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 cadresState Research Assistants, Qualitative Data Moderators, Note Takers and Qualitative Data Transcribersto 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 personnel.
Expected deliverables by staff cadre
No.
Cadre-specific deliverable
Timing
1
Research Assistants: state workplan, stakeholder contacts and field schedule
Within 2 working days of start
2
Research Assistants: approved recruitment and scheduling tracker; Moderators: session readiness/consent check
Within 4 working days; updated as needed
3
Research Assistants: daily recruitment/session tracker; Moderators: completed FGD/KII session record; Note Takers: session metadata
Daily during fieldwork
4
Research Assistants: state completion report; Moderators/Note Takers: session issue summaries; Transcribers: transcription status report
Within 2 working days after state fieldwork
5
All cadres: final handover of assigned records and files, verified by Lead Consultant
By last day of engagement
Field Logistics and Responsibilities
Item
Responsibility/arrangement
Participant identification/mobilization
MC/state/LGA counterparts facilitate approved introductions; Research Assistants coordinate screening, recruitment and scheduling; Moderators verify eligibility/consent as assigned; Note Takers document session codes; Transcribers have no recruitment role.
Venues
MC/state teams support venue identification; Research Assistants coordinate booking and logistics; Moderators assess privacy and suitability; Note Takers prepare recording/notes materials.
Participant transport reimbursement
MC alone approves and administers reimbursement permitted by ethics documents; no Research Assistant, Moderator, Note Taker or Transcriber may introduce incentives or vary arrangements.
Government/state/LGA introductions
MC and government partners provide official introductions; Research Assistants coordinate field access under Lead Consultant direction.
Access to quantitative/programme data for triangulation
MC controls authorised programme data. Field cadres may access only the materials required for assigned tasks, through approved channels.
Qualifications and Selection Criteria for Research Assistant
Master’s degree in public health, epidemiology, social/behavioural sciences, implementation science, health services research or related discipline.
At least three years of relevant qualitative public-health research or field coordination experience; experience with FGDs and KIIs, recruitment, note-taking and interviewing.
Demonstrated understanding of informed consent, confidentiality, safeguarding, research data quality and secure file handling.
Knowledge of SMC, routine immunisation, PHC or community health delivery is desirable.
Proficiency in English and relevant local language(s) in the assigned state; strong communication and organisational skills.
Resident in the state of assignment and available to travel to selected LGAs and work throughout the agreed period.
Ethics, quality assurance and data protection
All four cadres must comply with the approved protocol, ethics approvals, participant information sheets and consent forms. Research Assistants coordinate ethical recruitment and scheduling; Moderators verify and document consent, including separate audio-recording permission; Note Takers protect identities in field notes; and Transcribers process only authorised recordings and redact identifiers. Participation is voluntary and no field staff member may promise incentives. Any permitted transport reimbursement is determined and administered by MC.
Every cadre must use approved study IDs, safeguard identifiable information, use authorised devices and secure transfer channels, and promptly report breaches, distress, deviations or missing records to the Lead Consultant and MC as appropriate. Recordings, notes and transcripts must be handed over securely, and local copies retained or deleted only as instructed by MC.
Quality Assurance Requirements
Only personnel demonstrating adequate competence during training/practical exercises will be deployed.
All sessions must use the approved version of the relevant respondent-specific guide.
Moderators and Note Takers must participate in post-session debriefs; Research Assistants maintain session QA and corrective-action logs; Transcribers must flag inaudible segments, inconsistencies and translation uncertainties.
Transcribers will verify transcripts against audio and use agreed speaker codes; the Lead Consultant determines independent bilingual review and any subsequent analytical coding/double-coding.
All four cadres document deviations and adaptations within their responsibilities; the Lead Consultant maintains the overall methodological and analysis audit trail.
Each cadre submits its assigned editable field records, notes, audio metadata, transcripts, translations and discrepancy logs in approved formats. Codebooks, coding matrices and analytical projects remain the Lead Consultant’s responsibility.
All editable datasets/files, transcripts, codebooks, matrices, coding outputs and analysis project files must be complete and submitted in agreed formats.
Performance assessment and payment
Performance and payment will be assessed separately for each cadre against its assigned duties: Research Assistantsrecruitment accuracy, schedules, trackers, QA and state handover; Moderatorsethical, complete and neutral FGDs/KIIs, probing and session documentation; Note Takersaccurate, timely field notes, metadata and debrief records; Transcriberscomplete, accurate, de-identified and timely transcripts/approved translations.
All cadres must comply with supervision, safeguarding and data-security requirements. Individual contracts will specify working days or output-based units, approved rates, acceptance criteria and payment milestones; no consultant-level analysis or final-report obligations apply.
Data Ownership, Management, Transfer, Retention and Deletion
Malaria Consortium is the Data Controller and retains ownership and control of all study data and outputs generated by every field cadre, subject to contracts and applicable law.
Identifying administrative information must be stored separately from study data. Unique study IDs must be used on research data.
Audio, transcripts, codebooks, matrices and analysis projects must be stored only on password-protected/encrypted devices and MC-approved secure storage locations, with access limited to authorised personnel.
Research Assistants, Moderators and Note Takers must transfer approved field records securely; Transcribers must return transcripts and any approved translations through MC-approved channels. The Lead Consultant verifies completeness and coordinates final handover to MC.
MC retains records according to organizational policy and applicable ethical/data-protection requirements; no field cadre may retain copies beyond the period expressly authorised by MC.
After confirmed handover and on MC’s written instruction, each staff member must securely delete unauthorized local copies and confirm completion; no fixed deletion deadline is imposed here unless specified by MC.
No data may be reused, published, shared or transferred to third parties without prior written authorisation from MC and any required ethics/data-governance approval.
Reporting and Management Arrangements
All four cadres report technically to the Lead Qualitative Research Consultant. Research Assistants serve as state-level coordination focal points; Moderators and Note Takers coordinate session arrangements with the Research Assistants and report technical/session issues directly to the Lead Consultant; Transcribers receive authorised recordings and submit transcripts through the agreed secure workflow.
MC retains overall oversight and approval authority. Each staff member must communicate progress, delays, data-quality issues and safeguarding/security concerns promptly.