Research Assistant

icddr,b is a Bangladesh-based international health research institute that strives to solve key public health problems through high-quality scientific research and innovation. As a values-based organization, icddrb encourages women and people with disabilities.

The Programme for HIV and AIDS under the Health Systems and Population Studies Division at icddr,b provides good quality HIV prevention services to vulnerable populations at risk of HIV infection. This has been made possible by working in collaboration with the Government of Bangladesh (GoB), donors, NGOs, and CBOs. The Programme for HIV and AIDS also conducts research related to sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) on key populations (KPs) at risk of HIV such as males having sex with males (MSM), transgender women (hijra) and female sex workers (FSW).

The Research Assistant will report to the Research Investigator and will be responsible for identifying study participants, performing screening, enrollment and collecting data to support research studies within the guidelines of the research protocol and organizational values. S/he will be involved in:

• Understand the purpose of the study, potential risks and benefits, and obtain informed consent from participants;
• Assist in identifying and recruiting eligible female sex workers for participation in the study;
• Conduct interviews or surveys with participants to gather information about their mental health status, experiences, and needs;
• Administer standardized assessment tools to measure mental health outcomes;
• Build rapport and trust with the community of female sex workers through respectful and culturally sensitive interactions;
• Contribute in qualitative data transcription under the guidance of senior researchers;
• Prepare weekly reports, field notes and other documentation to track project activities and outcomes;
• Ensure ethical standards throughout the research process.

 Required qualifications and experience:

• Master’s degree in Psychology / Social Science with good academic records;
• 1 year of experience in research projects; Preference will be given to candidates who have experience in working with sexual and gender-diverse population groups or mental health-related projects;
• Proficiency in Bangla typing is a must.
• Being able to understand and speak in local dialect will be an added advantage.

Source:  https://career.icddrb.org/vacancy-preview/11814