JOBS IN MWANZA AT MITU

MITU VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT - MEDICAL STATISTICIAN

The MITU programme of research and capacity development builds on a long history of collaborative research on HIV and related infections in Mwanza involving the Tanzanian National Institute for Medical Institute (NIMR), LSHTM, the African Medical Research Foundation (AMREF) and other partner institutions. This collaboration dates from the late 1980s when the HIV epidemic was expanding rapidly in East Africa. Initially, the work of the Unit focused on the relationship between HIV infection and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs). More recently, MITU has conducted research testing the impact of vaginal microbicides on prevention of HIV among women; an observational study to prepare new cohorts of high-risk women; a study to describe and quantify the types of intravaginal practices (IVP) and investigate associations between IVP and STIs, including HIV; and strengthened its research capacity to conduct specific studies in preparation for HIV vaccine trials.

The Unit has also performed work to test the safety and immunogenicity of a vaccine against human
papillomavirus, the major cause of cervical cancer. We are currently in the process of building a new
research programme focussing on Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs), including on the interface
between NCDs and HIV infection.

More information about MITU is available on our website at www.mitu.or.tz

THE POSITION
A position has opened within Mwanza Intervention Trials Unit (MITU) for a Medical Statistician to be
appointed full-time to work within the unit's Biostatistics section. The appointment is for one year
initially. The successful candidate will be working under the supervision of the lead statistician
Dr Christian Holm Hansen and MITU's Scientific Director Dr Saidi Kapiga, and will work closely with
colleagues in the biostatistics and data section to ensure that these effectively support the
implementation of MITU projects.
RESPONSIBILITIES
The responsibilities of the role will include, but are not limited to, the following:
 Assisting the lead statistician and principal investigators within the unit as required
 Assisting with the analysis of research projects
 Monitoring data completeness, consistency and quality in ongoing studies
 Cleaning and preparing data for analysis
 Preparing progress reports and interim analyses to assist with the successful conduct of studies
 Preparing reports summarising study data and results from statistical analyses
 Communicating study findings to colleagues and assisting with interpretation
 To participate in and contribute to project meetings, seminars and scientific forums within the
unit
 Presenting work to colleagues and peers in oral presentations
 To contribute to the development of the biostatistics section and the unit
The post will also include occasional teaching responsibilities and occasional travel to external meetings
and conferences nationally and internationally

PERSON SPECIFICATION
We are seeking to appoint a candidate who is conscientious, meticulous and thorough in their work,
and with good attention to detail. The candidate will have excellent analytical skills and good
organisational and communication skills.
Further essential and desirable qualifications, skills and experience for this post are:
Essential
 An undergraduate or postgraduate degree in statistics, medical statistics or equivalent
 Excellent written and spoken English
 Excellent numeracy skills
 Past experience working with large datasets and analysing data
 Ability to work under pressure and to strict deadlines
 Good statistical programming skills (e.g. using STATA, R, SPSS or equivalent)
 Good IT skills and experience working with Microsoft Office applications and the Microsoft
Windows environment
Desirable
 A postgraduate degree in statistics, medical statistics or equivalent
 Experience working as a medical statistician
 Experience working in a research institution
 Ability to communicate complex ideas to a non-specialist audience
 Ability to think creatively and contribute with novel ideas
 Knowledge/experience of working according to the MRC guidelines for Good Clinical Practice
 Experience of working to standard operating procedures
The applicant must be a Tanzanian national.

APPLICATION PROCESS
Please include with your application:
A full CV including names and contact details of two referees
A letter of application detailing your suitability for the post including how you meet each of the
criteria listed above
Copies of all relevant certificates, memberships and qualifications
A day-time telephone number and email address that we may use to contact you

The deadline for submitting applications is Tuesday the 22nd of September. Applications received later
will not be considered. Please submit applications to Mrs Thabitha Daudi (email:
recruitment@mitu.or.tz). We expect that interviews will be held in the following week. Candidates
shortlisted for interview will be notified by email.