Job Title: Research Coordinator

Project: Breast Biopsy Capacity Project/Global Surgery Programs

Reports to: Chair, Centre for Equity in Global Surgery

Location: Butaro, Kigali and study sites across Rwanda

Duration: Two years, renewable based on funding

Position Overview:

The Research Coordinator will oversee Global Surgery research at the Centre for Equity in Global Surgery, focusing on the coordination of a research project entitled "Implementation of Breast Biopsy Capacity Across Rwanda". Primary in the coordinator’s portfolio will be an NIH funded project, for the first 2 years of implementation (2026-2028), which aims to evaluate the capacity, determinants, and feasibility of integrating decentralized breast biopsy services into district hospitals across Rwanda. This individual will also organize Global Surgery educational programs including the development and delivery of Non-technical Skills for Surgery, Global Surgery Leadership Programs, Community Impact Weeks, and the expanding online resource portfolio.

The University of Global Health Equity, Centre for Equity in Global Surgery (CEGS):

CEGS is a bold, Africa-rooted platform advancing surgical justice through research, education, policy, and advocacy. Grounded in equity, the center champions African leadership and partnership to transform surgical systems, strengthen the surgical workforce, and ensure affordable surgical care is accessible to all, especially the most underserved. Our vision is a world where surgical care is available to everyone, everywhere, when they need it. 

Our mission is to create equitable access to quality, affordable, safe, and holistic surgical healthcare for all populations through an integrated, compassionate, and sustainable community-centric approach. CEGS operates through five strategic pillars:

1) Education and Training - Building surgical capacity through innovative educational programs and fellowships

2) Research and Innovation - Conducting transformative research to advance surgical equity

3) Leadership - Developing the next generation of surgical equity leaders

4) Policy and Advocacy - Influencing policy frameworks to prioritize surgical 

5) Global Convenings - Facilitating strategic partnerships and knowledge exchange 

Primary Responsibilities:

1. Research Coordination (50%)

a) Research Program Participation and Coordination

• Participate in and supervise research into the evaluation of the capacity and organizational readiness for decentralized breast biopsy services study sites across Rwanda using qualitative, qualitative, educational research, and implementation science methods.
• Oversee collection of data to assess the barriers to the implementation of decentralized breast biopsy services at Rwandan district hospitals.
• Engage/collaborate in the Center’s broader research activities
• Undertake research leading to peer-reviewed publications focused on global surgery, and surgical care provision related issues.
• Accompany and mentor student and alumni-driven global health research linked to surgery and global health.
• Contribute to global surgery advocacy efforts.
• Writing global surgery project deliverables, such as research proposals, reports, and publications.
• assist resource mobilization for the CEGS, including preparing grant applications and proposals to external funding sources.
• Collect, clean, analyse, and interpret data.
• Participate in staff training activities

b) organize research working group logistics and project partnerships

• organize working group and partnerships across five Level II hospitals across Rwanda and UGHE with emphasis on breast biopsy capacity building and other adjacent research through the Centre for Equity in Global Surgery.
• organize longitudinal engagement with hospitals with a focus on breast biopsy capacity building
• oversee meetings and progress reports
• make sure that partners are consistently updated and engaged in projects

c) Investigator/Data collector training, and data management

• Train and oversee data collectors at each study site to qualitatively assess the facilitators and barriers to implementing decentralized breast biopsy services at district hospitals across Rwanda.
• Accompany and mentor data collectors, students, fellows, and other investigators supporting CEGS research
• Supervise and mentor trainees in related research
• deliver supervision for surgical fellows at UGHE and at partner sites

d) Grant Oversight and Reporting

• In conjunction with UGHE grants staff, will oversee the operations and reporting of the Breast biopsy project.
• produce an annual detailed report to the NIH detailing study progress over each reporting period.

e) Project Management

• Ensure timely delivery of all project deliverables, including but not limited to
• Institutional evaluate Board submissions,
• data collection,
• data analysis,
• NIH reporting, and
• manuscript writing in accordance with the project timeline.

2) organize Global Surgery Programs (50%)

a) assist coordination of visiting faculty for CEGS related surgical training programs

b) Contribute to Development, Expansion, Consolidation, and Coordination of Global Surgery Training Program Portfolios including:

• Non-technical Skills for Surgery in Variable Resource Contexts
• Global Surgery Leadership Programs
• Masters in Global Health Delivery Global Surgery Online Offerings
• Community Engagement

3) Perform other duties as assigned by the Chair of the Centre for Equity in Global Surgery.

Qualifications and experience:

• Global Surgery expertise and training, Masters in Global Health Delivery, Global Surgery
• Familiarity with current Global Surgery program profile at UGHE
• Familiarity with quantitative and qualitative research methodologies
• Familiarity with scoping and systematic evaluate research methodologies
• Proven experience in research coordination, preferably in healthcare settings
• Prior experience or training in global surgery policy and advocacy
• Strong project management skills, including planning, execution, and monitoring
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills; ability to effectively collaborate with culturally diverse individuals across countries
• Proficiency in qualitative and qualitative data analysis software (e.g. SPSS, R, NVivo) and manuscript preparation
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively in a dynamic environment.
• Proficiency in English is essential
• Social media skill is an advantage

How to Apply

Applicants should deliver: (1) curriculum vitae, (2) Degree, (3) A cover letter describing your interest in UGHE and relevant experience. Please upload these under the ‘Additional Files’ tab on the application page of Research Coordinator

University of Global Health Equity is an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Organizational Profile

UGHE is a new kind of university focused on training the next generation of global leaders in health care delivery. The university launched in Rwanda in September 2015. Through an academic experience uniquely rooted in the values of equity, students are empowered to both ease suffering at the bedside and drive transformational, systemic changes to the health system.

UGHE is an initiative of Partners In Health (PIH), an internationally recognized non-profit organization whose mission is to deliver a preferential option for the poor in health care. In over nearly three decades of operating alongside public sectors in countries around the world, PIH has developed a model to deliver high quality healthcare to some of the world’s most marginalized communities. Nowhere has this impact been more profound than in Rwanda, where Inshuti Mu Buzima—PIH’s sister organization—and our government partners have driven innovation for a decade.

Members of the UGHE community are tenacious and resolute in our drive to attain social justice, make common cause with those in need, listen to and learn from others, and operate with honesty and humility as we uphold academic integrity and intellectual curiosity. The University of Global Health Equity seeks individuals committed to these values to join the team.

Commitment to Safeguarding and Prevention of Sexual Exploitation, Abuse and Sexual Harassment:

At UGHE, we are committed to ensuring that those who benefit from our work- including community members – as well as our students, contractors, staff, and visitors to our campus are treated with dignity and respect and protected from sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment and any form of systemic abuse, whilst reducing risk and vulnerabilities. A range of pre-employment checks will be undertaken in conformity with UGHE’s policy.

UGHE will request information from applicants’ previous employers about any findings of fraud, harassment, sexual harassment and any form of systemic abuse or incidents under investigation when the applicant left employment. By applying, the job applicant confirms their understanding of these recruitment procedures.