Clinical Associate - (Wits VIDA)

About the position

Background:

• The Vaccines and Infectious Diseases Analytics (VIDA) Research Unit of the University of the Witwatersrand, formerly RMPRU (Respiratory and Meningeal Pathogens Research Unit) has for over 20 years conducted numerous studies to assess the burden of and prevent vaccine-preventable diseases (VPD)
• Current studies and projects include infant rotavirus and BCG trials

Main purpose of the job:

• To assist Medical Officers with Clinical Research activities

Location:

• Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital

Key performance areas:

1. Recruitment and retention

• Screening and consenting of participants, as and when needed (particularly escalated cases)
• Establish a relationship of trust and respect with participants
• Provide timeous family feedback to participants once a case has been to DeCoDed

2. Minimal Invasive Tissue Sampling

• Perform MITS procedure at different sites
• Collect samples using MITS as per the SOPs - this includes the collection of sample isolates from NHLS
• Deliver samples to the local lab
• Carryout verbal autopsy interviews according to SOPs
• Co-ordinate and manage the result feedback to family
• Ensure that results are provided to families in a secure and private location

3. Administration

• Completing of all relevant CRFs of the study
• Accurately abstract information from the clinical notes and ante-mortem lab result to the database
• Make sure that all the MITS results has been received and captured to the database
• Relaying interim or final findings to the study participants
• Accurately recording the DeCoDe panel causality of death sequence for each participant during the DeCoDe meetings and Capturing onto the database
• Administrative duties including procurement of consumables and supervision of Research Study Participants
• Completion and coding (basic and advanced) of the discharge summaries
• Verification of logs
• Generating and completing of missing deaths summaries list
• Cleaning of duplicate list on a weekly basis
• Communicate with donor representatives around compliance issues as and when required
• Train Admin Staff on all Financial requirements i.e. Recons, and Compliance with Donor rules
• Tracking and keeping a log of families who have received feedback and those that are pending
• Monitor the lost to follow up of families consented and work with the counselling team to improve the feedback retention rate
• Provide reports on the rate of feedback and any issues arising
• Notification to the National Institute of Communicable Disease for notifiable conditions identified through the MITS process
• Paeds and Neonatal surveillance, weekly rotations through the PNS project that includes swabbing of paediatric patients admitted at CHBAH and capturing of these cases

4. Customer Service and Stakeholder Relations

• Act in a professional and friendly manner in all dealings with internal stakeholders
• Show a high level of customer centricity at all times
• Communicate with Donor representatives around compliance issues as and when required
• Train admin staff on all financial requirements. i.e Recons, and Compliance with Donor rules
• Build and maintain authentic relationships with all stakeholders ensuring that all interactions are professional
• Effectively manage work processes in order to maintain high levels of productivit

5. Effective self-management and performance ownership

• Take ownership and accountability for tasks and demonstrate effective self-management
• Follow through to ensure that quality and productivity standards of own work are consistently and accurately maintained
• Maintain a positive attitude and respond openly to feedback
• Take ownership for driving own career development by participating in ongoing training and development activities such as workshops, forums, conferences etc.

Required minimum education and training:

• Bachelor of Clinical Medical Practice or equivalent

Required minimum work experience:

• 1-2 years Research experience and Demonstrable Clinical Work experience

Desirable additional education, work experience and personal abilities:

• Clinical trials experience
• Good Clinical Practice
• Excellent clinical skills
• Computer literacy in MS Word and Excel
• Good interpersonal skills and ability to work in a team
• Attention to details
• Motivated
• Organised, Friendly, Professional

TO APPLY:

• Only if you meet the minimum job requirements and experience as mentioned above, you may submit a detailed updated CV and a cover letter (maximum one page) 
• Please Apply Online and complete your registration via our website to enable and protect you as a candidate, and to accept the new POPIA terms and conditions
• This will then create your permanent profile with which you can apply for all jobs as advertised by AJ PERSONNEL
• However, you may remove your profile from AJ PERSONNEL when you are no longer in the job market
• Please take note that the applicants who do not adhere to the above criteria will not be considered for the respective position
• Wits Health Consortium will only respond to shortlisted candidates
• Candidates who have not been contacted within two weeks of the closing date can consider their applications to be unsuccessful
• Closing date: 11 June 2026
• Note: No CV will be accepted after the closing date

Please note:

• WHC, in accordance with its Employment Equity goals and plan, will give preference to suitable applicants from designated groups as defined in the Employment Equity Act 55 of 1998 and subsequent amendments thereto
• AJ Personnel is only responsible for advertising and the response handling on behalf of their client Wits Health Consortium
• AJ Personnel does not have any salary or other information regarding the position

Desired Skills:

• Research
• SOP
• GCP
• Baragwanath
• Soweto
• Clinical Associate
• Degree Clinical Medical Practice

Employer & Job Benefits:

• Medical Aid and Provident Fund