The KEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Programme has announced multiple exciting career opportunities in Kenya for June 2026. These openings are ideal for professionals in research, social sciences, pharmacy, epidemiology, biostatistics, project operations, and global health.
Based in Kenya, the programme continues to lead in world-class health research, contributing significantly to scientific knowledge, public health policy, and improved healthcare systems in Africa and beyond. The latest recruitment drive presents an opportunity for qualified professionals to join ongoing research projects focused on maternal immunisation, neonatal health, vaccine manufacturing, cardiovascular disease, empirical ethics, and population health.
All applications for the positions listed below close on 16th June 2026.
Open Positions at KEMRI-Wellcome Trust – June 2026
The institution is recruiting for the following eight positions:
- Research Pharmacist
- Assistant Research Officer (Social Science)
- Early Post-Doctoral Researcher – Statistician (Beginning Fund Project)
- Epidemiology and Demography Departmental Manager
- Early Post-Doctoral Researcher (CARisSA)
- Research Officer (Social Science)
- Assistant Research Officer (Chanjo Hub Project)
- Post-Doctoral Researcher – Empirical Ethics Studies on Priority Areas in Global Health
Below is a detailed breakdown of each vacancy.
1. Research Pharmacist
Vacancy Number: KWTRP26/EDD-PHARM/001
Application Deadline: 16 June 2026
The KEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Programme is seeking to recruit a Research Pharmacist to support the safe and compliant implementation of the RSV Maternal Immunization IMPACT Trial.
This position will play a critical role in the handling and management of investigational medicinal products used within the study.
Key Duties and Responsibilities
- Managing investigational medicinal product (IMP) processes within the study
- Supporting participant randomization procedures during trial implementation
- Ensuring safe dispensing of investigational products to study participants
- Maintaining accurate dispensing records and documentation
- Monitoring compliance with study protocols relating to IMP handling
- Supporting safe pharmaceutical storage and accountability procedures
- Ensuring documentation meets clinical trial and regulatory requirements
- Working closely with trial teams to support smooth implementation of the RSV Maternal Immunization IMPACT Trial
This role is suitable for professionals with experience in pharmaceutical research support, clinical trials pharmacy, or investigational medicinal product management.
2. Assistant Research Officer (Social Science)
Vacancy Number: Clinical-ARO(SS)-05-2026
Application Deadline: 16 June 2026
The programme is also recruiting an Assistant Research Officer (Social Science) to support social science research activities through data collection, fieldwork coordination, and analysis.
This role will contribute to research examining social experiences, behaviours, and health systems through empirical research methods.
Key Duties and Responsibilities
- Supporting development of research and data collection tools
- Organising field activities for empirical research
- Conducting primary data collection activities
- Carrying out non-participant observations
- Facilitating focus group discussions
- Conducting narrative interviews with mothers, families, and healthcare staff
- Organising field records and study documentation
- Supporting qualitative and thematic data analysis
- Working closely with wider project teams during implementation of social science studies
- Contributing to interpretation and reporting of research findings
The role offers an opportunity to work directly within community and health-related research environments.
3. Early Post-Doctoral Researcher – Statistician (Beginning Fund Project)
Vacancy Number: Early Post Doc-Beginnings Fund-04-2026
Application Deadline: 16 June 2026
KEMRI-Wellcome Trust is hiring an Early Post-Doctoral Researcher – Statistician to support quantitative research within a multicountry evaluation programme.
The position will focus on statistical design, implementation of quantitative analyses, and integration of evidence across research workstreams.
Key Duties and Responsibilities
- Supporting statistical design within the evaluation programme
- Leading quantitative analysis activities
- Contributing to epidemiological analyses
- Supporting implementation of statistical modelling approaches
- Interpreting quantitative datasets for research outputs
- Working closely with qualitative research teams
- Ensuring integration of quantitative and qualitative evidence
- Supporting communication of policy-relevant outputs
- Contributing to scientific reporting and dissemination of findings
- Supporting evidence generation for decision-making and policy engagement
This role will suit candidates working in statistics, biostatistics, epidemiology, or quantitative public health research.
4. Epidemiology and Demography Departmental Manager
Vacancy Number: KWTRP26/EDDM-/17
Application Deadline: 16 June 2026
The programme is also seeking an Epidemiology and Demography Departmental Manager to oversee departmental operations and provide strategic management support.
This role combines operational leadership with departmental coordination responsibilities.
Key Duties and Responsibilities
- Managing the day-to-day operations of the department
- Providing strategic support to the Head of Department
- Leading the Epidemiology and Demography Department operations team
- Supporting planning and implementation of departmental priorities
- Coordinating operational workflows within the department
- Supporting management of resources and internal systems
- Ensuring efficient delivery of departmental objectives
- Monitoring departmental performance and workflow effectiveness
- Supporting communication and coordination across teams
- Contributing to strategic planning and institutional decision-making
This is a leadership role suited for professionals experienced in research operations, programme management, or departmental administration.
5. Early Post-Doctoral Researcher (CARisSA)
Vacancy Number: KWTRP26/EPD-CARisSA/16
Application Deadline: 16 June 2026
KEMRI-Wellcome Trust is recruiting an Early Post-Doctoral Researcher under the CARisSA project.
The successful candidate will provide scientific leadership and coordinate day-to-day implementation activities within the Cardiovascular Disease Epidemiology Research Group.
Key Duties and Responsibilities
- Providing scientific leadership within the research group
- Leading implementation of daily project activities
- Supporting delivery of cardiovascular disease epidemiology research
- Coordinating research workflows and project activities
- Supporting study implementation and scientific oversight
- Collaborating with multidisciplinary research teams
- Contributing to research outputs and scientific publications
- Supporting project coordination within the Cardiovascular Disease Epidemiology Research Group
- Assisting in interpretation of findings and dissemination of results
This opportunity is ideal for early-career postdoctoral researchers interested in cardiovascular disease epidemiology and population health research.
6. Research Officer (Social Science)
Vacancy Number: RO-CGTRH-MSA-05-2026
Application Deadline: 16 June 2026
The Research Officer (Social Science) role will focus on studies exploring vulnerabilities following birth complications and transitions from hospital to home.
The research aims to co-design strategies that strengthen neonatal post-discharge continuity of care.
Key Duties and Responsibilities
- Supporting research examining vulnerabilities following birth complications
- Studying transitions from hospital to home after neonatal care
- Supporting development of strategies to improve neonatal post-discharge continuity of care
- Working closely with multidisciplinary research teams
- Using qualitative methods to explore experiences of mothers and families with hospitalised sick newborns
- Conducting research into realities faced by staff caring for neonates and families
- Engaging with hospital and primary healthcare settings during fieldwork
- Supporting collection and interpretation of qualitative evidence
- Contributing to study outputs and recommendations to strengthen care systems
This role is particularly relevant to professionals working in maternal health, newborn health, social science research, or health systems research.
7. Assistant Research Officer (Chanjo Hub Project)
Vacancy Number: HSRE-ARO(CHP)-04-2026
Application Deadline: 16 June 2026
KEMRI-Wellcome Trust is also hiring an Assistant Research Officer under the Chanjo Hub Project.
The project seeks to investigate the feasibility of establishing local vaccine manufacturing pipelines in Africa, with a focus on Kenya and Ghana.
The social science component examines facilitators and barriers to vaccine manufacturing, including vaccine confidence and public trust.
Key Duties and Responsibilities
- Supporting social science activities within the Chanjo Hub Project
- Contributing to research on local vaccine manufacturing in Africa
- Supporting studies focused on Kenya and Ghana
- Examining facilitators and barriers to vaccine manufacturing
- Supporting research around vaccine confidence and public trust
- Working as part of the wider social science team
- Supporting fieldwork and project implementation activities
- Assisting in collection and analysis of research data
- Supporting reporting of findings related to vaccine systems and public perceptions
This role offers an opportunity to contribute to important conversations around vaccine production and health security in Africa.
8. Post-Doctoral Researcher – Empirical Ethics Studies on Priority Areas in Global Health
Vacancy Number: HSRE-GHBN-05-2026
Application Deadline: 16 June 2026
The programme is recruiting Post-Doctoral Researchers to join a Wellcome Trust-funded research programme focusing on empirical ethics studies in global health.
The role will explore ethics guidance and ethical practice at institutional, national, and regional levels.
Key Duties and Responsibilities
- Working within a multidisciplinary global health ethics research programme
- Examining institutional ethics guidance and practice
- Studying national and regional ethics frameworks
- Investigating priority areas in global health research
- Supporting empirical ethics research activities
- Contributing to analysis of ethics policy and research governance
- Supporting interpretation of ethics practices within global health contexts
- Contributing to development of research outputs and publications
- Supporting dissemination of evidence and policy-relevant findings
This opportunity is ideal for researchers interested in global health ethics, health policy, and ethics governance.
Why These Opportunities Stand Out
These vacancies provide professionals with an opportunity to join one of Africa’s leading research institutions and contribute to projects that address major health priorities across the continent.
The current openings span multiple disciplines including:
- Clinical research
- Pharmacy
- Social science
- Epidemiology
- Demography
- Global health ethics
- Cardiovascular research
- Vaccine systems research
- Quantitative and statistical analysis
- Programme operations and leadership
Successful candidates will have the chance to contribute to research with both local and international impact while working alongside multidisciplinary experts in global health.
Application Deadline
All applications for the above positions close on:
16 June 2026
Interested candidates are encouraged to review the respective job descriptions carefully and submit applications before the deadline.
How to Apply
Applicants should visit the official KEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Programme careers page to view full job descriptions and submit their applications online.
