Anthropologist (Wits Vida)

**Main purpose of the job**:

- To design, implement, and facilitate research projects, analyze qualitative and quantitative research data, and publish scientific articles informed by research outputs

**Location**:

- **Wits VIDA, Nurses Residence, Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital, Soweto - Johannesburg**

**Key performance areas**:

- Social Science Research_
- Design, implement, and oversee research projects (qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods)
- Lead study design, protocols, research tools, feasibility, and analysis
- Drive effective and efficient administration, project planning, and management including timelines, budgets, resource allocation and cost-effectiveness, deliverables, dependencies, and compliance
- Oversee and maintain all ethics and regulatory compliance
- Outlining of study sampling criteria and identifying study participants as per protocols
- Organizing and conducting interviews, focus groups, and other approaches with relevant study population as per sampling criteria
- Effectively and efficiently completing and overseeing quality interview transcriptions
- Perform and oversee data/thematic analysis in line with project requirements
- Provide regular data analysis and collection progress reports
- Develop, design, implement, and monitor research progress with study teams through project management tools, milestones, and process flows, ensuring productivity and timely outputs
- Prepare and present reports (internal and external)
- Oversee data management and collection requirements from design and brief to quality and implementation of quality assurance processes and reporting
- Collaborate with partners and various internal and external stakeholders as necessary
- Analyse data (qualitative and quantitative) following project, research leadership, and publication requirements, including developing and documenting analysis plans and methodologies
- Produce and increase academic outputs inclusive of policy briefs, peer-reviewed publications, and conference presentations
- Oversee and lead a minimum of three publications per year
- Oversee and develop the scientific writing capability of staff including own team and others involved in social science research outputs in the unit, including, for example, but not limited to, training on literature reviews
- Produce and increase outputs such as policy briefs and conference presentations
- Lead monitoring and evaluation plan for research portfolio and applicable projects in conjunction with relevant teams
- Contribute to strengthening and effective management and analysis of social science and impact components of existing and flagship research studies
- Research and academic development_
- Drive own academic development and promotion following all university and unit expectations, including but not limited to research, teaching, and academic citizenship
- Demonstrate peer-learning and knowledge sharing; proactively build research portfolio
- Pursue own research interests consistent with the overall research agenda of VIDA and in conjunction with the research leadership team
- Write, design, and submit or contribute to new proposals
- Demonstrate active research interest and familiarity with relevant published research
- Research Administration_
- Take initiative to ensure all study start-up and close-out requirements are met
- Oversee adequate and accurate digital and hard-copy filing and applicable archiving of all study-related files
- Support and drive donor and business compliance including but limited to procurement, timesheets, and sponsor reports
- Ensure necessary meetings, presentations, and site/field visits take place
- Liaise with government departments and attend stakeholder meetings as required
- Maintain operational, finance, logistics, and stock records for applicable projects
- Effectively drive study-related communications, data collation, and results dissemination with applicable required departments/collaboration; generate all required operational and research-related reports
- Drive publications-related administration and unit/university-required marketing input
- Ethics, regulatory, and quality assurance_
- Oversee and maintain all relevant ethics and regulatory compliance
- Ensure project and/or departmental alignment with all policies and procedures
- Develop and implement relevant Standard Operating Procedures and training programs
- Ensure Good Clinical Practice and research ethics principles are upheld
- Impact and Community Engagement_
- Oversee community engagement strategies required for specific studies and support community engagement and impact assessment where required
- Support community advisory boards and engagement as required and drive own project community engagement plans
- Support impact planning and analysis as required
- Customer and stakeholder relations_
- Build and maintain authentic, professional relationships and communicate effectively and efficiently with all internal stakeh