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The International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) seeks to recruit a Research Assistant to support surveillance programme for zoonoses across the animal health sectors and targeted zoonotic pathogens. S/he will work within the ZooLinK suite of projects based in Busia, Western Kenya.

ILRI works to improve food and nutritional security and reduce poverty in developing countries through research for efficient, safe and sustainable use of livestock. It is the only one of 15 CGIAR research centres dedicated entirely to animal agriculture research for the developing world. Co-hosted by Kenya and Ethiopia, it has regional or country offices and projects in East, South and Southeast Asia as well as Central, East, Southern and West Africa. www.ilri.org

Key Responsibilities

• Responsible for questionnaire administration aimed at zoonotic disease surveillance.
• Conduct interviews and focus group discussions with the different stakeholders in western Kenya
• Collect biological samples in the slaughter houses and livestock markets, under the guidance of senior project staff
• Collect and organize statistical data, geospatial data, and other information (e.g. livestock demographics) as directed;
• Manage biological sampling from peri-domestic species in the study area, including managing regulatory requirements for such work, under the guidance of senior project staff
• Responsible for electronic data entry and data entry tool development, including interactions with a commercial partner firm which developed the data capture technology
• Maintain relationships with different multi-disciplinary teams within the ZooLinK project in order to link the analysis with the other on-going studies.
• Assist in organizing stakeholder meetings and seminars, and (when applicable) participate in scientific workshops and conferences
• Take primary responsibility in managing the project’s public facing communications, including management of social media related to zoonoses and one health research activity

Requirements

• BSc. Animal Health, Veterinary or related fields and an understanding of livestock zoonotic disease surveillance and One Health
• At least 3 years of relevant experience
• Demonstrable education and experience of working in Veterinary or/and ‘One Health’ related research activities
• Experience in data entry in electronic databases and working with a geospatial software (e.g. ArcGIS); conducting interviews and focus groups; managing communications tools for scientific communication; handling electronic data (entry and management); the livestock productions chains in Kenya
• Ability to communicate with the different study participants
• Ability to work in a multi-disciplinary environment
• Veterinary or/and One Health educational background

Terms of Appointment

These are Nationally Recruited Staff (NRS) position; based at Busia, Kenya and open to Kenyan nationals only. The position is on a 2-year contract, renewable subject to satisfactory performance and availability of funding.

Job Level

This position is job level 2B, ILRI offers a competitive salary and benefits package which includes; pension, medical and other insurances for ILRI’s Nationally Recruited Staff.

How to apply: Applicants should send a cover letter and CV expressing their interest in the position, what they can bring to the job and the names and addresses (including telephone and email) of three referees who are knowledgeable about the candidate’s professional qualifications and work experience to the Director, People and Organizational Development by clicking on the “Apply Now” tab above before 23 May 2018. The position title and reference number REF: RA/05/18 should be clearly marked on the subject line of the cover letter.

ILRI does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process (application, interview meeting, processing or training). ILRI also does not concern itself with information on applicants’ bank accounts.

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