Job title: Research Specialist (RSV project), Paediatrics & Child Health - MC
Primary location: Pakistan
Organisation: Aga Khan University Pakistan
Employment status: Contractual
Job type: Experienced
Job posting date (day/month/year): 06/10/2026, 5:39:44 PM
Closing date (day/month/year): 14/10/2026, 11:59:00 PM
Employer page timezone: Asia/Karachi
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 Outreach and Research Programme of the Department of Paediatrics and Child Health has ten community-based field sites across Pakistan (including four in Karachi) and focuses on research for betterment of women and child health. The Department has a Nutritional Research Laboratory as well as an Infectious Disease Research Laboratory that cater to the needs of its research projects. It has well-acclaimed work to its credit both at the national and international level.
Responsibilities:
The Research Specialist will oversee research project activities, ensuring implementation of study protocols, quality assurance, data management, reporting, and collaboration with research staff, communities, collaborators, and stakeholders.
Specific responsibilities include to:
- supervise and coordinate all project-related activities
- ensure proper identification and registration of participants as per study protocol
- supervise and monitor timely follow-up visits of study participants
- monitor and report protocol deviations
- develop SOPs and manuals of operations for study activities
- provide training to study staff in accordance with study protocols and guidelines
- ensure completeness, proper filing, and archiving of study data
- develop and implement QA/QC plans, including documentation and reporting
- prepare and compile study progress reports
- collaborate with the Data Manager to prepare monthly project reports
- present study results as required
- develop high-quality research proposals for funding agencies
- conduct research and actively contribute to scientific publications.
Requirements:
You should have:
- MBBS or MSc in Epidemiology and Statistics, MPH, Master's in Health Policy and Management, or equivalent qualification
- preferably additional certification and knowledge of Good Clinical Practice
- at least 3 to 4 years of experience managing research studies, supervising data collection, conducting analyses, and drafting manuscripts
- expertise in training teams according to study protocols
- willingness to travel frequently to different locations for quality assurance activities and staff training
- highly organised and self-motivated approach to work
- excellent interpersonal communication skills
- ability to work independently and as part of a team
- integrity and strong research ethics
- excellent written and verbal communication skills in English
- strong computer skills, including Microsoft Word and Excel
- excellent academic writing skills
- proficiency in data analysis software such as SPSS, STATA, or R.
Comprehensive employment reference checks will be conducted.
This is a closed-ended position.
Disclaimer: The Aga Khan University is committed to the principles of equal employment opportunity for all employees and to providing employees with a work environment which is free from discrimination and harassment. All employment decisions at AKU are based on business needs, job requirements and individual's qualifications and experience, without regard to race, colour, caste or creed, national, social or ethnic origin, gender (except where gender is a bona fide occupational qualification).
AKU does not discriminate among the job candidates on account of any of these characteristics.