Research Assistant, COMS-A

University of Global Health Equity (UGHE) Kigali, Rwanda

Job Description: Research Assistant, WIL and MNCH Programs

Position Title: Research Assistant, WIL and MNCH Programs
Reports to: Director, COMS-A
Location: COMS-A Secretariat, Kigali, Rwanda (hosted by the University of Global Health Equity)
Contract Type: Full-time, one year, renewable depending on funding availability

About COMS-A

The Consortium of Medical Schools–Africa (COMS-A) is a bold, continent-wide initiative launched in March 2025 at the Medical Education 2025 Conference in Kigali, Rwanda. Bringing together more than 135 medical schools from 30+ countries, COMS-A provides a unified, African-led platform to strengthen medical education and research, harmonize curricula, foster collaboration, and shape policy in alignment with continental and global frameworks.

About the SHINE Initiative

COMS-A is launching the SHINE Initiative, a major continental program focused on two critical strategic priorities:

1. Women in Leadership (WIL) in African medical education.
2. Advancing Maternal, Newborn and Child Health (MNCH) and Gender, Sexual and Reproductive Health (GSRH) through medical education, research, and simulation-based training.

To support these ambitious continental programs, COMS-A is recruiting this position for the Secretariat.

Position Summary

The Research Assistant will provide research, data, and monitoring and evaluation support to both SHINE workstreams: Women in Leadership (WIL) and MNCH and GSRHR. This includes supporting baseline and follow-up studies, providing quantitative and qualitative data support, coordinating surveys and research activities across COMS-A institutions, and contributing to literature reviews, policy briefs, and academic manuscripts. The Research Assistant will work closely with both Program Leads and the Secretariat team.

Key Responsibilities

• Support the continental baseline study on women in leadership in African medical schools, including data collection, management, and analysis.
• Assist with qualitative and quantitative research activities for both WIL and MNCH workstreams, including instrument development, data collection, transcription, coding, cleaning, and basic analysis.
• Coordinate online and institutional surveys across COMS-A member schools, ensure data quality, and maintain updated databases.
• Provide research and coordination support to the COMS-A MNCH Research Mentorship Program, including tracking projects, supporting training activities, and assisting with ethics and reporting requirements.
• Contribute to the development of MNCH and gender-responsive educational resources, curricula, and case studies by compiling evidence and supporting content drafting.
• Prepare literature reviews and contribute to policy briefs, technical reports, conference abstracts, and academic manuscripts.
• Support monitoring and evaluation for both workstreams, including indicator tracking, data visualization, and preparation of M&E summaries.
• Provide administrative and logistical support to meetings, workshops, and webinars, and maintain organized records and document repositories.
• Facilitate communication with COMS-A member institutions and partners, ensuring timely information sharing and follow-up.
• Perform M&E functions of both work streams.

Qualifications

Education

• Bachelor’s degree in Public Health, Global Health, Education, Social Sciences, or a related field required; Master’s degree preferred.

Skills and Competencies

• Demonstrated research skills in both qualitative and quantitative methods.
• Prior experience supporting academic or programmatic research, preferably in health or education.
• Proficiency in data management tools such as Excel, and familiarity with software such as STATA, R, SPSS, NVivo, or similar is an advantage.
• Strong writing and editing skills, with the ability to synthesize information clearly and concisely.
• Excellent organizational skills, attention to detail, and ability to meet deadlines.
• Ability to work collaboratively with multiple teams and stakeholders across different countries and time zones.
• High levels of professionalism, integrity, and discretion in handling sensitive information.
• Commitment to COMS-A’s values: Excellence, Equity, Collaboration, Integrity, Sustainability, and Social Accountability.
• Fluency in English is essential; proficiency in French or Portuguese is an advantage.

Terms of Employment

• Full-time position, based in Kigali, Rwanda.
• Initial contract of one year, renewable depending on performance and funding availability.
• Competitive salary and benefits commensurate with qualifications and experience.

How to Apply

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

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 provide 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.