Global Animal Health Tanzania

This position is for a field research assistant based at Global Animal Health Tanzania (GAHT), Arusha in collaboration with EcoHealth Alliance. The position will support the activities of the Crimean-Congo Haemorrhagic Fever (CCHF) project. The CCHF project aims to investigate evidence of and risk factors for CCHF virus in people, livestock and wildlife in northern Tanzania. Research activities include data collection across Arusha Region and Serengeti National Park.

Qualifications and Attributes

• Animal health-related/ecology diploma, preferred or Form IV certificate and research experience with animals
• Hardworking, dependable, and excellent time keeping
• Able to work well as part of a team with diverse skills and backgrounds
• Able to interact comfortably with study participants from different cultural and socio-economic backgrounds
• Willingness to be flexible in job role and assist other field team members in varied aspects of fieldwork
• Willingness to participate in early morning and evening duties

Experience

• Experience in live capturing small wild mammals, including rodents
• Experience identifying live rodents, shrews and/or hares morphologically
• Experience of field working in remote areas
• Experience in working in international research teams
• Experience in health-related research and data collection, preferred
• Experience in restraining and blood sampling cattle, preferred

Language

• Proficiency in written and verbal Swahili essential
• Fluency in verbal Maasai preferred
• Proficiency in written and verbal English preferred

Responsibilities

Work under the supervision of the Study Coordinator in a field study. This position will involve remote work throughout Arusha Region and Serengeti National Park. Extended periods in remote areas with overnight stays in lodgings in Serengeti National Park will be required. Overnight stays in lodgings or camping near to study villages in Arusha Region will be required Monday to

Friday, with occasional possible changes to this work pattern. Weekly travel from study areas to Arusha Town will be required. Travel to and from Moshi will also be needed to coordinate with project staff based at KCRI. Duties include but are not limited to the following day-to-day activities:

• Learn all research study protocols
• Complete ethics of animal and human subjects research training
• Describe the study to potential participants and answer questions about the study
• Assist with small mammal (rodents, shrews and hares) live capture, morphological identification and blood sampling
• Assist with cattle restraint and blood sampling
• Assist field team with all additional aspects of fieldwork including environmental data collection, tick collection, and completing study questionnaires and data sheets
• Transfer of blood samples to sample tubes, centrifuging samples, aliquoting serum to storage tubes and storing samples

The above statements describe the general nature and level of work being assigned to this position. This is not an exhaustive list of all responsibilities and duties.

Remuneration and Terms

• Attractive salary
• 12 months’ contract renewable; probation period of 3 months