Project Research Scientists I Non Medical/ Project Technical Support III (Qualitative Researcher)

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Project Research Scientists I Non Medical / Project Technical Support III (Qualitative Researcher)

Number of Vacancies: 8 (2 Senior Qualitative Researchers and 6 Qualitative Research Assistants)

Primary Location: Uttar Pradesh (Lucknow, Kanpur, and Varanasi)

What is Community Empowerment Lab?

We, at Community Empowerment Lab, love to watch our people write their own stories – stories of success and challenges, stories of connecting with communities, of serving mothers and children. Stories of serving our nation.

So, who are we exactly? We are a Not for Profit Research Organization working on the frontiers of maternal and neonatal health, serving some of the most vulnerable through innovations and leveraging cutting-edge scientific approaches in public health. We are driven by scientific evidence, national priority, and global public health challenges!
Our mission revolves around empowering communities by providing them with evidence-based solutions to address their needs, thereby bridging the gap between communities and scientific knowledge. We adopt a grounds-up approach, engaging with communities to understand their requirements and co-designing solutions with scientific rigor. These solutions undergo trials and implementation research to ensure efficacy. The insights gained are then scaled up to influence state, national, and global policies and practices. Our focus lies at the intersection of newborn survival and maternal health, health system strengthening, and early childhood development, aligning all our initiatives to tackle both local and global challenges faced by newborns and mothers.

We are Collaborative Centre of Excellence for Indian Council of Medical Research joining hands with several scientific research organizations pan-India to address numerous national priorities and building a future scientific workforce for the country! We are also an ICMR - Centre for Advanced Research for Neonatal and Maternal Health working on solutioning newborn survival! In Uttar Pradesh, we support UP National Health Mission as a newborn survival specialist through UP TSU (Uttar Pradesh Technical Support Unit).

For more information please visit our website

What defines us as a team?

We are young, collegial, committed, and sensitive- a bunch of creative people which loves to do science with a compassionate heart. We believe in human goodness, unending capacities to grow as leaders, and finding meaning through their consistent efforts that often meet success and failure too. We believe in learning by doing! We believe in soiling our hands, doing science in the midst of the community, and keeping the community at centre! We are not merely desktop researchers. We value high-impact research publications and simultaneously bringing solutions to the doorstep of those who need them most!

Our people drive the organization and contribute to mutual growth. Some really bright public health scientists, tech talent, management mavens, community organizers, and volunteers have kept us going for over twenty years now. We are ambitious, growing and we need many more of our tribe now. At CEL, we encourage people to pursue a career and a passion for public health service.

What do you get? The freedom to express your talent, the joy of watching the difference your work makes to our nation, and the reward of working with a vibrant, joyful team.

Who are we looking for?

CEL is now looking for Qualitative Researchers. We are building a dedicated formative research team to gather deep, high-quality insights on maternal & child indicators influencing adverse health outcomes. Our Qualitative Researchers would primarily be responsible for conducting field-based qualitative research activities. This involves undertaking activities such as qualitative data collection (IDIs, FGDs, Direct Observations, etc.), transcription, analysis, documentation & presentation along with support in designing study tools, framing documents for ethical approval, reports, and manuscript writing. Your efficiency in coding and analyzing data along with the data team would be a significant asset. Our Researchers should be able to immerse themselves in the communities and the locations, which are the source of our primary data, for extended periods of time and ensure that primary data feeds into our research to co-design solutions.

Our Senior Qualitative Researchers will be experienced and motivated professionals with, at least, 3 years of experience in qualitative research. They will be entrusted with overseeing and leading qualitative activities, contributing significantly to our research endeavors. The ideal candidate will bring experience maternal and newborn health (Kangaroo Mother Care, lactation management, peri-natal, intra-partum and post-partum care etc.). They should be knowledgeable in the principles and practices of design thinking and apply them to the research being conducted.

Since our study area consists of families that have Hindi as their native language - communication in Hindi and local dialect would be desirable. Proficient communication in English would be appreciated for engaging in formal communication, especially with our foreign partners, stakeholders, etc.

This is a mid-senior level position that will have considerable autonomy and an outsized impact on our program.

Scope of Work

Qualitative Design & Development: Design and create qualitative research tools, including IDI and FGD guides, bringing in the expertise of specific components of lactation, Kangaroo Mother Care, and related topics, where applicable.

Data Collection and Analysis:

● Oversee and conduct qualitative data collection, ensuring a comprehensive understanding of participant experiences and perspectives.

● Analyze qualitative data using rigorous methodologies and software, employing coding, thematic analysis, and other qualitative analysis techniques.

Project Collaboration and Stakeholder Engagement:

● Collaborate with cross-functional teams to integrate qualitative components seamlessly into ongoing and upcoming projects.

● Rapport-building and engagement with stakeholders at various levels.

Consolidation and Dissemination of Findings:

● Synthesize research findings into actionable insights, compelling narratives, and data-driven recommendations for the internal team as well as stakeholders.

● Actively contribute to paper writing and dissemination efforts, ensuring the effective communication of qualitative insights

The Senior Qualitative Researcher will also have leadership and mentoring responsibilities as given below:

● Direct, design, and develop qualitative research methodologies, including in-depth interviews (IDI) and focus group discussions (FGD) and their implementation plan.

● Design/co-design the solutions from the qualitative findings and incorporate them.

● Lead and streamline the activities of the qualitative research team.

● Mentor and guide junior researchers, fostering a culture of excellence and continuous learning within the research team.

Travel: Willingness for travel, both locally and out of the city as per requirement and, especially, the ability to stay for extended periods of time in communities/locations where research is being conducted.

Qualification and Experience:

● For Senior Qualitative Researcher (Project Research Scientist I Non Medical): First Class Post Graduate Degree, including the integrated PG degrees, in Public Health/ Epidemiology/Social Sciences/Behavioural Sciences/Anthropology/Social Work or any relevant related field, with a focus on maternal, newborn, and child health with three years experience OR PhD.

● For Qualitative Research Assistant (Project Technical Support III Non Medical): Post Graduation in Public Health/ Epidemiology/Social Sciences/Behavioural

● ICMR age norms will apply, applicants must be age 35 years or below.

● Senior Qualitative Researcher should be able to design and execute formative research independently and shall manage/mentor team of Qualitative Researcher

● Strong research design and methodology skills, including qualitative and quantitative research methods, data analysis, and interpretation.

● Knowledge of implementation methodology including conceptual frameworks (CFIR, RE-AIM, etc.).

● Understanding of human-centered design (HCD) and other contemporary qualitative techniques.

● Working knowledge of qualitative data analysis and management software (e.g., Dedoose, NVivo, ATLAS.ti).

● Excellent writing and communication skills, with the ability to synthesize complex information into clear and concise reports and presentations.

● Experience in manuscript writing, publication in peer-reviewed journals, and dissemination of research findings.

● Familiarity with research ethics principles, protocols, and regulatory requirements.

● Ability to work independently, manage multiple tasks simultaneously, and meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment.

● Willingness to travel extensively to the study sites

● Strong interpersonal skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively with multidisciplinary teams and stakeholders.

● Experience in the ethical use of AI tools in research (chatGPT, voice-to-text software, etc.)

● Proficiency in Hindi and English is essential.

Compensation: As per ICMR norms.

Application Procedure:

If you find this opportunity aligning with your skills and passion, we welcome you to apply by following these steps:

Ø Apply on this link

Ø Craft a brief yet impactful cover letter, around 500 words, that details your motivation for applying, your interest in Maternal and Newborn Health, and your enthusiasm for contributing to the work of Community Empowerment Lab.

Ø Attach your updated resume with a recent photograph.

Ø We kindly request that you include your current and expected salary details, along with your anticipated start date, in your cover letter.

Requirements

● For Senior Qualitative Researcher (Project Research Scientist I Non Medical): First Class Post Graduate Degree, including the integrated PG degrees, in Public Health/ Epidemiology/Social Sciences/Behavioural Sciences/Anthropology/Social Work or any relevant related field, with a focus on maternal, newborn, and child health with three years experience OR PhD.

● For Qualitative Research Assistant (Project Technical Support III Non Medical): Post Graduation in Public Health/ Epidemiology/Social Sciences/Behavioural Sciences/Anthropology/Social Work or any relevant related field, with a focus on maternal, newborn, and child health. OR three years graduate in a relevant subjects with three years’ experience.

● ICMR age norms will apply, applicants must be age 35 years or below.