Qualitative Research Assistant

Malaria Consortium (MC) is implementing an embedded implementation research study in selected local government areas (LGAs) of Kogi, Plateau and Sokoto States to assess approaches for linking routine immunization (RI) activities with Seasonal Malaria Chemoprevention (SMC) delivery. The approaches comprise: A, structured RI messaging during SMC contact; B, Approach A plus community engagement/social and behaviour change communication (SBCC); and C, Approach B plus immunization-status screening, referral and follow-up. A comparator arm receives standard SMC.

The qualitative component explores acceptability, feasibility, implementation burden, fidelity, perceived effectiveness, equity and scalability. MC seeks six state-based Research Assistants (RAs), two in each state, and other state-level data collection team members (Moderators, Notetakers and qualitative data transcribers) to support the approved qualitative fieldwork. The RAs will work under the day-to-day technical direction and supervision of the Lead Qualitative Research Consultant and within MC-approved study procedures.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Qualitative Research Assistant

Locations: Silame, Shagari, and Binji - Sokoto

Purpose and limits of the assignment

• To engage and deploy four complementary cadres—State Research Assistants, Qualitative Data Moderators, Note Takers and Qualitative Data Transcribers—to undertake approved state-level qualitative fieldwork. Research Assistants coordinate recruitment, scheduling, field logistics and quality monitoring; Moderators conduct FGDs/KIIs; Note Takers document sessions and support debriefs; and Transcribers produce accurate, de-identified transcripts and approved translations. All cadres work under the technical supervision of the Lead Qualitative Research Consultant and Malaria Consortium (MC) oversight.
• This ToR covers field personnel only. No cadre is engaged to independently design or amend the protocol, approve sampling changes, lead the consultancy, undertake study-wide qualitative analysis, or prepare the final integrated research report. Duties are allocated by cadre and may overlap only when specifically assigned, personnel are trained and competent, and the Lead Consultant authorises the arrangement.

Qualitative Study Participants and Planned Sample

• The Lead Qualitative Research Consultant will operationalize the approved multi-stage sampling process with MC and government counterparts. State Research Assistants will implement the approved recruitment plan and coordinate scheduling; Moderators and Note Takers will support eligibility checks and consent within their training and assigned roles; Transcribers will work only with authorised, consented recordings. No field cadre may independently change the sampling frame or respondent targets.

Participant Identification and Recruitment

• The Research Assistants, based in Kogi, Plateau and Sokoto States, with the support of the moderators, Note takers and transcribers will coordinate participant identification and recruitment for qualitative data collection in their respective states, working closely with Malaria Consortium (MC), State Programme Managers and relevant state/LGA authorities to facilitate official introductions, access to selected clusters and model facilities, and participant mobilisation through appropriate community and programme structures.
• The Research Assistants with the support of the moderators, Note takers and transcribers will coordinate the implementation of the MC-approved sampling and recruitment plan, ensuring that approved recruitment lists and eligibility criteria are followed. They will oversee the screening process, maintain accurate screening and recruitment logs, monitor recruitment progress and support the selection of participants representing diverse roles, geographical locations and levels of intervention exposure.
• The Research Assistants will coordinate with trained qualitative data collectors to ensure that prospective participants are approached appropriately, eligibility is verified, and recruitment and informed consent procedures comply with the approved study protocol and ethical requirements. Recruitment and consent will be undertaken by trained research personnel who are not directly responsible for providing services to prospective participants to minimize potential coercion and power imbalances.
• The Research Assistants will coordinate the identification, recruitment and scheduling of the relevant respondent groups in their respective states, including caregivers and community drug distributors (CDDs) from the selected qualitative cluster in each intervention LGA; health workers from model facilities serving the selected clusters; community/traditional leaders in the three Approach C LGAs; and programme stakeholders purposively selected based on their responsibilities for SMC, routine immunization (RI), primary healthcare (PHC) planning, implementation, supervision or oversight.
• The Research Assistants will monitor recruitment against the approved state-level targets and data collection schedule, document recruitment challenges, ineligibility and non-response, and promptly communicate any proposed respondent replacements to the study lead and MC for review and approval. MC will retain final approval of the recruitment matrix and any replacement of a selected respondent.

Supervision and working relationships

• The Lead Qualitative Research Consultant provides direct technical supervision to all four field cadres, including orientation, daily task allocation, coaching, fieldwork review, transcription standards and approval of routine adjustments within the MC-approved plan. Research Assistants coordinate state-level scheduling and day-to-day communication, but do not replace the Lead Consultant as technical supervisor.
• Research Assistants submit consolidated state updates; Moderators submit session completion records and interview issues; Note Takers submit session notes and debrief records; and Transcribers submit transcripts and discrepancy logs. Each cadre must promptly report consent, safeguarding, confidentiality, security or quality concerns to the Lead Consultant, with escalation to MC under approved procedures.
• MC retains overall authority for protocol, ethics, safeguarding, data governance, participant reimbursement and material changes to sampling or field procedures. MC/state/LGA counterparts support official introductions, access and approved mobilisation. No cadre may independently substitute participants, alter approved reimbursement or disclose study data.
• RAs and other data collection team members do not independently approve protocol changes, substitute respondents, alter reimbursement arrangements or share research data outside authorised channels.

Responsibilities of each Research Assistant

• Review the approved protocol, assigned respondent guides, information sheets/consent forms, recruitment plan and state-specific field schedule; attend training and the field pre-test as directed.
• Prepare and maintain a state-level workplan and daily schedule under the Lead Consultant’s direction; coordinate with the second RA in the state to avoid duplication and ensure coverage.
• Liaise with approved state/LGA, health-facility and community contacts to arrange access, private venues and appropriate recruitment, without creating coercion or promising incentives.
• Screen and recruit eligible participants against approved criteria; document refusals and non-response; arrange FGDs and KIIs; obtain and document informed consent and separate audio-recording consent in accordance with the approved procedures.
• Facilitate or assist with FGDs/KIIs, probing and note-taking as assigned by the Lead Consultant, using the correct respondent-specific guide and intervention-approach routing.
• Check session records, audio quality (where consented), field notes, respondent IDs, dates and metadata; complete same-day debriefs and implement corrective actions requested by the Lead Consultant.
• Maintain a rolling recruitment and fieldwork tracker disaggregated by state, LGA, respondent group and intervention approach; flag under-represented groups, contradictory cases and emerging gaps.
• Support approved transcription/translation coordination and transcript-to-audio or bilingual quality checks where assigned, without assuming responsibility for all study-wide transcription or analysis.
• Securely label, de-identify where appropriate, organize and transfer field notes, audio, consent records and other assigned materials through MC-approved systems; keep identifying records separate.
• Prepare a concise state-level completion report and outstanding-issues log; hand over all assigned records to the Lead Consultant and designated MC study p