Job Description
Job Description
The following vacancy has arisen within the Biomedical Research and Training Institute:
Position: Youth worker (1 post)
Duration: 12 months
Location where study activities will be conducted: Sally Mugabe Hospital, and council clinics in Harare
About the Biomedical Research and Training Institute (BRTI)
The BRTI was registered in Zimbabwe in 1995 as a non-profit making organization under Section 22 of the Companies
Act (Reg. No.1676/95). The Institute implements research projects and provides training and support services in
public health, biomedicine and health research mostly focusing on HIV/AIDS, TB, Malaria and operational research.
Its mission is to promote the health and quality of life of the peoples of Zimbabwe and the Southern Africa
Development Community region through fostering research, training and research informed interventions in all fields
that are relevant to essential national health needs. The main role of the BRTI is to provide the support that
researchers in all aspects of health need to become effective in influencing policy.
About the ARTful Ageing study
Full title: Investigating ageing mechanisms in children growing up with HIV in the era of antiretroviral therapy
(ARTful Ageing)
The ARTful Ageing study is a prospective cohort study investigating how mechanisms underlying biological ageing
limit trajectories of growth, physical and cognitive function in children growing up with HIV in Zimbabwe. 800 children
aged 6-9 years, 400 with HIV and 400 HIV unexposed uninfected, residing in Greater Harare, will be recruited over a
12-month period. Physical and cognitive assessments will be conducted, and biological samples (blood, urine, hair,
buccal cells, and skin) will be collected to assess biological, physiological, and molecular markers associated with
biological ageing.
Position summary
The Youth Worker will support community engagement, social marketing, and study awareness activities to facilitate
the identification of potentially eligible and interested children for the study. The role will involve engaging with
children, caregivers, healthcare providers at recruitment sites and surrounding council clinics, and other relevant
community groups to raise awareness of the study, generate interest and facilitate expressions of interest and pre- screening. The Youth Worker will coordinate interested and potentially eligible children and their caregivers with the study team for formal screening, informed guardian consent, child assent and enrolment, as appropriate. The Youth Worker will not be responsible for obtaining informed consent, or child assent.
Duties and Responsibilities
Responsibilities:
• Support community engagement and social marketing activities to raise awareness of the study
• Identify and engage children and families who may be interested in participating
• Provide general study information using approved study materials
• Facilitate expressions of interest from potential participants
• Conduct or support initial pre-screening using the study-approved eligibility criteria
1
• Coordinate appointments for interested families to attend formal screening
• Refer potential participants and caregivers for formal screening, consent and child assent
• Maintain recruitment and expression-of-interest logs in accordance with study procedures
• Follow up with interested families regarding appointments and provide logistical information
• Support participant retention and communication activities
• Maintain confidentiality and comply with study safeguarding and ethical requirements
• Liaise with other members of the study team
• Carry out other tasks which may occasionally be necessary appropriate to the post, as determined by the
line manager
Qualifications and Experience
Qualifications:
1. Minimum 5 O level passes including English
2. Previous research experience is required
3. Excellent communication skills
4. Excellent verbal and written English and Shona fluency
5. Ability to work with children
6. Valid GCP/Ethics training would be an added advantage
Personal characteristics required:
1. High personal motivation
2. Enthusiasm and willingness to learn and accept feedback
3. Confident, communicator who can work comfortably with young children
4. Reliable, diligent, detail-oriented worker who can see tasks through to completion
5. Accurate, honest, dependable, and flexible
6. Proven ability to maintain confidentiality and handle and protect sensitive data with integrity
7. Ability to work with limited supervision and on own initiative
8. Ability to establish rapport with a variety of colleagues and to work flexibly with the line manager
How to Apply
Interested candidates can submit a 2-page CV and 1-page cover letter by Friday 28 August 2026 to:
email: artfulageing@gmail.com
PLEASE SPECIFY IN THE EMAIL HEADER THE JOB POSITION YOU ARE APPLYING FOR
Please note only short-listed candidates will be contacted