Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation (EGPAF)

VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT

Job Title: Study Coordinator

Location: Yaoundé, Cameroon

Reports to: Associate Director of Public Health Evaluation

Contract Duration: 2 years starting in May 2018

Terms of Offer: This position is remunerated on local terms.

"Sometimes in life there is that moment when it's possible to make a change for the better. This is one of those moments."

-Elizabeth Glaser

The Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation is a global leader in the fight against pediatric HIV and AIDS, working in 15 countries and at over 5,500 sites around the world to prevent the transmission of HIV to children, and to help those already infected. Today, because of the highly successful work of the Foundation and its partners, pediatric AIDS has been virtually eliminated in the United States. With a growing global staff of over 1,000—nine of 10 who work in the field—the Foundation’s global mission is to eliminate pediatric HIV and AIDS by implementing HIV prevention, care, and treatment programs; further advance innovative research; and to execute strategic and targeted global advocacy activities to bring dramatic change to the lives of millions of women, children, and families worldwide.

Project description

The goal of the UNITAID CAP-TB project is to reach more children who are suffering from tuberculosis (TB) by using innovative models of TB care for children and improving the market for child-friendly TB medicines. One innovative research project is the community contact tracing of children who have been in close contact with adults that have been diagnosed with TB. This study is designed as a cluster randomized controlled trial comparing two models of contact tracing. One model is facility-based where TB cases are asked to bring their children under 5 years or HIV+ to the facility for screening. The other model is community-based, where community healthcare workers go into the households of TB cases and screen the children on the spot. Symptomatic children are referred to the facility for diagnosis and children under 5 with a negative screening are offered preventive therapy.

Job Summary

The study coordinator will be responsible of the preparation, implementation and coordination of the CAP-TB community contact tracing study in Cameroon. He/she will oversee a team of study nurses, a data manager and a study monitor. He/she will report to the country principal investigator and trial manager on study-related aspects and will be under the supervision of the Associate Director of Public Health Evaluation.

Responsibilities:

During the study preparation:

• Coordinate the assessment and preparation of the study sites in Cameroon.
• Manage the recruitment of the study staff (data manager, clinical research assistant, study nurses, field workers, monitor).
• Review and ensure the local validation of the study Case Report Forms (CRF), consent forms, Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).
• Coordinate the protocol submission to the local ethical and administrative committees.
• Ensure with the data manager that all study sites have data collection tools in place.
• Organize the local training of the study nurses and the community healthcare workers (CHWs) according to the GCP.
• Coordinate with the principal investigator and the trial manager the site opening visit.

During the study recruitment:

• Ensure that the recruitment takes place as planned in all study sites and provide support when needed.
• Monitor the progress of the study according to the protocol, SOPs and the GCP.
• Coordinate the submission of any protocol amendments to the ethical and administrative committees.
• Ensure that the sensitive information (signed consent forms) is well kept according to the GCP
• Ensure the completeness of the site investigator file
• Participate in the study meetings with the country PI, with the trial manager and the research/institutional meetings of EGPAF on regular basis
• Immediately report any serious adverse events to the country principal investigator, coordinating investigator, trial manager in the central research team and sponsor.
• Supervise and mentor the study staff on all study-related issues.
• Ensure that any study deviation is recorded and that major deviations are communicated on time to the regulatory authorities, trial manager and sponsor. If required, write a study progress report to the Ministry of Health (MOH) or other local health authorities.

Required Qualifications

• Medical Doctor or nurse with an MPH or a bachelor’s degree in epidemiology, public health, or relevant field.
• Knowledge and comprehension of human subjects’ research and of GCP.
• Minimum of 2 years’ experience in operational research as research assistant, Study Coordinator, Study Manager or Monitor.
• Experience in community-based research is a plus.
• Experience with cluster randomized controlled studies is a plus.
• Experience in managing teams of study staff.
• Excellent teamwork and coordination skills.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Perfect professional proficiency in English and French.
• Availability to travel on the field on a regular basis

How to apply

Qualified candidates should submit a CV and cover letter through the following link STUDY COORDINATOR.

Applications will be considered until March 23, 2018.

Please note that only short-listed applicants meeting the above requirements will be contacted.