Job Description

Main purpose of the job:

• To conduct clinical research activities, quality assurance and data analysis for observational research studies

Location:

• Wits Vaccines & Infectious Diseases Analytics Research Unit (WITS VIDA), Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital, Soweto (office base)
• Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital, Parktown

Key performance areas:Clinical research

• Perform Minimally Invasive Tissue Sampling (MITS) at different study sites in support of relevant research studies involving adult and paediatric participants
• Collect and deliver samples as per Standard Operating Procedures and study protocol/s
• Conduct verbal autopsy interviews as required
• Monitor and report critical events and protocol deviations & support internal monitoring and quality

Study participant recruitment & retention

• Screening and consenting of participants (next of kin as defined), as and when needed (particularly escalated cases) and adhere to all ethics and consent processes as per GCP
• Provide feedback, results and study findings to study participant family members and other stakeholders as required
• Establish a relationship of trust and respect with participants and relevant stakeholders
• Contribute to community engagement strategy and activities including supporting counselling as required

Research data, quality assurance and administration

• Completing of all relevant Case Report Forms for applicable studies
• Accurately abstract information from the clinical notes and ante-mortem lab results to the database/s
• Liaison with the data management to ensure high quality data
• Ensure that all MITS results have been received and captured to the database/s
• Accurately record panel causality of death sequence for each participant during the relevant meetings (eg. DeCoDe) and capturing onto the database/s
• Completion and coding (basic and advanced) of the discharge summaries
• Generate and verify all applicable logs and study progress trackers (including but not limited to missing deaths summaries lists)
• Drive quality assurance framework and ensure research quality processes are internally monitored
• Conduct regular data cleaning (such as duplicate lists)
• Oversee procurement of clinical consumables and stock
• Support study administration and project management as required, including financial and stock reconciliations, compliance, reporting and planning
• Support and maintain reports as required, including: participant recruitment and retention rates; tracking follow-up reports; progress reports on compliance; data management oversight reports; study deliverables reports and any reports required by investigators in support of study deliverables
• Maintain the site files (where applicable), review regularly, complete and submit relevant documents and maintenance in collaboration with the regulatory department
• Communicate with management and donor representatives around compliance issues as required
• Perform data analysis, prepare tables and write up methodologies used and results
• Contribute to and prepare publications
• Stay abreast of literature relevant to research activities within the organisation

Customer Service and Stakeholder Relations

• Build and maintain authentic, professional relationships and communicate effectively and efficiently with all internal and external stakeholders (suppliers, collaborators, researchers, donors, etc.)
• Train staff effectively; foster a practice of knowledge exchange and peer learning
• Manage internal and external stakeholder expectations and communicate appropriately with initiative and solutions
• Maintain high standard of successful internal and external stakeholder relations (eg. Negotiations & building productive relationships)
• Escalate issues appropriately, ensuring adequate discretion and risk management, and demonstrate integrated problem-solving
• Effectively manage work processes, team and relationships in order to maintain high levels of productivity

Staff Management

• Manage staff effectively including duties, performance, conduct, efficient working, processes and corrective action as required
• Lead cross-functional teams to promote productivity within projects
• Work with management to empower and develop teams or individuals as skills needs or deficiencies are identified
• Create an environment that promotes talent recognition, development as well as agency and individual leadership
• Mentor, coach and facilitate personal and professional staff development wherever possible
• Ensure teams comply with policies, unit standards and administrative and internal communications requirements

Effective self-management and performance ownership

• Take ownership and accountability for responsibility areas, demonstrate effective self-management, demonstrate team and individual leadership and collaboration to support everyone's combined and individual objectives
• Manage internal and external stakeholder expectations and communicate appropriately with initiative and solutions
• Support and drives the business' core values and maintain a positive attitude
• Take ownership for own career development

Required minimum education and training:

• Bachelor of Clinical Medical Practice or equivalent
• HPCSA Registered

Required minimum work experience:

• 1-2 years research experience and demonstrable clinical work experience

Desirable additional education, work experience and personal abilities:

• Clinical trials experience
• Good Clinical Practice
• Excellent clinical skills
• Computer literacy in MS Word and Excel
• Good interpersonal skills and ability to work in a team
• Attention to details
• Motivated
• Organised
• Friendly
• Professional
• Ability to perform minimal invasive autopsies on children
• Willing to work on weekends if required

TO APPLY:

• Only if you do meet the minimum job requirements and experience as mentioned above, you may submit a detailed updated CV.
• Please Apply Online and complete your registration on Ditto Hire (our application tracking system) to enable and protect you as a candidate to accept the new POPIA terms and conditions. This will then create your permanent profile with which you can apply for all jobs as advertised by AJ PERSONNEL. However, you may remove your profile from AJ PERSONNEL when you are no longer in the job market.
• Please take note that the applicants who do not adhere to the above criteria will not be considered for the respective position.
• The closing date for all applications: 07 August 2024.
• Note WHC, in accordance with their Employment Equity goals and plan, will give preference to suitable applicants from designated groups as defined in the Employment Equity Act 55 of 1998 and subsequent amendments thereto.

Please note:

• AJ PERSONNEL is only responsible for the advertising of the advertisement on behalf of their client Wits Health Consortium.
• Wits Health Consortium will only respond to shortlisted candidates.
• Candidates who have not been contacted within two weeks of the closing date can consider their applications to be unsuccessful.
• AJ Personnel does not have any salary or other information regarding the position.

AJ Personnel