Job Description
Vacancy No. CGHR/394/01/24
Project description: The Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI), Kenya Ministry of Health,
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Henry Jackson Foundation MRI (HJFMRI),
Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine (LSTM-Kenya) and Gates Foundation are conducting child
health and mortality prevention surveillance (CHAMPS) to identify and track definitive causes of
stillbirths and child deaths through robust community engagement, mortality surveillance, diagnostic
and laboratory innovation, and rapid open access to data. Currently, CHAMPS operates in sites in eight
African countries (including Kenya) and South Asian countries with high burden of child deaths.
Therefore, CHAMPS Kenya has a vacancy in the following position:
Position: Assistant Principal Clinical Scientist - KMR 4 (1 position)
Location: Kenya
Reporting to: FHU Lead.
Job Summary: The officer is responsible for overseeing, coordinating programmatic and scientific
activities within the project in Kenya. This position supports the program's goals, fostering collaboration,
and ensuring the successful execution of CHAMPS activities. The officer will serve as a key point of
contact between the Local site and the CHAMPS Program Office at Emory University, stakeholders, and
partners. In this role, the incumbent will lead activities relating to strategic planning for the CHAMPS
program; clinical assessment of causes of death; administration and supervision of select staff in the
program; management of financial mechanisms; planning and implementing sub-studies, operational
research, routine program evaluation; provision of technical assistance and guidance to the Kenya
Ministry of Health (MOH) and collaborators; and regular communication to the CHAMPS program office.
Job holder shares oversight responsibilities for the development and implementation of public healthrelated technical program activities and has supervisory responsibility for day-to-day coordination of the
program’s technical and administrative management activities to implement the CHAMPS program in
Kenya.
a) Job Descriptions
The duties and responsibilities of the officer will entail: -
• Identifying research gaps in line with the Institute’s research priority areas;
• Development of research proposals in the relevant research thematic area;
• Implementing pre-clinical and clinical research projects and/or supervise designated
aspects of the work;
• Conducting medical examinations and writing medical reports;
• General diagnosis, care, treatment and provision of specialized clinical care for study
participants;
• Conducting community diagnosis, care and treatment during Corporate Social
Responsibility (CSR) activities;
• Establishing strategic partnerships for research, training, innovations, technology;
• Sourcing for grants to fund the approved research protocols;
• Supervising junior professional and technical staff attached to his/her pre-clinical and
clinical research program,
• Monitoring and evaluating implementation of research projects;
• Writing manuscripts, reports and translating research findings into lay language;
• Disseminating and translating research findings for evidence based policy
formulations and implementation;
• Identifying technology with potential for intellectual property protection;
• Develop standard operating procedures (SOPs) for all data collection and processing as well as
for the management and deployment of study drugs;
• Plan and coordinate meetings for both internal project staff and external collaborators/visitors;
• Host/participate in scheduled conference calls with the international study partners.
b) Person Specifications
For appointment to this grade, a candidate must have: -
• At least four (4) years relevant work experience;
• Bachelor’s degree in any of the following fields; - Medicine and surgery, Dentistry, Pharmacy
or equivalent qualifications from a recognized Institution;
• Master’s Degree in any of the following disciplines: - Clinical Medicine/ Surgery/ Dentistry,
Pharmacy, Biomedical Sciences, Analytical Chemistry, Applied Sciences, Public Health, any
relevant Social Science, or equivalent qualifications from a recognized institution;
• Developed at least twelve (12) proposals, six (6) of which have been funded;
• Published at least six (6) articles in refereed journals with at least three (3) article as
the first or lead author;
• Management Course lasting not less than four (4) weeks from a recognized
institution;
• At least 7-10 years of public health experience in the management of diseases relevant to child
health is required, including 3 years’ experience of working with ministries of health in
developing countries.
• At least 3 years’ experience conducting public health research as a principal or a co-investigator.
• Strong report and manuscript writing skills, with evidence;
• Proficiency in computer application.
c) Key Skills and Competencies
• Strategic thinking;
• Proposal writing skills;
• Analytical skills;
• Creativity and Innovativeness;
• Critical thinking skills
• Research fundraising skills
• Communication and reporting skills
• Interpersonal and negotiation skills
• Team player
Terms of employment: This is a three (3) years contract, renewable subject to availability of funds,
with a probation period for the first 3 months. Salary is negotiable within the KEMRI scheme of service
depending on education, experience and demonstrated competency.