Wellcome Trust Senior Post Doctoral Researcher Job Vacancy in Kenya

Position Title: Senior Post Doctoral Researcher

JOB PURPOSE:

This is a one-year position which focuses on decolonization in global health research. The postholder will join an African-centred multidisciplinary network of academics, practitioners, and activists with a shared interest in unpacking and analyzing decolonization debates in health research.

The postholder will track the diverse perspectives in the literature and initiatives being implemented in the health research field; and examine emerging and pertinent elements of decolonization debates with the broad aim of contributing to a research and action agenda for positive practice. The precise activities will be co-developed with the team but will likely include mapping out the health research architecture and how (de)colonization features, examining the roles and responsibilities of stakeholders and their values, and highlighting challenges and opportunities for positive transformation.

The postholder will benefit from continuous engagement with experienced team members through reflection, learning, and sharing of ideas to enrich the research outputs. There will be opportunities for cross-learning and drawing on related fields to inform decolonization debates including bioethics, health policy and systems research (HPSR), and health research capacity strengthening (HRCS). The postholder will have the opportunity to develop their research interests in relation to the broader decolonization agenda. In addition, the postholder will be expected to develop research and dissemination outputs, engage and share learning with relevant networks, and lead activities that will identify and highlight innovative approaches and initiatives which demonstrate positive health research practice.

Description:

Direct Reports: Principal Investigators

Indirect Reports: Decolonization and health research exchange core team

Budget Responsibility: None

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

  1. Development and implementation of research activities
  • Contribute to the development of the network’s research focus of decolonization in global health research through participating in an evolving process of learning, reflection, and network discussions
  • Identify relevant research questions emerging from reflections and discussions, and lead the implementation of research activities including:
    • Conducting literature reviews and synthesising learning from the reviews
    • Conducting empirical research on the agreed upon foci areas in decolonising health research
  • Develop co-authored academic outputs including review papers and commentaries
  1. Dissemination and engagement
  • Develop a range of academic and non-academic outputs including manuscripts, reports, and policy/practice briefs
  • Coordinate the planning and implementation of the Decolonisation in Global Health network’s dissemination activities including publications, presentations at scientific meetings, themed discussions, engagement with other networks and output users, and social media platforms
  • Contribute to building strategic collaborations that will advance the network’s agenda
  • Maintain and facilitate team members’ access to a catalogue of relevant resources (papers, blogs, conference proceedings) that could be drawn on in the network’s deliberations
  1. Co-lead a small grants scheme to develop advocacy pieces that highlight positive practices of decolonization in health research
  • Coordinate the design and advertisement of the small grants scheme
  • Coordinate the review of applications and award of small grants
  • Oversee implementation of the awards and the review and dissemination of the small grant outputs.

QUALIFICATIONS:

  • A PhD in a relevant subject such as social science, humanities, international relations, and anthropology with a health focus: ethics, health policy and systems, global health and public health
  • A minimum of four years post-doctoral experience
  • Demonstrated experience in independently conducting high quality health-related social science research in low-and-middle-income countries
  • Research experience with a track record of publishing in peer-reviewed journals
  • Involvement in grant writing and raising research funds

Desired Skills.

  • Ability to work independently within a cross-disciplinary team to meet agreed objectives
  • Ability to translate research outputs into high quality academic and non-academic publications
  • Strong professional commitment to developing scientific capacity in social science and ethics in health, particularly in Africa, as part of an active international collaborative community

Preferred:

  • Experience in addressing ethical issues in health research through social science approaches
  • Professional and research experience in an African setting
  • Experience and skills in developing and managing research relationships, ideally in multi-disciplinary and multi-institutional research programs and networks
  • Experience of supervision and capacity building of junior colleagues including students

COMPETENCIES:

  • Demonstrated high levels of confidentiality and integrity
  • Excellent interpersonal, written, presentation and communication skills
  • Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and critical thinking skills.
  • Strong Management, leadership, and decision-making skills,
  • Ability to build strong and diverse effective teams, delegation, and team motivation
  • Ability to build productive and collaborative relationships with varied stakeholders

How to apply

To apply for the position, please use the below link:

https://jobs.kemri-wellcome.org/job-advert/senior-post-doctoral-researcher