Hours
35 hours per week
Contract Basis
Fixed term for 24 months (with potential for extension)
Location
Musselburgh
Role Context
The Institute for Global Health and Development (IGHD) works to promote critical thinking, practical engagement and social justice on issues of health and development globally, with a particular emphasis on low income and conflict-affected countries. We facilitate learning for students from many nations through courses provided in Edinburgh and, increasingly, through online delivery; conduct research; and advise governments, Ministries of Health and non-governmental organisations on issues of health and social development. The Institute represents one of the 'flagship' areas of work at QMU, with a strong commitment to profiling research of policy and practice relevance.
The Institute provides a vibrant working context, pursuing work of major social relevance in a multicultural, collaborative and supportive environment. We are committed to sustainability and staff development, work in a modern space fostering team-work and use of modern technology, and model flexibility in staff work patterns to support work-life balance.
Staff of the Institute currently hold research funding in excess of GBP 6 million. We structure initiatives within research clusters that maximise synergies between the work of staff. Research clusters evolve over time reflecting emerging opportunities for collaboration and impact. Currently, our clusters are focused on work on health systems, particularly in fragile and low-income settings, and studies on the themes of psychosocial well-being, protection and integration.
In the former area, our cluster is heavily engaged with the DFID-funded ReBUILD consortium, focused in Sierra Leone, Zimbabwe, Uganda and Cambodia, which we co-lead with colleagues at Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine. Other recent and ongoing health systems work has been funded by the World Health Organisation (WHO), Medical Research Council (MRC), Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), Wellcome Trust and the US National Institutes for Health (NIH), addressing issues ranging from human resources for health in Africa, through integration of stroke care in China to analysis of health systems resilience in the Middle-East.
Work related to the theme of psychosocial well-being, protection and integration involves studies across diverse settings, with a consistent focus on refugee and other vulnerable or marginalised communities. This includes work in both humanitarian situations (for example, in Nepal, in Malawi post-floods, in the Middle-East) and in contexts of refugee resettlement (including the current settlement of Syrian refugees in Scotland). Our work in this area is not only supported by research funders but also typically by inter-governmental, governmental and non-governmental partners, such as UNICEF and World Vision (which is currently funding a major multi-country study of child protection programming engaging local faith communities).
Role Purpose
IGHD has recently been awarded a grant of GBP 3.5 million from the National Institute of Health Research to establish a UK centre of excellence on work supporting health promotion, delivery and care in contexts of fragility. Bringing the work of its two current research clusters together, the NIHR Global Health Research Unit on Health in Fragility at Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh will seek to identify sources of resilience within formal health systems and local community processes to facilitate effective provision for health priorities - particularly mental health and non-communicable disease (NCDs) - in situations of fragility. Researchers at QMU, Edinburgh will work closely with our collaborative partners the Global Health Initiative, American University Beirut (AUB), Lebanon and the College of Medicine and Allied Health Sciences (COMAHS), Freetown, Sierra Leone.
With the support of the Unit Director and Deputy Director and designated senior researchers, a team of Research Fellows based at QMU, AUB and COMAHS will coordinate field research projects, supported by local researchers and doctoral students funded through the unit.
This Research Fellow post, available from 1 September 2017, is a key position in the development and implementation of the founding work of the Health in Fragility research unit. The Research Fellow will work with colleagues to appraise key challenges in delivery of the NCD and mental health interventions in the contexts of Lebanon and Sierra Leone. Research will focus on identifying health systems and community factors contributing to fragility of the integrated 'system for health' relevant to delivery and uptake of these interventions. This work will involve structured reviews of relevant published and grey literatures; synthesis of findings; consultation with policymakers, providers and service users; and preliminary field research utilizing a range of cutting-edge quantitative and qualitative methodologies. In due course a series of intervention studies based upon this scoping work will be implemented.
Main Duties / Responsibilities
Communication
Contribute to the production of research reports and papers for publication
Communicate information which requires careful explanation or interpretation orally and in writing
Write up research work for publication
Present information on research progress to the research team or other groups
Coordinate recruitment of participants effectively for laboratory or field studies
Teamwork and Motivation
Actively participate as a member of the research team with colleagues at QMU, AUB and COMAHS
Collaborate with academic colleagues on areas of shared research interest
Actively contribute to team/research project meetings
Liaison & Networking
Liaise with research colleagues in the Middle East and West Africa for the purposes of coordinating data collection
Develop internal and external contacts to build relationships for future collaboration
Planning & Organising
Plan own workload on a daily/weekly basis
Contribute to the planning of the research project
Plan and manage own research activity in collaboration with others
Prepare for and conduct research studies involving data collection from household and community interviews, clinics, government and NGO stakeholders and collation of existing routinely collected data
Decision Making Processes and Outcomes
Contribute to collaborative decision making with colleagues in areas of research
Initiative & Problem Solving
Use initiative and creativity to identify areas for research, develop new research methods and extend the research portfolio
Deal with problems which may affect the achievement of research objectives and deadlines
Identify resources to support the resolution of research challenges identified
Manage own research and administrative activities, with guidance if required
Analysis & Research
Use creativity to analyse and interpret research data and draw conclusions on the outcomes
Continually update knowledge and understanding in field or specialism
Translate knowledge of advances in the subject area into research activity
Conduct literature and database searches
Identify and conduct appropriate strategies for data analysis
Work Environment
Adhere to appropriate health and safety procedures when conducting research in field settings
Demonstrate willingness to travel and accommodate flexibility in working hours as may be required in the scheduling of fieldwork in Lebanon and Sierra Leone
Show cultural awareness and sensitivity, especially when working in field settings overseas
Teaching & Learning Support
Contribute to the teaching programme at IGHD - for example with regard to research methods - with Masters and doctoral students
Knowledge & Experience
Demonstrate breadth and depth of specialist knowledge in the field of global health and development, particularly with respect to fragile settings
Show appropriate levels of research competence through having secured a doctoral degree (or equivalent professional qualification) in a relevant subject area
Proactively engage in continuing professional development/training to keep knowledge and skills up to date
Person Specification - Essential
Masters and Doctoral degree qualifications in the field of global health, development studies or equivalent (or, exceptionally, nearing completion of relevant doctoral study)
Specialist knowledge through study, research and/or publication in the areas of non-communicable disease and/or mental health
Knowledge of, or fieldwork experience in, the Middle East or sub-Saharan Africa
Strong field research and analysis skills
Flexibility to travel for extended periods to the Middle East and/or West Africa
Excellent planning and organisational skills
Excellent written and verbal communication skills
Ability to build strong relationships
Ability to develop research objectives and proposals with others
Person Specification - Desirable
Advanced quantitative capability (preferably in the context of mixed-methods work)
Language skills relevant to planned study locations