Our mission is to improve the health of millions of people worldwide. Full time Position Location - Bangalore Duration: till 30 September 2026 We have an opportunity for your career to make a difference! We have a new and exciting opportunity for a Research Assistant to join our organization. How To Apply Interested candidates should send their resume with full contact details, current and expected CTC/salary. Clearly mentioning the job title Research Assistant in the subject line to [HIDDEN TEXT] by the 14 April 2024 About The Project 'Community Voices in Health Governance - Translating Community Participation into Practice in a World of Pluralistic Health Systems' (COMPLUS) 'How community participation, framed as a human right, can facilitate the promotion of population health and wellbeing in pluralistic health systems that operate in highly unequal urban settings' The countries of Brazil, India and South Africa have mixed health systems wherein public and private providers operate side-by-side for delivering the same set of services. The health administrations in these countries are increasingly purchasing services from the private sector for delivering care. There is some evidence to suggest that the purchase arrangemens could contribute to quick expansion of health access but at the same time community participation rooted in the human rights framework hitherto have largely been envisaged as part of the publicly driven health system for better responsiveness and accountabilities. But with this changing scenario of the governments actively engaging private providers (private for profit and private non-profit) and making health systems pluralistic and in such a pluralistic scenario does the conventional understanding of Community participation hold and whether community participation can still aim for better health system effectiveness. The project focuses on these ongoing changes to identify the potential and actual role of institutionalised community participation to help foster alignments of bureaucracies, communities and health professionals around the goals of improving population health and well-being. This project is through a multi-country, multi-city consortium having partners in Brazil, South Africa and India and is funded by National Institute of Health Research, UK. The TGI team is implementing this study in the city of Bangalore. Context and Role The Research Assistant role is to contribute to all aspects of COMPLUS related work. S/he is expected to work closely with the team members placed across the sites. S/he will be based in Bangalore and should be willing and able to undertake domestic and international travel, as and when required. The appointment is for a period of 3.5 years and holds the possibility of extension, dependent on the performance of the candidate. Reporting Relationships The position will report to Senior Research Fellow and work closely with Program Manager. The position is based out of Bangalore. Duties and Key Responsibilities The Research Assistant Is Expected To Contribute to all aspects of the current project at the site level. Work closely with other project staff to make sure that the scope and direction of the project is on schedule, at all sites Assist in the development of study related documents, reports, newsletters, and presentations, and communicate regular updates of the study to all staff (internal and external) Coordinate the project at the local sites: guide recruitment / consenting of study participants, track participation activities; validate quality of data and evaluate consistency of data Liaise with the governments, seek necessary approvals form the concerned departments and also work closely with the governance actors Access, review reports - support in the conduct of reviews and conduct research at study sites under the guidance of the research team Keep abreast of current developments in research of relevance to the Institute; providing a source of information to other researchers within the Institute Contribute to the preparation of journal publications, media reports and other public affairs outputs Contribute to local, national and international meetings of relevance to the area of research expertise and develop working partnerships within relevant research networks Work closely with the Program Manager, research fellow and community mobilisers for the duration of the project. The community animators shall be having the capacity to mobilise communities, collect data and such other project related activities. Communities could also potentially choose who such a mobiliser can be. Engage in building platforms for urban communities including facilitating periodic meetings with civil society, youth groups, women's groups and such other groups. Facilitate meetings, public events and dissemination activities at the city level to enhance community dialogue and awareness on community participation in health systems for timely and high quality health services. This could be done through the means of street plays, rallies, slogan writing, posters, pamphlets, briefs, exhibitions, organise/convene/support meetings (or utilise the existing platforms) and workshops between the stakeholders (researchers, community members, governance actors). This is an indicative list and activities may not be restricted to this alone and also not all activities listed need be undertaken. Undertake global and national policy reviews and analysis and develop an understanding on the functioning of community participation models and their institutional mechanisms. Engage in the qualitative data collection. The project has qualitative methodologies for the collection of data. Collection of qualitative data during the course of the project some of which would be repeated over the course of the project. This could be done through: Digital storytelling Participatory video generation and reflective analysis Focus Group discussions In-depth interviews (repeated over 3 years) Facilitate and participate in data analysis. Participate in and facilitate the analysis of the data collected. Take up the responsibility of transcribing interviews and other audio material. Facilitate and participate in developing the pilot community participation structures and subsequent documentation of the processes. Through active networking, facilitate the uptake of the enhanced understanding of effective accountability strategies for equitable health and well-being by national and international networks. Participate in the writing up the findings from the project. S/he shall participate in the writing up of the processes, findings and outcomes of the project throughout the life course of the project in a spirit of co-creation and co-production of the publications along with community animators. S/he shall also actively participate in bringing out popular material in vernacular languages and policy briefs. S/he shall participate in writing articles for peer-reviewed journals. As a Team Member Ensure direct reports understand and comply with GI's Policies and procedures, standard operating practices, ethical practice (with respect to research) and the legislative environment. Be responsible for managing performance of direct reports, including the completion of plans and agreeing on work and personal objectives and reviewing such plans and objectives, in accordance with GI's Performance Management and Development Policy. Act as a role model and ensure the team's commitment to GI's values, ensuring direct reports perform to a high ethical standard and focus on integrity, collaboration and teamwork in all efforts. Work, Health, and Safety Comply with GI's Work Health and Safety Policy and related procedures, and similar policies which apply when visiting the premises of affiliates and collaborating sites. Promote and contribute to a safe, secure environment for staff and visitors. Skills, Knowledge, And Experience Qualifications: Masters degree in Economics/Sociology/Anthropology/Political Science/Development/Biological sciences, or related field Experience: Graduate plus 2 years of experience / Masters plus 1 year of experience or more years of research experience, ideally in community settings Language capabilities - Ability to read, write, and report in Kannada and English mandatory. Hindi desirable Strong problem solving, analytical skills, and strategic thinking Good organisation and efficiency Excellent interpersonal and leadership skills Ability to work well autonomously, as well as collaborate in small teams Ability to engage with a wide range of community, organisational, and governance stakeholders Flexibility, and adaptability to changing environments Facilitation, event management and logistics skills Strong presentation and communications skills Experience working with multidisciplinary teams, managing relationships with external partners, and engaging with internal stakeholders. Excellent interpersonal skills Ability to work independently Strong organisational skills Strong commitment to working at grassroots level taking communities along. For more details, please see the Position Description for this role. The George Institute India The George Institute, a wholly owned legal not-for-profit Indian research institute, has been conducting research related activities in India since 2002. The George Institute India's mission mirrors that of the parent organization, namely the discovery and implementation of solutions to chronic and disabling health problems through research, policy development and capacity building. A number of large-scale projects in population, health systems and clinical research, funded by a diverse group of sponsors, both public and private, are conducted in India. The George Institute India comprises two distinct operating groups: Research and Development, and Infrastructure and Resources. It has two separate offices - in Hyderabad and New Delhi, where the research staff and senior management are based. About The George Institute We are a medical and health research institute affiliated with leading universities aiming to challenge the status quo in health care. With 700+ people around the world, and projects in over 40 countries, our Strategy 2025 is all about impact - specifically, the impact of The George Institute's activities on the health of millions of people, particularly those living in disadvantaged circumstances around the world. Our Strategy Focuses On Three Key Research Priorities Better Treatments: finding better treatments for the world's biggest health problems Better Care: transforming primary health care to support better health for more people Healthier Societies: harnessing the power of communities, governments and markets to improve health For more information about The George Institute, visit www.georgeinstitute.org.