Research Associate Community Health Sciences Jobs Karachi Full Time

Aga Khan University is hiring a Research Associate for its Department of Community Health Sciences in Karachi. This is a grant funded contractual position for someone who has already spent 2 to 3 years working on public health or clinical research projects and is ready to run the day-to-day side of a research study across multiple sites.

Why This Job Matters

Public health research does not run itself. Someone has to make sure field teams actually show up, data gets collected the right way, ethical guidelines are followed to the letter, and provincial health departments stay in the loop instead of finding out about a study three months late. That is exactly what a Research Associate does, and at AKU’s Community Health Sciences department, that work touches real vaccine and infectious disease studies that eventually shape health policy.

For someone who wants research experience that actually means something, not just data entry, this role puts a candidate right in the middle of study coordination, stakeholder relationships, and data quality, at one of Pakistan’s most respected research institutions.

About Aga Khan University

Aga Khan University, chartered in 1983 as Pakistan’s first private international university, is committed to education, research, and health care of international standards relevant to Pakistan and the region. The affiliated Aga Khan University Hospital provides advanced clinical facilities and diagnostic services. AKU has teaching sites across Pakistan, East Africa, the United Kingdom, and Afghanistan, and is a major part of the Aga Khan Development Network. Within AKU, the Department of Community Health Sciences is the leading unit of its type in Pakistan, recognized regionally and internationally for its work in public health and primary health care systems, spanning epidemiology, health policy, reproductive health, environmental health, and non-communicable diseases and mental health.

Vacancies Overview

One Research Associate position is open within the Department of Community Health Sciences at AKU. This is a grant funded contractual role tied to specific research project activities, so its duration is connected to that project’s funding cycle rather than being an open-ended permanent post.

Eligibility Criteria

Key Responsibilities

• Coordinate and oversee day-to-day implementation of project activities across assigned study sites.
• Ensure project milestones and research activities follow approved study protocols, SOPs, ethical guidelines, and regulatory requirements.
• Coordinate with hospitals, EPI centers, laboratories, district health offices, and provincial health departments to facilitate smooth project implementation.
• Supervise and support field teams, including Research Assistants, Data Collectors, and Field Officers, through training, mentoring, and performance monitoring.
• Monitor field operations, participant recruitment, and follow-up activities, resolving operational challenges as they come up.
• Oversee data collection processes through routine data quality checks.
• Review and maintain study databases, ensuring data confidentiality and integrity.
• Maintain project documentation, regulatory records, and prepare periodic progress and technical reports.
• Support project monitoring, audits, and compliance activities in line with ethical approvals.
• Coordinate project logistics, including procurement, inventory management, and sample transportation where applicable.
• Assist in project planning, data analysis, and dissemination activities.
• Develop and maintain stakeholder relationships with provincial and district health authorities.
• Support dissemination workshops and stakeholder meetings.

Required Qualifications

1. Candidates need a Master’s degree, preferred, or a Bachelor’s degree in Public Health, Epidemiology, Health Sciences, Biological Sciences, Microbiology, Medicine, Social Sciences, or a related discipline, paired with 2 to 3 years of genuine experience in public health or clinical research projects.
2. Experience with vaccine or infectious disease studies is highly desirable, and experience coordinating multi-site research projects or working with provincial health departments or EPI programmes gives candidates a real advantage.
3. A working knowledge of research methodologies, Good Clinical Practice, and research ethics is expected, along with hands-on familiarity with electronic data capture systems such as REDCap, KoboToolbox, or ODK.
4. Basic statistical software knowledge in SPSS, STATA, or R rounds out the technical skill set, while strong communication in both English and Urdu is essential given the stakeholder coordination this role involves.

Application Process

Candidates apply through the official Indeed listing and are directed to AKU’s own careers site to complete the application. An Indeed account is required before proceeding to the company website. Interested candidates should review the full responsibilities carefully and make sure their public health or clinical research background genuinely matches what is being asked for before applying, since AKU conducts comprehensive employment reference checks as part of its hiring process.

Required Documents

• Updated CV detailing public health or clinical research project experience.
• Educational certificates confirming the relevant Master’s or Bachelor’s degree.
• Evidence of experience with electronic data capture systems, if available.
• References from prior research or public health employers, since AKU conducts comprehensive reference checks.

Test Pattern and Selection Process

The official listing does not describe a formal written test. Given AKU’s stated commitment to comprehensive employment reference checks, selection is likely based on CV screening, an interview covering research coordination experience and specific project examples, and a thorough verification of prior employment and academic credentials.

Preparation Tips

• Prepare specific examples of research projects you have coordinated, including the number of sites involved and the size of the field team.
• Refresh your knowledge of Good Clinical Practice and research ethics guidelines, since these are directly mentioned in the requirements.
• Brush up on REDCap, KoboToolbox, or ODK if you have not used them recently, as electronic data capture experience is specifically requested.
• Be ready to discuss a real operational challenge you resolved during fieldwork, since this is an important part of the day-to-day responsibilities.
• Confirm your ability to communicate professionally in both English and Urdu, as stakeholder coordination in this role involves both languages.

Stay Updated

For more research and public health jobs in Karachi, browse our listings at NextJobTop.com Research and Public Health Jobs Karachi and stay updated with the latest AKU recruitment announcements.

Salary Details

Salary is not mentioned in the official source. Based on typical pay for a Research Associate role with 2 to 3 years of experience at a major private university in Karachi, an expected estimate would fall between PKR 90,000 and 140,000 per month, though this figure is an estimate and not an official confirmation, and candidates should confirm actual compensation directly during the hiring process.

Benefits

Opportunity to work within one of Pakistan’s most respected research institutions, recognized regionally and internationally for public health work. Exposure to real vaccine and infectious disease research that contributes to health policy. Genuine multi-site project coordination experience that builds a strong research career foundation. Further specific benefits are not detailed in the official source.

How to Apply

Visit the official Indeed listing for Research Associate Community Health Sciences at Aga Khan University and click Apply on Company Site. Create or sign in to an Indeed account if required, then complete AKU’s own application process with your CV and relevant research experience details.

For complete official job specification and application details, visit the listing at indeed.com before the deadline.

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