QUALITATIVE HEALTH RESEARCHER AT MUST

VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT@ Malawi University of Science and Technology (MUST)

POSITION: QUALITATIVE HEALTH RESEARCHER

Location: Thyolo

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PROJECT
BACKGROUND
Malawi University of Science and Technology (MUST) is seeking highly experienced
and qualified professionals to fill the below listed positions available in the Global Injury Group (GIG) Research Project.

1. QUALITATIVE HEALTH RESEARCHER

PURPOSE OF THE JOB
The Qualitative Health Researcher will lead and support the design, implementation,
and analysis of qualitative research within musculoskeletal (MSK) injury and health
systems studies. Reporting to the Principal Investigator, the postholder will generate
high-quality evidence on patient, provider, and system-level experiences of injury care
through interviews, focus groups, and observational methods, and contribute to the
interpretation and dissemination of findings. The role also involves coordinating
fieldwork activities, ensuring ethical and rigorous data collection and management, and
working collaboratively with multidisciplinary and international partners to inform
improvements in injury care and health system strengthening.
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
(1) Organise research visits, interviews, observational fieldwork, including contact with
potential participants such as patients who have had a musculoskeletal injury and
their family members/ carers, healthcare professionals delivering fracture care.
(2) Carry out qualitative interviews, focus groups and observational fieldwork on
experiences of accessing and delivering care for musculoskeletal injuries

(3) Translate and transcribe audio recordings according to study protocols.
(4) Anonymise transcriptions and observational fieldnotes, file appropriately and transfer to researchers at the University of Oxford and Bristol in keeping with policies. (5) Analyse qualitative data using established approaches including thematic analysis. (6) Contribute to writing articles for peer reviewed journals in collaboration with colleagues. (7) Present findings to colleagues and other stakeholders. (8) Organise and maintain storage of data in keeping with the NIHR Global Health Group and institutional policies. (9) Ensure that study records and outputs are effectively produced and maintained. (10)Attend weekly and regular meetings with the in-country and wider study team, using video conferencing technology (e.g. Zoom, Teams). (11) If circumstances permit, attend in person meetings. QUALIFICATIONS, EXPERIENCE AND ATTRIBUTES • Bachelor's degree in Sociology, Psychology, Anthropology, Health Services Research, Public Health, Health Sciences, Social Sciences or other relevant discipline. • Master’s degree in a discipline relevant to qualitative research. • The required experience shall include the following: ✓ At least three years’ experience in qualitative health research. ✓ Proven experience leading qualitative data collection and analysis. ✓ Experience of organizing research visits, fieldwork, interviews, including contact with potential participants and arranging own travel and diary to conduct data collection. ✓ Experience of transcribing qualitative interviews and/ or focus groups according to study protocols. ✓ Experience in producing written reports of research findings. ✓ Experience in contributing to team meetings, including taking the lead when asked to do so and organising meetings. ✓ Experience carrying out observational fieldwork using observational checklist, taking fieldnotes and writing into full fieldnotes for analysis. ✓ Experience in analysing qualitative data, including coding data and developing themes or categories as appropriate. ✓ Experience working within a collaborative study team to contribute to interpretation of findings. • Desirable Knowledge shall include the following: ✓ Knowledge of qualitative health research methodologies including study design, data collection (interviews, focus groups, observation), and analysis (e.g., thematic analysis).