scientific output, with proven capacity to attract funds for
research relevant to LMIC settings. Experience of leadership in research
is essential, reaching at least group level. External coaching in
leadership skills will be made available to the successful applicant.
Responsibilities
·
Leading the Programme Biosciences
scientific strategy including chairing Departmental strategy and management
meetings.
·
Active participation as part of the
senior leadership team in shaping Programme-wide scientific strategy and acting
as co-applicant for the Programme core grant.
·
Developing proposals for new research
initiatives, with ongoing leadership responsibilities for these areas of
personal research
·
Membership of the Heads of Scientific
Departments committee, and in a broad range of governance structures and
committees.
·
Planning the overall budget and
setting targets for development of the laboratory and wider bioscience platform
on a yearly basis, and negotiating and agreeing the plans with the Scientific
Departments Committee responsible for overall scientific strategy in the
programme.
·
Ongoing strategic decisions
underpinning biosciences work, such as purchase or upgrading of major
laboratory equipment, reprofiling of the laboratory budget, new research
initiatives including the design of field or ward surveillance work to optimize
sample collection and integration with clinical data.
·
Line management of the Laboratory
Manager and Laboratory Section Heads, supervision of the Biobank Fellow.
·
Providing input on laboratory aspects
of developing proposals and funding applications, and willing to be a
co-applicant on funding proposals from other PIs where relevant.
·
Mentorship of early career scientists
across the Programme with related interests, and training input for selected
PhD students/ Masters students where relevant.
·
Oversight of all laboratory work
across the programme, in conjunction with the Laboratory Manager and/or
relevant Section Head.
·
To guide and support the development
of collaborative linkages with other local and international health research
institutions to develop synergistic and equitable partnerships.
Qualifications
Essential Requirements
·
A PhD or equivalent post-graduate
qualification relevant to biomedical research.
·
Experience in biomedical research
with significant impactful research outputs.
·
Significant productivity in peer
reviewed journals.
·
Evidence of the capacity to win
independent research funding.
·
Leadership experience in research or
related areas, at minimum to leading a group.
·
Demonstrated ability to manage and
lead complex projects
·
Significant experience of line
management
·
Experience of PhD and/or Masters
supervision with positive outcomes.
Desirable Requirements
·
Experience of clinical trials
·
Ability in key scientific themes in
the current Programme strategy, including vaccines, genomics and transmission
or clinical translational research.
·
Experience of inter-disciplinary
work.
Competencies
·
Evidence of supervisory ability and
negotiation skills
·
Evidence of an ability to operate and
lead in a federalized environment with decentralized authority.
·
Strong skills in budgeting,
development and oversight of project proposals, leadership of meetings, and
writing skills.
·
Ability to work across cultures and
evidence of communications skills in that context.
·
Willingness to respond within tight
timelines and to cope with changing assignments.
·
Strong leadership skills and
managerial ability
·
Strong planning, administrative and
organisation ability
·
Confidentiality, integrity, patience
and calm disposition
·
Team working and ability to work in a
multi-cultural environment
Note: A
competitive salary will be offered to attract an outstanding candidate
How To Apply
To
apply for this post you must be a registered user. Log into your account then
go to Vacancies, view the post and click on the button: “Apply for this job”.
Communication Officer
Reference Number: CO – 2822019
Job Purpose
To
plan, develop and implement effective and efficient communication strategies
and tools for the Training and Capacity Development department at KWTRP. To
raise awareness, understanding and visibility of the department’s research,
training and capacity development activities within and outside KWTRP and,
across diverse stakeholders (local & international). To manage all
communication requirements and activities for the department and provide
technical support to the departmental schemes and teams, as required.
Responsibilities
·
Formulate and implement appropriate,
relevant and timely communication and information exchange guidelines,
strategies and procedures for the Training and Capacity Development department.
·
Develop, review, update and edit all
departmental communication materials including web content, publications,
papers, newsletters etc. and ensure that Programme standards are strictly
adhered to.
·
Develop appropriate communication
materials, products and outreach tools (digital, etc) to disseminate summaries
of research projects and study findings to multi-level policymakers, local
communities, scientific research agencies and networks, among other relevant
stakeholders.
·
Develop and implement participatory
approaches in knowledge exchange and information management locally, regionally
and internationally so as to raise awareness on research activities and
findings from the Training department.
·
Identify and establish dynamic local,
regional and international networks to promote public and stakeholder
engagement in science through collaboration with (non)science related
institutions and financiers.
·
Support monitoring, reporting and
knowledge exchange of departmental research activities, projects and trainings
(etc), and assist the documentation of case studies, best practices etc. on
research and programme activities.
·
Provide information on the Training
department’s activities to financiers, potential financiers, member states and
all other parties seeking information as may be authorised.
·
Under the guidance and permission of
the Programme Manager, engage local, national and international media in order
to input into existing public fora for health and science and positively
communicate and disseminate research findings/outcomes as per Programme policy.
·
Review departmental reports, papers,
policy briefs, grant proposals and applications (etc) to assure that they
adhere to set standards and in line with Programme communication policies and
protocols.
·
Support the development and timely
update of the departmental website.
·
Liaise with third parties to ensure
accurate and timely production of publication and communication materials e.g.
brochures, newsletters, documentaries etc.
·
Maintain the communication library of
the Training and Capacity Development department including audio, video and
picture recordings.
·
Support other departmental activities
and assignments as maybe be required.
Qualifications
Key qualifications
·
A degree in public relations,
communications, science communication, communication for development,
journalism or related fields.
·
3 years relevant work experience.
·
Training in Correl Draw, Photoshop
and other image editing and publishing software.
·
Experience in designing, editing and
managing websites and institutional publications and, writing in a variety of
styles to suit different media and audiences.
·
Familiarity with and experience in
methodologies, processes and systems for communication, knowledge and
information management in institutions including the use of digital
technologies.
·
Excellent familiarity with modern and
best practice approaches to communication, knowledge exchange and information
management.
·
Computer literacy with proficiency in
presentation, publishing and image editing software among other computer
applications.
·
Relevant experience in high quality
video production and photography.
Desired qualifications
·
Experience in science communication
and in development and implementation of electronic systems and services for
knowledge and information management for research institutions.
·
Previous knowledge and experience
with communication outreach and public engagement across diverse stakeholders.
·
Knowledge of current communication
trends and previous experience in state of the art communication tools
including TV and radio.
·
Previous experience in managing
communication for public events including seminars, conferences, workshops,
etc.
·
Demonstrable knowledge of and
engagement with diverse media personalities (TV, radio, print, etc).
Competencies
·
Strong writing, proof-reading,
editing and oral presentation skills.
·
Ability to establish, grow and
maintain impactful networks and work relations.
·
Proactive, creative, innovative and
attentive to detail.
·
Excellent interpersonal and
communication skills with abilities to demystify complex scientific jargon.
·
Strong planning and organization
skills.
·
High level of integrity and
confidentiality.
·
Ability to work in teams and in
multi-cultural environments.
Physical Environment/Conditions
·
Position based at KWTRP in Kilifi.
How To Apply
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apply for this post you must be a registered user. Log into your account then
go to Vacancies, view the post and click on the button: “Apply for this job”.
Data Manager
Reference Number: DM-28/02/19
Job Purpose
To
work in team responsible for data capture, data quality and data analysis
routines as part of a routine clinical surveillance/quality improvement project
and a multicentre randomized controlled trial taking place in a number of
hospitals in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania. The incumbent will be responsible for
continued development of a set of analysis scripts using R that can be applied
to data collected from hospitals and turning the raw data into informative
visualizations. This work will be conducted with a larger group of analysts to
provide hospitals with regular reports on their patient populations and quality
of health care services. The post will require someone with skills in
programming in R, some experience with web-based graphic libraries, conversant
with the LINUX operating system as well as data management skills who is a good
team player. Some support for data management and optimising operating
environments is also anticipated.
Job Dimensions
·
Ability to develop analytical code in
R or python
·
Ability to transform data and
processes into informative visualizations
·
Responsible with Data Management and
Analysis Team Leader for data archiving and version control of analysis scripts
(familiarity with Git or any distributed version control system an advantage)
·
Responsible with Senior Data Manager
and Information Team Leader for production of regular hospital reports
outputting analyses into MS Office or other documents
·
Ability to perform analyses on
request for research team leaders
·
Understand and help configure the
LINUX based operations on the servers (including managing data archiving,
security etc)
·
Understand and help configure
synchronization tools we use for peripheral sites to the server
·
Help upgrade our data management platform
moving towards web-based systems if/when internet connectivity improves in
sites
·
Understand and manage the statistical
programming approach being used in R
·
Providing training / support to other
staff and hospital collaborators
·
Good communication with senior
personnel in the research team and with partnering hospitals
Responsibilities
·
Developing analytical code in R to
provide routine reports and graphical displays of large hospital datasets
·
Working to ensure data appropriately
managed and archived and that all analytic code is documented and archived with
version control
·
Working with data managers and other
researchers to integrate analytic tools with data collection
·
Performing analyses on request of
senior team members and interpreting results
·
Providing training / support to other
staff and/or hospital staff
Qualifications
·
Degree in Statistics / Computer
Science (either Statistician with good programming skills or Computer Scientist
with sufficient training in Statistics)
·
At least 1 year of relevant experience
in a similar role
·
Ability to program in R and clearly
document and version control code
·
Ability to use scripting languages
e.g. PHP
·
Data management skills – ideally
experience with large databases including development of data dictionaries,
data cleaning logs – (knowledge of REDCap an advantage)
·
Good level of ICT skill
(understanding of basics of Linux and MySQL)
·
Good presentation and communication
skills
·
Ability to work with limited
supervision
·
Ability to meet deadlines
·
Good team player
How To Apply
To
apply for this post you must be a registered user. Log into your account then
go to Vacancies, view the post and click on the button: “Apply for this job”.
Statistician
Reference Number: 270219
Job Purpose
To
provide statistical support and data management oversight for ongoing studies
in the Epidemiology and Demography Department.
Job Dimensions
The
KEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Programme (KWTRP) based in Kilifi, Kenya, conducts
high quality research focussing on diseases that present a significant burden
on low and middle-income countries. KWTRP is a partnership between the Kenya
Medical Research Institute, the Wellcome Trust and the University of Oxford,
and a world-renowned health research unit. KWTRP works with scientists, health
services and local communities to achieve better health, while developing local
scientific leadership and infrastructure.
With
200 staff, 15-20 active research grants with a combined value in excess of
£10m, the Epidemiology and Demography Department (EDD) is the largest
department at KWTRP. EDD conducts multidisciplinary studies in three areas:
Invasive Bacterial Diseases, Virus Epidemiology and Control, and Human Genetic
Factors. EDD is also home to the Kilifi Health and Demographic
Surveillance System, a pioneer in the integration of field, hospital and
laboratory surveillance data. Working predominantly in Kenya, EDD collaborates
with partners in Ethiopia, Tanzania, Uganda, Europe and the USA.
The
Statistician will be a member of the Statistics and Data Management team
working primarily on studies within the Invasive Bacterial Diseases group.
Responsibilities
·
Developing study analysis plans and
inputing into data management plans
·
Providing advice on randomization and
frequently observing randomization
·
Providing advice on database
development for study data management
·
Overseeing data entry, conducting
routine data checks, resolving queries and generating reports.
·
Liaising with trial and data managers
and programmers about data quality and missing data, verifying data accuracy
and validity. Scheduling and preparing progress reports and/or analyses for
independent Data Monitoring Committees, Steering Committees, and publications.
·
Actively interrogating the data for
discrepancies, errors, and missing data, in order to verify the accuracy and
validity of the data. Reporting and liaising with trial investigators,
data clerks, data managers and programmers on the quality of the data, and
resolving any errors according to the study protocol.
·
Discussing and interpreting results
with colleagues and collaborators in the trial/study.
·
Ensuring deadlines and project
milestones relating to data and analyses are met, coordinating with other
members of staff and external collaborators as necessary
·
Support the production of summary
tables and graphics for interim and final analyses
·
Preparing and depositing research
data and documentation for curation and archiving
·
Ensuring the study handling and
processing of data is in accordance with the appropriate data protection
regulations
Qualifications
·
A Degree in Mathematics or Statistics
·
3 years experience in similar
position with demonstrated research experience, preferably in the health
sciences
·
Demonstrated research experience,
preferably in the health sciences.
·
Excellent computer skills and
familiarity with one or more statistical packages (including Stata, R or SAS)
plus knowledge of any SQL-compliant DBMS (e.g. MS-Access, MS-SQL, MySQL
Postgres, Oracle, DB2 etc); exposure to GIS analysis
·
Proficiency with statistical and data
management procedures (data cleaning, manipulation, summarization, tables,
listings, graphics, and inferential statistical output), and report generation.
Competencies
·
Good analytical ability, planning and
organisational skills
·
Attentive to detail with the capacity
to work with/ follow laid down processes and procedures
·
Ability to work independently/ with
minimum supervision and within stipulated deadlines and schedules
·
Confidentiality and integrity
·
Excellent interpersonal and
communication skills
·
Team working and ability to work in a
multi-cultural environment
Note:
This post is a development position and is anticipated to be offered for a
maximum of two years in total. The successful candidate may ultimately be
sponsored to conduct an MSc in statistics or a related subject should they
demonstrate the necessary aptitude and capability.
How To Apply
To
apply for this post you must be a registered user. Log into your account then
go to Vacancies, view the post and click on the button: “Apply for this job”.
All
applicants are required to state their current/last salary.
Candidates
must supply an email and telephone contact that will be used when offering
interviews. Only shortlisted candidates will be
contacted. Shortlisted candidates shall be required to
produce ORIGINALS of their National Identity Card, academic and
professional certificates, original transcripts and testimonials, detailed
curriculum vitae and valid clearance certificate (certificate of good conduct)
during the interviews.
The
application closing date is 13 March, 2019.
KEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Programme (KWTRP) is an
equal opportunity employer. Direct or indirect canvassing will
lead to automatic disqualification. KWTRP does not charge a fee at any
stage of the recruitment process (application, interview, meeting, processing,
training or any other fees).
