Senior Research Assistant, Community Health Sciences

Introduction:

Aga Khan University chartered in 1983 as Pakistan's first private international university, is committed to the provision of education, research, and health care of international standards relevant to Pakistan and the region. The affiliated Aga Khan University Hospital provides state-of-the-art clinical facilities and well-equipped diagnostic services. The University currently has teaching sites in Pakistan, East Africa, the United Kingdom, and Afghanistan, and is a major component of Aga Khan Development Network.

As an equal opportunity employer, AKU believes in promoting a diverse and inclusive culture and is committed to adopt appropriate standards for safeguarding and promoting a respectful relationship with and between diverse workforce of its faculty, staff, trainees, volunteers, beneficiaries, wider communities, and other stakeholders with whom it works, including children and vulnerable adults and expects all employees/trainees and partners to share this commitment.

The Department of Community Health Sciences (CHS) is the leading unit of its type in Pakistan, recognized regionally and internationally for the relevance, quality, and extent of its work in support of public health and the development of primary health care systems. It comprises of five major operational sections: Epidemiology & biostatistics, Health policy & management, Population & reproductive health, Environmental health & climate change, and non-communicable diseases & mental health.

This is a grant-funded contractual position.
 

Job Roles / Responsibilities:

The Senior Research Assistant (Field) will be responsible for supporting day-to-day field operations, including participant recruitment, data collection, and quality assurance across study sites. The role involves direct engagement with study participants and field teams to ensure adherence to research protocols and timelines. The incumbent plays a key role in maintaining timely data collection, data integrity and supporting smooth field implementation.

The incumbent will be responsible to:

• independently conduct data collection and taking field notes during household visits
• manage field work processes to ensure efficient and timely data collection
• visit households in the target communities and ensuring complete and accurate data collection
• coordinate with admin and logistics teams for smooth field operations
• follow and implement project-specific SOPs and ethical guidelines in the field.

Requirements:

The applicant should have:

• a bachelor’s or master’s degree in a health-related field, with preference for candidates with a background in physiotherapy.
• at least one year of relevant experience.
• proficiency in computer and basic software skills
• sensitivity to cultural differences
• ability to manage time and prioritize tasks effectively
• work efficiently in a team
• good communication and interpersonal skills
• willingness to work in the communities and work in field settings

Comprehensive employment reference checks will be conducted.