Research Specialist

Demography, Epidemiology, Public Health
Sierra Leone, Kono
February 3, 2026
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Application ends: February 17, 2026

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Job Description

JOB DESCRIPTION

Job Title:   Research Specialist
Work Location:Kono
Department:Strategic Health Information Systems
Report to: Senior Research Specialist
Requisition No;4684
Line Management Yes
Position Overview
Under the direct supervision of the Senior Research Specialist, the Research Specialist will contribute to all stages of the research lifecycle at Partners in Health, Sierra Leone. The goal of this role is to generate evidence that informs clinical practice, guides health policy development, and supports impact measurement. The Specialist will provide both technical and administrative support across a range of research activities, including protocol development, preparation of Institutional Review Board (IRB) submissions, conducting literature reviews, supporting study design, developing data collection tools, managing data, performing data analysis, and assisting in the development of abstracts, posters, presentations, and publications.

Working alongside the Senior Research Specialist, the Research Specialist will also help strengthen research capacity among PIH staff, Ministry of Health counterparts, and affiliated research students. In addition, the Specialist will support the regular review and implementation of research governance protocols.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities: 
  • Support research-related activities within the overall research lifecycle from the conceptualization of research idea until dissemination. 
  • Provide technical support in both quantitative and qualitative research tool design, programming, and data collection
  • Support the development of the data collection instruments and data management.
  • Coordinate the overall data collection processes for both quantitative and qualitative data.
  • Support analysis of data using statistical software such as STATA, R, Power BI.
  • Use research results to write reports, manuscripts and reviews and present findings in appropriate forums including conferences.
  • Participate in local and international dissemination activities.
  • Coordinating the Annual Research and Quality Improvement (QI) Symposium.
  • Support the creation of presentations/posters in readiness for research dissemination 
  • Conduct impact evaluation of PIH project/programs as assigned by PIH-SL leadership 
  • Build research capacity for staff including supporting background literature searches, basic data analysis, editing and writing manuscripts, drafting conference abstracts.
  • Facilitate the Institutional Review Board (IRB) reviews for research studies at both PIH-SL Research and MOH Research Committees.
  • Give input to the review of research proposals
  • Support with the conceptualization and implementation of the Quality Improvement (QI) processes as required.
  • Supervise the Research Assistant and Enumerators during research projects implementation.
  • Other duties as may be assigned from time to time.
Education and Work Experience Requirements: 
Master’s degree in Bio-Statistics, Epidemiology, Public Health, Research Methods, Demography, Data Science or any other related field. 

  • Quantitative data analysis skills using statistical software including STATA, SPSS, R, SAS, etc.
  • Qualitative data collection and analysis skills using software like ATLAS.ti, Dedoose, Opencode, NVIVO etc.
  • Experienced in the overall research lifecycle from conceptualization to dissemination.
  • Experience working and conducting research in the public health setting.
  • Proven experience in manuscript writing and publication.
  • Proven experience in building research capacity of teams.
  • Experience in conducting large scale research projects.
  • Understanding of health systems within African setting.
  • Research ethics certification.
Organisation Profile 
Partners In Health (PIH) is a global health and social justice organization that responds to the moral imperative to provide high-quality health care globally to those who need it most. We currently work in 11 countries, including Sierra Leone, where we strive to ease suffering by placing patients at the center of all care, bringing the benefits of modern medicine to all. In Sierra Leone, PIH is committed to strengthening long-term health system in support of the Ministry of Health and Sanitation (MOHS), guided by public sector accompaniment, integrated and comprehensive services, and a commitment to advancing health equity. Partners In Health has built the Maternal Center of Excellence (MCOE) as an expansion of the Koidu Government Hospital in Kono district to raise the standard of care for mothers and newborns in Sierra Leone. A cutting-edge facility, the MCOE expands the campus of Koidu Government Hospital, dramatically increasing the number of beds, services, and facilities available to mothers and babies. By introducing new technology, investing in training for health care workers, and offering a preferential option for the poor, this cutting-edge facility will also prove what is possible as a model for care across the continent and beyond.
Misconduct Disclosure
Partners In Health Sierra Leone is dedicated to preventing unwanted behavior in the workplace, including sexual harassment, exploitation, abuse, financial misconduct, and ensuring the welfare of those we serve. We expect all staff, consultants, contractors, vendors, and volunteers to uphold these values as outlined in our code of conduct.

The successful candidate will receive appropriate training and must adhere to the organisation’s safeguarding policies. Employment offers are contingent upon satisfactory references and screening checks, which may include criminal records and terrorism finance checks.

As a participant in the Inter Agency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme, we request information from previous employers about any instances of sexual exploitation, abuse, or harassment. Additionally, Partners In Health Sierra Leone will share records of such misconduct with other agencies upon staff departure, ensuring transparency and accountability. By applying, candidates acknowledge and agree to these recruitment procedures

Method of application
Interested candidates are required to apply through our website: www.pih.org/employment. In your application, please ensure to include names, addresses, email addresses and telephone numbers of three (3) referees not later than 12:00pm GMT (Midnight) on Tuesday, February 17th, 2026.