Job Description

Organization: IRC (International Rescue Committee)

Location: Low-resource contexts

Job Summary: The IRC is seeking an experienced researcher to support the implementation of field-based research studies in the field of Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescent Health. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in Maternal and Newborn Health (MNH) in conflict-affected areas. The Researcher will work on MNH programs and contribute to new and ongoing research projects, as well as develop and submit proposals on the IRC’s priority research questions.

Education and Experience:

• PhD with 4-6 years of experience or Master’s degree with at least 6-8 years of experience in conducting and leading research.
• At least 5 years of experience in public health, with 2 years of relevant research experience in developing countries.
• 2 years of field research experience in low-resource settings, with a proven ability to lead research projects.
• Demonstrated technical expertise in conducting complex field-based health research in low-resource contexts.
• Preference for experience in maternal and newborn health and in conflict-affected contexts of Sub-Saharan Africa.

Skills:

• Ability to work with remote, multi-cultural, and multi-disciplinary teams.
• Excellent communication skills, especially in writing and presentation.
• Ability to transfer technical knowledge and skills to others.
• Willingness to travel to fragile/conflict-affected contexts.
• English is required and French proficiency is preferred.

Responsibilities:

• Support two large implementation research studies in Somalia and South Sudan, using a prospective cohort study design to evaluate the effectiveness of a community-based maternal and newborn care program.
• Design survey tools and protocols and support the analysis of research findings.
• Contribute to new and ongoing research projects in maternal and newborn health, safe abortion care, and contraceptive access.
• Provide business development support for proposals.
• Disseminate research findings through articles and reports.
• Support the use of evidence across the organization in the MNH technical area.