Research Assistant Job at Concern Worldwide

Concern Worldwide is an international non-governmental humanitarian organization dedicated to the reduction of suffering and working towards the ultimate elimination of extreme poverty in the world’s poorest countries

Concern Worldwide invites Expressions of Interest for the provision of Research Assistant consultancy services:

Background/ Context

The Sustainable Development Goal 9 (SDG) envisions the building of a “resilient infrastructure, promoting inclusive and sustainable industrialization and fostering innovation.” Specifically, target 9b advocates for “domestic technology development, research and innovation in developing countries,” which includes a focus on fostering an enabling policy environment. Across Africa, including in Kenya, there is a vibrant culture of designers, engineers, and entrepreneurs creating products intended to improve people’s lives. A strong foundation for widespread innovation exists, but is highly constrained by a lack of skills and training and poor access to quality tools and materials. As a result, many manufactured products in the Kenyan market are not designed locally and may fail to meet local needs. While Kenya has committed to industrialize and eventually manufacture products locally in the Government’s ‘Vision 2030,” the reality is that little progress has been made in the development of infrastructure to allow for in-country manufacture of health promoting devices. An assessment of 40 health facilities in Nairobi, Kenya indicates that none of them had all essential equipment available. A large majority of medical supplies in Kenya are imported (over 90%) from abroad. What very little equipment is locally procured is generally limited to non-complex equipment such as beds and trolleys. To catalyse local transfer of technology in the development and manufacture of health promoting prototypes, Philips Foundation will through UNICEF is supporting Kenya. Subsequently UNICEF Kenya in partnership with Concern Worldwide, Philips Innovation Africa Hub, Maker and Gearbox will collaborate with the Government of Kenya as well as a diverse range of local partners and stakeholders to develop and nurture innovation platforms that design, prototype and produce lifesaving and health promoting devices predominantly for use in under-resourced maternity hospitals and health facilities throughout the region. The joint mission of the collaboration is to develop innovative, low-cost, locally designed and built health-promoting devices and other health solutions that contribute to improved, more equitable access to quality care for women, new-borns and children. The programme therefore has a lot of data and documentation that needs to be converted into manuscripts and published.

Objective/Purpose

To develop manuscripts and to publish in peer review journals from available documents and data

Deliverables/Outputs

• An inception report from the Literature Review
• Draft discussion for Manuscript
• Feedback to core publication team
• Final proposed publication for peer review journals

Methodology

The consultant will undertake literature review and work closely with the Concern Worldwide Health and Nutrition Team, University of Nairobi and Kenyatta National Hospital to deliver on the outputs. The Consultant is expected to provide a technical proposal and a work plan for the whole assignment.

Proposed Time Schedule

• The Consultant is expected to take a maximum of ten (10) days per manuscript. The timelines for the assignment is 1st – 20th June 2018

Remuneration

The Consultant is expected to provide a financial proposal for the whole assignment. Agreed rates will be based on prevailing market competitive rates and value for money. Payment will be made upon verification of the final work by Concern Worldwide’s Programmes Director.

Research Assistant Job Requirements

• An MPH or equivalent. A PhD in research will be an added advantage
• Evidence of working in the health field
• Evidence of publications before

How to Apply

Interested candidates who meet the above requirements must submit the following;

A technical proposal (Max. 10 pages) including;

Proposed Methodology

Work plan and earliest date of availability to undertake assignment

Demonstration of Capability i.e. CV of the lead consultant and, if quoting for an organization, attach the CV of any other personnel to be involved in the assignment

A list of previous work done (Work Completion Certificates)

Telephone and email contacts of at least three (3) professional referees who can validate technical expertise

A financial proposal quoted in Kenya Shillings for the whole assignment

All submissions, addressed to the HR & Administration Coordinator, Concern Worldwide, Nairobi, must be sent to the following email addresses: nairobi.hr@concern.net and quotes.kenya@concern.net with the subject of the email as ‘Research Assistant’. The closing date for submissions is Tuesday, 29th May 2018.