Senior Research Assistant (District - Community Mobilizer)

Aga Khan University; Pakistan; On-site; PKR 600,000 - 900,000; Full time

Job summary

Aga Khan University in Sindh, Pakistan, is seeking a Senior Research Assistant – Community Mobilizer (TB Component) to support TB contact screening at hospitals and BMUs, while coordinating with field teams and maintaining records. The role involves direct community engagement, counseling, and field visits to multiple districts in Sindh.

Applicants should have at least an Intermediate qualification and 1 year of relevant experience in health programmes, with strong communication and data entry

Qualifications

• Intermediate qualification or higher required.
• At least 1 year of relevant experience in community mobilization/public health/health programmes.
• Good communication and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to counsel patients and families and engage effectively with communities.
• Basic computer and mobile application skills for record keeping and data entry.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and work with health facility staff.
• Willingness to undertake field visits and work in hospital and community settings.

Responsibilities

• Work at designated hospitals and BMUs to support contact screening activities.
• Coordinate with BMU staff to identify newly registered TB patients and list their eligible household and close contacts.
• Counsel TB patients and their families on contact screening, TB symptoms, prevention, and timely evaluation.
• Mobilize household contacts to attend designated health facilities for screening and diagnostic assessment.
• Conduct home visits when necessary to reach contacts who are unable or unwilling to attend the hospital.
• Facilitate referrals for symptomatic or presumptive TB contacts and support linkage of diagnosed patients to treatment.
• Support eligible TB-free contacts in accessing TPT and follow-up services.
• Coordinate with DOTS Facilitators and BMU staff to maintain complete and accurate contact management records.
• Enter and update information in prescribed BMU records, reporting tools, and project applications.
• Follow up with clients and contacts to support completion of diagnostic and referral processes.
• Maintain confidentiality and ensure respectful, non-stigmatizing communication with patients and their families.
• Prepare activity reports and perform other project-related duties assigned by the supervisor.

Skills

Communication skills

Interpersonal skills

Counseling patients

Data entry / record keeping

Education

Intermediate

Job description

Senior Research Assistant – Community Mobilizer (TB Component)

Location

Assigned district, Sindh, Pakistan, with field visits to hospitals, BMUs, and communities as requiredDistricts: District Karachi Central, Badin, Dadu, Ghotki, Naushero Feroze, Khairpur, Sanghar, Sukkur and Shikarpur, Sindh, Pakistan.

Introduction

Aga Khan University chartered in 1983 as Pakistan's first private international university, is committed to the provision of education, research, and health care of international standards relevant to Pakistan and the region. The affiliated Aga Khan University Hospital provides state-of-the-art clinical facilities and well-equipped diagnostic services. The University currently has teaching sites in Pakistan, East Africa, the United Kingdom, and Afghanistan, and is a major component of Aga Khan Development Network.

As an equal opportunity employer, AKU believes in promoting a diverse and inclusive culture and is committed to adopt appropriate standards for safeguarding and promoting a respectful relationship with and between diverse workforce of its faculty, staff, trainees, volunteers, beneficiaries, wider communities, and other stakeholders with whom it works, including children and vulnerable adults and expects all employees/trainees and partners to share this commitment.

The Department of Community Health Sciences (CHS) is the leading unit of its type in Pakistan, recognized regionally and internationally for the relevance, quality, and extent of its work in support of public health and the development of primary health care systems. It comprises of five major operational sections: Epidemiology & biostatistics, Health policy & management, Population & reproductive health, Environmental health & climate change, and non-communicable diseases & mental health.

This is a grant funded contractual position.

Responsibilities

You will be responsible to:

• work at designated hospitals and BMUs to support contact screening activities in line with approved micro-plans
• coordinate with BMU staff to identify newly registered TB patients and list their eligible household and close contacts
• counsel TB patients and their families on contact screening, TB symptoms, prevention, and timely evaluation
• mobilize household contacts to attend designated health facilities for screening and diagnostic assessment
• conduct home visits when necessary to reach contacts who are unable or unwilling to attend the hospital
• facilitate referrals for symptomatic or presumptive TB contacts and support linkage of diagnosed patients to treatment
• support eligible TB-free contacts in accessing TPT and follow-up services
• coordinate with DOTS Facilitators and BMU staff to maintain complete and accurate contact management records
• enter and update information in prescribed BMU records, reporting tools, and project applications
• follow up with clients and contacts to support completion of diagnostic and referral processes
• maintain confidentiality and ensure respectful, non-stigmatizing communication with patients and their families
• prepare activity reports and perform other project-related duties assigned by the supervisor.

Requirements

You should have:

• at least Intermediate qualification
• at least 1 year of relevant professional experience in community mobilization, public health, social work, health programmes, or community-based activities
• good communication and interpersonal skills
• ability to counsel patients and families and engage effectively with communities
• basic computer and mobile application skills for record keeping and data entry
• ability to maintain confidentiality and work effectively with health facility staff
• willingness to undertake field visits and work in hospital and community settings.

Comprehensive employment reference checks will be conducted.