Senior Research Assistant

AHRI; Durban; On-site; ZAR 260,000 - 380,000; Full time

Job summary

Africa Health Research Institute (AHRI) in Durban is seeking a Research Assistant to support a scoping review project. The role involves developing coding frames, data collection, and drafting narrative sections of the study findings under supervision.

You will refine search strategies across databases, manage references, screen literature, extract data, and contribute to the PRISMA-ScR diagram and summary tables. A honours degree in Social Science is required; a master’s is advantageous.

Qualifications

• Honours degree in Social Science; Masters preferred.
• Fluent written and spoken English.
• Valid driver’s licence with at least 2 years driving experience.

Responsibilities

• Assist with refining and executing systematic search strategies across databases.
• Manage search results using EndNote, Zotero, Covidence and deduplicate.
• Screen titles and abstracts against eligibility criteria; ensure inter-rater consistency.
• Conduct full-text screening and document reasons for exclusion.
• Extract and chart data using a standardised form; support analysis.
• Draft sections of the scoping review manuscript and PRISMA-ScR diagram.

Skills

Systematic literature search

Reference management

Screening & eligibility

Data extraction

Report writing

English proficiency

Education

Honours Degree in Social Science

Master's degree (advantage)

Tools

EndNote

Zotero

Covidence

Job description

The application closing date: 1 Sept 2026

Description: The purpose of the position is to provide high level assistance to the junior and senior social scientists through involvement and contribution to developing coding frames, conducting rudimentary coding. The role will also include data collection, developing descriptive labels or codes of data to begin the initial steps of analysis and writing up a narrative report of the study findings. The position will be based in our Durban site.

Overview of Duties

• Assist with refining and executing systematic search strategies across relevant databases (e.g. PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, EBSCOhost, PsycINFO).
• Manage search results and references using reference management software (e.g. EndNote, Zotero, or Covidence), including de-duplication.
• Conduct title and abstract screening against agreed eligibility criteria, working in parallel with the second Research Assistant for inter-rater consistency.
• Conduct full-text screening and document reasons for exclusion.
• Extract and chart data from included studies using a standardised data extraction form.
• Support quality checks and resolution of discrepancies between reviewers, escalating to the review lead where consensus cannot be reached.
• Assist with organising and summarising extracted data for analysis and reporting.
• Contribute to drafting sections of the scoping review manuscript and supporting materials (e.g. PRISMA-ScR flow diagram, summary tables).
• Maintain accurate records of the review process to support transparency and reproducibility.
• Participate in regular team meetings and provide progress updates to the review lead.
• Undertake other reasonable duties related to the scoping review as required.

Requirements of the Job

Minimum Qualifications

• Honours Degree qualification in Social Science. Having a master’s degree is an added advantage.
• Fluent spoken and written English.
• Must have a valid driver’s licence and at least 2 years driving experience.

Minimum Experience

• 2 years’ experience in mental health and they should have
• 2 years’ experience in conducting scoping, systematic, or literature reviews.

Worker Type: Employee

AHRI is a values-driven organisation. As an employer we are committed to staff engagement and development. Our culture is one of high performance and partnership. Our values The successful candidate will be expected to live by AHRI’s values, including collaboration, ubuntu, leadership, innovation, transformation, and excellence.

Employment equity

AHRI is fully compliant with South African labour law and is committed to employment equity. This position is primarily open to South African or other African applicants, with a valid work permit desirable. AHRI reserves the right in special circumstances to accept late applications or to extend the above date to facilitate further searches. Furthermore, AHRI reserves the right not to make an appointment. Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted, kindly consider your application as unsuccessful if you do not hear from us within 14 days of the application closing date.

Africa Health Research Institute’s vision

Africa Health Research Institute’s vision is optimal health and well-being of under-resourced populations. Africa Health Research Institute (AHRI) is an independent, transdisciplinary scientific research institute based across two campuses in the province of KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) in South Africa. AHRI’s research combines population, basic and translational, social, and clinical sciences to understand and intervene in the health and well-being of South African communities. AHRI works in partnership with local communities and South African academic, governmental, and other policy stakeholders and collaborates with over 60 institutions globally. AHRI prioritises the training of the next generation of African scientists. The work lives of AHRI’s ~700 scientists, students and staff members are driven by our values: ubuntu, transformation, leadership, innovation, excellence and collaboration.