Specialist, Immunization Research

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) is one of the largest humanitarian agencies in the world, providing relief, rehabilitation and post-conflict reconstruction support to victims of oppression and violent conflict. IRC has worked for over seven decades and today is involved in over 25 areas affected by conflict. We address both the immediate, life saving needs of conflict-affected people in an emergency and the reconstruction needs in post-conflict societies. Health programs represent the largest single sector within which IRC currently operates, constituting approximately 45% of the international budget and with activities in over 20 countries.

Evidence-based interventions to reduce child morbidity and mortality represent a main area of focus for the IRC health team; this includes immunization programming. Over the last two decades, improvements in vaccine technology, cold chain equipment and global financing have resulted in substantial improvements in immunization coverage. But the job is unfinished: vaccine coverage in developing countries remains stuck at less than 80%. This means that one in five children in the developing world – over 22 million children each year – faces an increased chance of death or a crippling disability simply because they did not receive basic childhood immunizations.

It has become clear that the tools used by governments, organizations and others to reach children are insufficient to achieve complete immunization coverage. The IRC is currently working with the ministries of health in Ethiopia and Uganda to close this gap ensuring that every child receives the life-saving vaccines to which they have the basic right. We are in the process of developing, testing and scaling-up a set of tools that will empower health workers, especially those working in the most remote and difficult areas, to identify and promptly serve unvaccinated children. Embedded within this project is an operational research study that aims to continually assess and refine the implementation model and project interventions over the course of the project period. The objectives of the study are:

1) To establish whether the IRC-supported implementation model coincided with increased routine immunization coverage in the target area;

2) To identify the model and key interventions that may have led to increased routine immunization coverage after the structured implementation iteration and learning process;

3) To adequately document the learning progression and project outcomes during the study period.

Scope:

This position will provide leadership, technical oversight and support for all IRC research initiatives focused on improving immunization outcomes, such as the ‘Fifth Child’ project in Uganda. This includes support for the design of the research framework, development of the assessment tools and implementation of data collection, analysis and, most importantly, iteration of intervention models throughout the course of the project.

This position will work directly with the Immunization Focal Point as well as Research and Development colleagues at IRC headquarters. For the ‘Fifth Child’ project, this position will work in close collaboration with the Uganda Health Team, particularly the Research Implementation Manager for the immunization project.

The preferred location for this position, New York, is negotiable given the amount of travel required.

Major Responsibilities:

Lead the design, implementation, analysis, reporting and presenting of research in collaboration with Uganda Country Program, Health Technical Advisors, the IRC’s Research & Development team as well as potential partners. Specifics tasks include:

• Quantitative/Qualitative baseline and endline research on immunization service delivery processes and outcomes in project areas.
  • Refinement of study protocol
  • Lead the procurement of the ethical approvals needed
  • Lead the design of survey tools
  • Lead the implementation of sampling and recruitment methodology
  • Lead selection process in the case that an external data collection agency is required
  • Supervise and support data collection activities
  • Lead data analysis
• Management of relationship with potential research partners or consultants.
• Routinely inform Technical Advisors of progress and any issues.
• Understanding of current literature and research related to increasing routine immunization coverage.
• Provide a written summary of critical study findings at baseline.
• Lead the Uganda Team and the MoH in the interpretation of baseline results and the transformation of study findings into clear actions to improve the implementation model.
• Analyze routine data collection and facilitate program team to determine actions needed.
• Document learning and actions throughout process.
• Support endline research and finalize endline report.
• Lead the preparation of at least one manuscript for publication.
• Present findings and recommendations for scale up to external audiences.
• Support Immunization Focal Point with proposal development as needed and the expansion of IRC’s immunization portfolio.

Job Qualifications:

Education: MPH or masters degree in relevant field.  Strong quantitative and qualitative research training and expertise.

Work Experience: A minimum of 2 years of research experience in the health sector is required, preferably within an international development setting. Minimum of 2 years experience with the implementation of primary health care projects, experience with immunization programs preferred.

Demonstrated Skills and Competencies:

• Demonstrated expertise in quantitative and qualitative research methodology in health, preferably related to immunization programming.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to motivate staff who are not direct reports.
• Ability to perform under remote supervision
• Demonstrated experience in managing data collection exercises (both quantitative and qualitative) in logistically challenging contexts.
• Knowledge of the Expanded Program for Immunization history, framework and current recommendations.
• Professional experience in Uganda preferred.

Language skills: English