Position: Project Research Officer
Location: Based in Hanoi, with frequent internal travel
Position type: Full time
1. Background and Purpose:
The International Centre for Eyecare Education (ICEE) is a not-for-profit, non-government organisation. ICEE’s mission is to eliminate avoidable blindness and visual impairment due to uncorrected refractive error, by developing sustainable solutions for communities in need.
ICEE’s activities in Vietnam are focused on human resource development and development of infrastructure for provision of refractive error services. It has long term goals for the development of optometry training, and establishment of Vision Centres in Vietnam (for more details, please visit www.icee.org [1]).
The Project Research Officer position has been created to assist in the development and implementation of ICEE research projects in Vietnam. ICEE will be engaged in the following studies:
a) A Refractive Error in School Children (RESC) study to be conducted in selected districts across the provinces of Thanh Hoa, Quang Nam and Ba Ria – Vung Tau to establish the prevalence of refractive errors in school children in Vietnam
b) Knowledge, Attitude and Practice (KAP) surveys to be conducted in selected districts in Ba Ria – Vung Tau Province at program baseline and completion, of men and women of different aged groups and socio-economic status.
c) KAP surveys to be conducted pre-and post intervention in 5 schools in Ba Ria – Vung Tau teachers to establish the key barriers to eye health in schools.
2. Key Roles and Responsibilities:
The primary role of the Project Research Officer is:
- To coordinate the research projects and organise implementation logistics with partners
- To provide direct support to ICEE’s research work, specifically partner liaison and assisting with research implementation With the ICEE research manager and/or Vietnam Program Coordinator interview a range of personnel for staffing of research projects,
- To co-ordinate distribution, collection and validation of consent forms, questionnaires and data
- To perform data entry, assist with analysis and preparation of research reports
- To perform as supporting staff to ICEE team wherever fitted and per actual work requirements
- To fulfill other duties that might arise and as required by his/her supervisor.
3. Major duties:
- Assist in implementing key research activities under the given protocols
Interview a range of people for various research purposes and projects The interviews will be conducted with patients and others in hospitals and Vision Centres, plus people in schools, towns and villages. In conducting these interviews, the Research/Project Research Officer will:
- Use their cultural, gender and disability awareness
- Use their excellent talking and listening skills in Vietnamese and English
- Use their willingness and ability to learn, and share lessons learned with colleagues
- Provide detailed interview reports typed in English using MS Word.
Maintain regular contact with ICEE researchers and project team in Vietnam. ICEE researchers will also travel within Vietnam for regular collaborative work.
Provide weekly emails to update activities to the Research Project Manager and Vietnam Programme Coordinator and other members of the project team, or as required by either ICEE or circumstances.
Supervise field staff teams, drivers, and other data capturers during the research field trips
The Research/Project Research Officer will be expected to maintain a good working relationship with all staff, and work to relevant Vietnam and ICEE standard operating procedures.
4. Skills required:
- Strong interpersonal and oral/written communication skills, both in English and Vietnamese
- Awareness of cultural, gender and disability issues
- Highly organised, flexible, has initiative and can manage working under pressure
- Ability to work both independently and as member of a team
- Willingness and ability to learn
- Willingness to travel 30%-50% of the time.
- Good computer skills and ability to adapt to various software applications – minimum requirement Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint software package.
5. Selection criteria:
- Degree in Social Science, Public Health or similar
- At least 3 years of research experience, including time in the filed
- Vietnamese citizen
The successful candidate will work with the ICEE research manager and Vietnam Program Coordinator and other members of the project team in ensuring effective relationships with all partners and implementation of the research
Interested researchers are requested to submit their CVs and application letter in English on or before 23 September 2011. Application should be sent to [email protected] [2] and [email protected] [3].