Zvitambo Institute for Maternal and Child Health Research

Deadline: 21 May 2021

Location: Shurugwi

Zvitambo is a multidisciplinary public health research institute whose mission is to improve maternal and child health in Zimbabwe and to apply its findings to improve health globally. Zvitambo conducts research and provides technical support and education to reduce the burden of malnutrition and infectious diseases. Zvitambo is looking for an energized and committed team to help lead and support a clinical trial in Shurugwi, called COMBI - Cotrimoxazole for Mothers to Improve Birthweight in Infants. COMBI is evaluating the effects of antibiotics (versus placebo) during pregnancy on birth outcomes. The trial will enroll 1000 pregnant women from three clinics in Shurugwi district and follow mother-child pairs until 6 weeks postpartum. The trial aims to investigate the impact of infections on birth outcomes, including the role of periodontitis.

Position Summary

The COMBI Trial Dentist is a member of the clinical trial team whose primary role is to perform dental/oral examinations and collect samples from study participants. Additionally, the COMBI Trial Dentist will provide urgent dental care to participants who may require it during pregnancy, and provide routine treatment postnatally. (S)he will work closely with the Project Lead to ensure that the study procedures are of high quality and that a high standard of clinical care is provided to the participants. (S)he will work at all three clinic sites in Shurugwi District. Responsibilities will include performing basic periodontal examinations, full mouth plaque scores and bleeding scores on all participants, performing specimen collection (saliva, tongue swabs, supragingival and subgingival plaque) on all participants. (S)he will provide urgent dental care to participants who may require it during pregnancy and provide routine dental care to participants post-partum. (S)he will ensure that all research is undertaken according to Good Clinical Practice, maintain proper documentation on all study participants including electronic data collection, and comply with the local or global policies and procedures in relation to data protection, confidentiality, health and safety at work, infection control, and all local safety rules. (S)he will work as part of a multidisciplinary team of clinicians, scientists, and research support staff, developing the clinical trial, correspond with the dental supervisory team and research team whenever required, working closely with the District Dentist, including referring participants who may need dental/oral care treatment, and participate in study-related training sessions and meetings. The start date for this post is 1 June 2021 or soon thereafter.

Qualifications

The candidate must have a dental degree (Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) or Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) or equivalent with a current practicing certificate and at least 5 years of clinical experience. They must have excellent organizational skills, be a strong team player, and be able to work to strict deadlines. They must be willing to work flexibly as the project demands and be proactive. They must be willing to learn new skills, have excellent oral and written communication skills in both English and Shona, be computer literate with practical experience working with word processing programmes and spreadsheet forms. They must have a current certificate in Good Clinical Practice and Ethics and traceable references. It is preferable if the candidate has previous experience working on a clinical trial, working in rural settings, has a postgraduate diploma (or higher) in public health or periodontics, or has experience as a calibrated examiner in periodontal research.

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