​​Vacancies​​

Keyword

Location

Research Associate, Fixed-Term Appointment (3 years, renewable)

Entity

Brain and Mind Institute

Location

Pakistan or Kenya

Introduction

Chartered in 1983, Aga Khan University (AKU, www.aku.edu) is a private, autonomous and self-governing international university, with 13 teaching sites in 6 countries over three continents. An integral part of the Aga Khan Development Network (www.akdn.org), AKU provides higher education in multiple health science and social science disciplines, carries out research pertinent primarily to low- and middle-income countries and operates 7 hospitals (soon 8) and over 325 outreach clinics, all at international standards. It has almost 2,500 students and 14,000 staff. The University is both a model of academic excellence and an agent of social change. As a leading international institution dedicated to excellence and change, AKU operates on the core principles of quality, relevance, impact and access.

The Brain & Mind Institute seeks to build capacity in the domains of mental health and neuroscience.  In collaboration with partners, the Institute will advance leadership capacity and support service delivery across East Africa and other regions served by AKU. The Institute supports: (i) a hub for scholarship, exchange, and action on mental health issues, and (ii) educational, clinical, and community-based programs. Research focuses on the context of today’s youth in Africa and South Asia and programmatic offerings address mental health related issues, such as stigma and resiliency.  The Institute develops new curricula integrating behavioral sciences and mental health for AKU’s medical colleges and nursing education. A significant area of interest is the implementation of science-based programing in hospital and community clinics that translate new discoveries into prevention and treatment programs.

Do you want to improve mental health in low- and middle-income countries? Are you ready to support research teams conducting transdisciplinary research on the determinants of mental health and shape our responses to complex and mounting problems? This is research associate position involves working with a variety of research teams within the Brain and Mind Institute and collaboratively across AKU.  The position involves supporting these teams as well as initiating and leading independent research studies under the direction and oversight of the Institute’s Director or other designated faculty.  The position may also involve engagement in elements of the Institute’s education, innovation, and partnership activities. 

Responsibilities

• Work with the Institute’s leadership and Principal Investigators to support grant-writing
• Help design, implement, supervise, evaluate, and report on a wide variety of research projects 
• Conduct literature reviews on relevant mental health economic topics
• Help develop research instruments
• Undertake data collection and analysis, including occasional field work
• Prepare and present periodic project related activity reports
• Support the dissemination of research results

Requirements

A research-intensive Ph.D or Master’s Degree in a related field
Experience in research design and implementation
Experience in quantitative and qualitative methods, preferably with experience in low-and middle-income countries
Experience with data presentation software programs
Excellent interpersonal and communications skills and ability to collaborate with others (across geographies) on projects and investigations

To Apply

​Interested candidates should submit a cover letter, detailed Curriculum Vitae, names and email contacts of three professional referees, telephone contact, e-mail address and copies of relevant academic certificates as well as transcripts to the Director, HR Academic, Aga Khan University’s Campus Nairobi, Kenya. P. O. Box 30270-00100 or by email to hr.universityke@aku.edu  

Your application should bear the reference number RA-BMI.  Applications by email are preferred. 

Only short-listed candidates will be contacted.