Post title: Field Research Assistant (Casual)

Program : Revitalising Informal Settlements and their Environments (RISE)

Reporting to : Assessment Project Manager (1st); Country Manager(2nd)  

Duty Station : Makassar, Indonesia

Duration : 10 weeks

Number of posts : 4 posts

Working days & hours : Monday – Friday (08.00-17.00) 

Background:

The Revitalising Informal Settlements and their Environments (RISE) programme aims to demonstrate a new approach to water and sanitation management in urban informal settlements. RISE is an action-research programme utilizing a randomized control trial (RCT) methodology involving 24 informal settlements (12 in Fiji and 12 in Indonesia). The RISE theory of change is that the water sensitive cities (WSC) approach can interrupt the faecal-oral transmission route, resulting in an improvement in human gastrointestinal health, especially for children under 5 years of age. 

The overall aim of RISE is ‘to improve the lives of men and women, boys and girls in informal settlements through improvements in human health and the environment by adopting a water sensitive cities (WSC) approach to informal settlement upgrading’. The expected outcome of RISE is to provide the evidence that a localised, water-sensitive approach to upgrading informal settlements can deliver sustainable, cost-effective improvements in health and the environment as a complementary to ‘big pipes’ in the Asia-Pacific, paving the way for further deployments in the region and globally. The NHMRC Exposure study is an add-on project to RISE that aims to understand high-risk behaviours and different ways that children are exposed to pathogens which cause gastrointestinal illness along four major transmission pathways: food, drinking water, hands and fomites (objects). This will help to elucidate the relative contribution of each potential pathway to contamination exposure. 

Key responsibilities:

1. Support RISE field work to undertake health and NHMRC exposure study data collection

• Participate in regular training on children and NHMRC sampling methods
• Plan, organize and manage day to day reagents/kits and equipment needed
• Administer surveys using electronic tablet device
• Performance of height, weight, length measurements of children < 5 years old
• Maintain accurate records in the field and ensure traceability of all sample collections
• Provide active maintenance of monitoring strategies (including the maintenance and cleaning of Hemocue, garmin, shore board etc.) and replacement of batteries or ineffective devices. 
• Maintain field equipment in proper working order while in and out of the field.

2. Support documentation, reporting, and any other duties required

• Provide inputs to program manuals, trainings, and knowledge products based on lessons learned and community needs
• Any other duties that is delegated by the Assessment Project Manager

Key result areas: 

1. Communities are engaged and supportive for the duration of the campaign
2. Timely achievement of all health and NHMRC activities and outputs.

Required qualifications and experience:

At least a Bachelor degree in social sciences, health, environment, engineering or a related discipline. Having experience with field data collection and community engagements.

How to apply:

These are Makassar based positions with remuneration according to work experiences. All applications will be treated in confidence. Only short-listed candidates will be notified and invited for interviews. Please submit your cover letter, CV with three references to [email protected] not later than 2nd June 2024.

The Revitalising Informal Settlements and their Environments (RISE) Program is founded on principles of responsible research and “a do no harm” duty of care to the communities that have volunteered to participate in the program. RISE commits to Prevention of Sexual Exploitation, Abuse, and Harassment (PSEAH) and Child Protection.