JOB DESCRIPTION
Post:
Research Associate
Responsible to:
Russell Dacombe, Accuracy Manager
Location:
Based in Liverpool, UK, with International travel
Summary of role:
To support development of the policy frameworks, quality assurance, accuracy and training
components of the STAR project.
Main Duties/ Key Responsibilities:
 Support the design, data management and analysis of accuracy studies for HIV selftesting.
 Contribute to the design and piloting of internal and external quality assurance
systems to support HIV self-testing.
 Synthesis of information from all project areas to support the development of
generic guidelines and documents to support wider HIV self-testing
implementation.
 Contribute to the development of user guides for HIV self-testing.
 Support the development/modification of country HIV diagnostic algorithms to
incorporate HIV self testing
 Undertake in depth interviews with key stakeholders involved in the regulation of
HIV testing at national, regional and international level.
 Contribute to the design and delivery of training for those involved in the
distribution of HIV self-testing kits in the study
 Collaborate with the International Centre for Diagnostics and the WHO on
regulatory processes for new point of care tests
 Contribute to the ethics application for the HIV self-testing accuracy and regulatory
studies.
 Provide technical assistance on HIV testing and counselling to a game development
project in the Philippines
 Contribute to academic journal articles on accuracy, policy and quality assurance.
 Contribute to reports, meetings and funder-reviews on accuracy and policy research
 To carry out such other duties reasonably consistent with the foregoing as may be
required
 Responsible for working in a safe manner adhering to local and legal requirements
PERSON SPECIFICATION:
Criteria
Education &
Training
Experience
Knowledge
Skills & Abilities
Competency
 Educated to Degree Level (or equivalent
Level 4 Professional Qualification) in
Biomedical Sciences
Essential /
Desirable
E
Assessment
Application
Form/CV
 Postgraduate Degree in medical
laboratory related subject
E
 Post Graduate Certificate in Higher
Education (or equivalent)
D
 Experience of implementing quality
assurance systems for medical/research
laboratories.
 Experience of writing scientific documents
such as reports, guidelines and peer
reviewed papers
 Experience in writing and reviewing
diagnostic testing protocols
 Experience in undertaking methodical
reviews of scientific literature
 Experience of writing and submitting
ethical applications for scientific studies
 Experience of implementing quality
assurance systems for medical/research
laboratories in low and middle income
countries
 Experience of teaching and/or conducting
training involving adults
 Experience of conducting qualitative
research
 Understanding of the epidemiological and
biostatistical methods for analysis of
diagnostic accuracy studies
 Understanding of diagnostic test
regulation process
E
 Excellent communications and diplomacy
skills in a variety of different cultural
environments
E
 Good organisational and management
ability
E
 Good presentation and report writing
skills
E
 Ability to deliver to deadlines and under
pressure
E
 Previous experience of data management
and audit using relational database
software packages
E
E
Application
Form,
Assessment and
Interview
E
D
D
D
D
D
E
D
Assessment and
Interview
Assessment and
Interview
 Previous experience of conducting
statistical analysis using of STATA or R
statistical software packages
Special Aptitude
Circumstances
D
 Demonstrate a confident, enthusiastic,
positive and energetic approach, with a
willingness to get involved in all aspects of
the project
 Diplomacy and adaptability - able to work
with a range of people in a multicultural
environment.
E

E
Willingness to travel
Assessment and
Interview
E
Interview