The Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI) is seeking a Research Officer for Health Systems Evaluation and Data Analytics. The role involves developing and applying advanced analytical methodologies, including probabilistic record linkage and geospatial analytics, to evaluate health systems and demographic data. The primary objective is to provide insights into maternal and newborn health initiatives and improve health system performance monitoring through data mining and statistical inference.
Key Responsibilities
- Develop and apply probabilistic record linkage methodologies using data from multiple Health and Demographic Surveillance System (HDSS) sites to assess the completeness of birth and death registration.
- Identify and quantify systematic reporting differences in age-at-death and birth dates in survey and routine data.
- Conduct analysis of primary household survey data on birth and death registration to understand factors influencing registration practices.
- Generate reproducible scripts and documentation using Python and spatial/statistical packages.
- Support geospatially disaggregated analyses to assess implementation strength, equity of access, and quality of care.
- Contribute to evaluating the impact of maternal and newborn health initiatives.
- Assist in data harmonization and integration across sites using relational databases and web mapping tools.
- Integrate geospatial analytics and open web mapping tools to support interactive dashboards and decision-support systems.
- Apply data mining and statistical inference to assess determinants of inequity and health system performance.
- Analyze DHIS2 data to generate actionable insights on health interventions and monitor trends in morbidity and mortality.
- Contribute to peer-reviewed manuscripts, technical reports, and policy briefs.
- Participate in capacity-building activities, seminars, and collaborative research meetings.
- Stay current with emerging methods in health systems science, GIS, and epidemiology.
Requirements
- Recognised Postgraduate qualification (MSc) in Spatial Data Science, Public Health, Epidemiology, Statistics, or a related field with strong quantitative components (Mandatory).
- At least three (3) years of working experience in health research or a related field (Mandatory).
- Experience working with CRVS, HDSS, and/or DHS, or similar health and demographic datasets (Mandatory).
- Proficiency in statistical software (e.g., R, Stata) and GIS tools (e.g., ArcGIS, QGIS) (Mandatory).
- Strong Python programming skills and experience with web mapping or spatial data pipelines (Mandatory).
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including scientific writing (Mandatory).
- High initiative and willingness to take on new analytical and scientific challenges (Mandatory).
- Strong organizational skills and the ability to work under tight deadlines (Mandatory).
- Ability to work independently and collaboratively across teams (Mandatory).
- Experience producing high-quality visualizations and spatial outputs for policy and scientific use (Mandatory).
- Demonstrated expertise in analytical thinking and statistical methods, with the ability to interpret complex data (Added Advantage).
How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should apply online through the Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI) e-recruitment portal at erecruitment.kemri.go.ke. Ensure all mandatory documents and qualifications are provided as per the vacancy requirements.
