Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI) is hiring across 11 contract research positions in Kilifi and Nairobi — spanning biosciences, epidemiology, data management, health systems, and school engagement. The deadline is 27 May 2026. KEMRI does not charge any fee at any stage of recruitment.
Section A: Assistant Research Officer Positions (Bachelor’s Degree + 1 Year Experience)
1. Assistant Research Officer (Biosciences) – Kilifi | 5 Posts
Key Focus: Laboratory assays (DNA/RNA extraction, qPCR, sequencing), phylogenetic analysis, data collection, report writing, and mentorship of junior researchers.
Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree in Biological Sciences, Bioinformatics, or related field
- Minimum 1 year research experience at a reputable institution
- Experience with automated statistical tools
- Strong analytical, communication, and teamwork skills
2. Assistant Research Officer (Epidemiology) – Kilifi | 2 Posts
Key Focus: Epidemiological data collection, analysis, and interpretation; statistical summaries and data visualisation; report writing and scientific dissemination; researcher mentorship.
Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree in Biological Sciences, Statistics, Public Health, or related field
- Minimum 1 year research experience
- Experience with automated statistical tools
- Strong analytical skills and attention to detail
3. Assistant Research Officer (School Engagement Programme) – Kilifi | 1 Post
Key Focus: Planning and conducting science engagement activities with primary and junior school learners — including science literacy sessions, modelling competitions, career talks, and mobile lab demonstrations. Community and stakeholder engagement with Ministry of Education and teachers.
Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree in Biological Sciences, Social Sciences, Communication, or related field
- Minimum 1 year experience in school or young people engagement activities
- Experience developing teaching/learning aids and working with students
- Strong interpersonal and communication skills
4. Assistant Research Officer – Epidemiologist/Data Analyst – Nairobi | 1 Post
Key Focus: Preparing longitudinal epidemiological datasets; computing mortality rates, coverage indicators, case-mix descriptors; producing descriptive analyses and facility-level dashboards; supporting interrupted time series modelling workflows.
Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree in Epidemiology, Biostatistics, or Public Health
- Minimum 1 year experience in applied analysis with routine data
- Proficiency in R or Stata, data visualisation, and meticulous quality control
- Strong scientific writing skills
Section B: Research Officer Positions (Master’s Degree + 3 Years Experience)
5. Research Officer (Bioscience) – Kilifi or Nairobi | 2 Posts
Key Focus: Coordinating laboratory processes (DNA/RNA extraction, qPCR, sequencing); data analysis; troubleshooting assays; mentoring and supervising junior researchers; contributing to scientific publications and grant proposals.
Requirements
- Master’s degree in Biological Sciences, Bioinformatics, or related field
- Minimum 3 years experience in Genomics and Bioinformatics
- Demonstrated capacity building experience; proficiency in R and bioinformatics software
- Strong team coordination and supervisory skills
6. Research Officer (NEWRISK) – Kilifi | 1 Post
Key Focus: Supporting NEWRISK WP4 community and stakeholder engagement activities; data collection, analysis, and storage; capacity building; supervising assigned staff; contributing to manuscripts, policy briefs, and research proposals.
Requirements
- Master’s degree in Global Health, Public Health, or related field
- Minimum 3 years experience in community and public engagement at a research institution
- Experience with current health research technology
- Strong stakeholder engagement and team coordination skills
7. Research Officer (HSU) – Nairobi | 1 Post
Key Focus: Qualitative and mixed-methods health systems research — community sensitisation, stakeholder engagement, fieldwork, data collection and analysis, manuscript preparation, and scientific dissemination. Fieldwork may require weekend work.
Requirements
- Master’s degree in Social Sciences, Anthropology, Sociology, or related field
- Minimum 3 years research experience — qualitative data collection via interviews, FGDs, and non-participant observation
- Evidence of research publications
- Knowledge of NVivo is an added advantage
- Excellent understanding of the Kenyan health system
8. Research Officer – Health Systems Evaluation and Data Analytics – Nairobi | 1 Post
Key Focus: Probabilistic record linkage; analysis of HDSS, CRVS, and DHS datasets; geospatial analysis; DHIS2 data analytics; Python-based data pipelines; interactive dashboards; equity and health system performance analysis.
Requirements
- Master’s degree in Spatial Data Science, Public Health, Epidemiology, Statistics, or related quantitative field
- Minimum 3 years experience in health research with CRVS, HDSS, or DHS datasets
- Proficiency in R/Stata, GIS tools (ArcGIS/QGIS), Python, and web mapping
- Strong scientific writing and spatial data visualisation skills
9. Research Officer (Evaluating Hospital Workloads & Case-Mix) – Nairobi | 1 Post
Key Focus: Compiling DHIS2 hospital data for Level 4 and 5 hospitals (2021–2025); developing hospital capacity and workload datasets; linkage to geographic data; productivity and efficiency analyses; county hospital surveys; REDCap database development.
Requirements
- Master’s degree in Epidemiology, Global Health, or Public Health
- Primary degree in a health discipline
- Minimum 3 years health research experience with peer-reviewed publications
- Proficiency in R or Stata, NVIVO, and REDCap
- Detailed understanding of Level 4 and 5 hospitals in Kenya
10. Research Officer – Data Management – Nairobi | 1 Post
Key Focus: Managing full data engineering pipelines across 9–10 countries; ETL workflows; data quality frameworks; secure server management; federated analysis scripts; producing quarterly clean datasets and documentation.
Requirements
- Master’s degree in Biostatistics, Health Informatics, or Data Management
- Minimum 3 years managing large routine health datasets
- Proficiency in SQL, Python, and R; data modelling and quality frameworks; security best practice
11. Research Officer – Data Management (Wellcome Research Programme) – Nairobi | 1 Post
Key Focus: Identical scope to Role 10 above — ETL workflows, federated analysis, data quality frameworks, secure data management across multi-country settings — under the Wellcome Research Programme.
Requirements
- Master’s degree in Biostatistics, Health Informatics, or Data Management
- Minimum 3 years managing large routine health datasets
- Proficiency in SQL, Python, and R; data modelling; security best practice
How to Apply for All 11 Roles
Deadline: 27 May 2026
Apply through the KEMRI official careers portal — each role has a dedicated application link:
KEMRI does not charge any fee at any stage of the recruitment process. Do not pay any individual or agency claiming to facilitate your KEMRI application.
