The Operations Research and Impact Evaluation (ORIE) Project is an independent component of the six-year, DFID, UK-funded Working to Improve Nutrition in Northern Nigeria (WINNN) programme which seeks to improve the nutritional status of 6.2 million children under five years across the five northern Nigerian states of Kebbi, Katsina, Jigawa, Zamfara, and Yobe. The overall purpose of ORIE is to “fill important gaps in knowledge about the causes of and optimal responses to undernutrition in Northern Nigeria”. ORIE undertakes various kinds of research and evaluation to this end.
ORIE is being implemented by a consortium of four UK-based organisations led by Oxford Policy Management.
Members of the ORIE consortium are to undertake a cohort study of the nutrition, health and growth of young children in a cluster of villages in northern Nigeria near Katsina. The aim is to recruit about 1,000 young children and follow them for about 18 months to understand the context in which they grow and the factors that may contribute to malnutrition. This will be done by studying two cohorts - a large cohort that will be studied at two time points 18 months apart, and a small cohort that will be studied every 3 months. In addition a nested case control study at the end of the cohort study will be undertaken of children who have gained the least length; and up to four nested sub-studies lasting 6 weeks each of factors known to be associated with malnutrition will be done.
Job specification
ORIE is seeking a qualified and experienced health researcher Assistants to support the cohort studies in Katsina. The Cohort Research Assistants will have the following responsibilities under the guidance and supervision of ORIE National Team Leader through the Cohort Research Manager:
- Assist the Cohort Research Manager to identify project villages, obtain consents from the community for the study to be done, and maintain relationships with the community and community leaders throughout the study;
- Assist the Cohort Research Manager to identify local guides in study villages to help staff to locate households and keep track of study children;
- Assist the Cohort Research Manager to test all data collection tools in the field and modify questions in consultation with the PI, WINNN and ORIE staff when appropriate;
- Collect data on young children in the villages.
- Provide weekly updates on all activities and progress
- Import data from hand held devices into statistical analysis software when required.
- Assist the Cohort Research Manager to undertake basic data checking, labelling and analysis using statistical analysis software;
- Assist the Cohort Research Manager to write basic reports on the analysis of data from the gap sub-studies and contribute to analysis and reporting of other data;
- Assist the Cohort Research Manager in the maintenance of a small office in Katsina.
- Reports to the National Team Leader of ORIE on all administrative, finance, security and logistics matters through the Cohort Research Manager.
Qualifications and experience
The following attributes are important:
- HND or first degree in nutrition, public health, epidemiology or a relevant discipline
- At least 1 year of experience doing surveys, monitoring, evaluation or research studies
- Experience of analysing quantitative data using statistical software is an added advantage
- Fluent in English with a proven ability to write basic reports in English
The following attributes are desirable:
- Nigerian nationality with experience of working in northern states
- An ability to communicate in Hausa
- Understanding of and sensitivity to local culture in Northern Nigeria
HOW TO APPLY:
Interested and qualified applicants should send their CV(s) to Dr. Vincent Ahonsi atvincent.ahonsi@orie-ng.org with a copy to Adesoye Aro on adesoye.aro@orie-ng.orgby ****December 9, 2014****
While we appreciate all applicants, ORIE may not be able to provide feedback to applicants that are not shortlisted.
