The Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI) has announced new employment and internship opportunities for candidates seeking to work within the health and medical research sector in Kenya.
According to the latest vacancy listing, the Institute is recruiting for three different positions with a combined five vacancies. The opportunities are available in Thika/Nairobi and Kisumu and include both contract employment and internship placements.
The advertised positions are Laboratory Manager – Thika/Nairobi, Administrative Interns – Kisumu, and Laboratory Quality Assurance Technologist – Kisumu.
The recruitment provides opportunities across different professional areas, including laboratory management, administration and laboratory quality assurance. Applicants should take particular note of the different application deadlines attached to each vacancy because the closing dates are not the same.
The Laboratory Manager vacancy has an application deadline of September 21, 2026 at 5:00 PM, while applications for the Administrative Intern positions will close on September 30, 2026 at 5:00 PM. The Laboratory Quality Assurance Technologist position has the latest deadline, with applications closing on October 6, 2026 at 5:00 PM.
Below is an overview of all the positions currently listed.
- Laboratory Manager – Thika/Nairobi
Job Reference: VN01011
Location: Thika/Nairobi
Employment Type: Contract
Number of Positions: 1
Job Grade: KMR 04
Application Deadline: September 21, 2026 at 5:00 PM
Status: Active
KEMRI is recruiting one Laboratory Manager for deployment in Thika/Nairobi. This is a contract position classified under Job Grade KMR 04.
The Laboratory Manager position represents the most senior laboratory-focused vacancy among the opportunities in this particular recruitment listing. The successful candidate will be engaged on contract terms and will work within the Institute’s laboratory and research environment.
As indicated by the designation, the position centres on the management of laboratory activities. The Laboratory Manager will occupy a role that supports the coordination and management of laboratory operations associated with KEMRI’s research activities.
The vacancy listing identifies Thika/Nairobi as the duty location, meaning applicants interested in the opportunity should carefully consider the stated work location before submitting an application.
Key vacancy information includes:
- The position is advertised under reference number VN01011.
- Only one vacancy is available.
- The employment arrangement is contractual.
- The position is based in Thika/Nairobi.
- The applicable job grade is KMR 04.
- The vacancy is currently listed as active.
- Applications close on September 21, 2026 at 5:00 PM.
Applicants should note the relatively short application window for this particular vacancy. Applications submitted after the stated closing time may not be considered.
Since the information provided for this vacancy does not contain specific academic qualifications, professional certifications, experience requirements or a detailed list of duties and responsibilities, applicants should refer to the complete official vacancy notice before applying. Candidates should not assume additional eligibility requirements beyond those contained in the official KEMRI advertisement.
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- Administrative Interns – Kisumu
Job Reference: VN01016
Location: Kisumu
Employment Type: Internship
Number of Positions: 3
Application Deadline: September 30, 2026 at 5:00 PM
Status: Active
KEMRI is also recruiting three Administrative Interns for placement in Kisumu. Unlike the Laboratory Manager and Laboratory Quality Assurance Technologist opportunities, this opening is specifically classified as an internship.
With three available positions, the Administrative Intern recruitment accounts for the largest number of vacancies in the current listing.
The internship provides an opportunity for successful candidates to be placed within an administrative working environment at KEMRI’s operations in Kisumu. Administrative functions are important to the day-to-day coordination of institutional activities, including the organizational and operational processes that support research programmes and other activities.
The advertised title specifically identifies the successful candidates as Administrative Interns. Applicants should therefore distinguish this opportunity from permanent or contract employment when considering the vacancy.
The internship is based in Kisumu, and all three successful applicants will be recruited under the internship employment category specified in the advertisement.
Key details of the opportunity include:
- The internship reference number is VN01016.
- The position is titled Administrative Interns – Kisumu.
- Three internship opportunities are available.
- The duty location is Kisumu.
- The employment category is internship.
- The opportunity is currently listed as active.
- Applications close on September 30, 2026 at 5:00 PM.
The internship may be particularly relevant to candidates monitoring opportunities within research institutions and seeking exposure to an administrative environment. However, applicants should rely on the official advertisement to establish whether they meet the specific requirements for appointment.
No academic qualifications, professional qualifications, fields of study, age requirements or previous experience requirements were included in the vacancy information provided. These requirements should therefore not be assumed or added to the advertisement.
Similarly, the supplied vacancy information does not provide a detailed breakdown of the duties assigned to the Administrative Interns. Candidates should consult the complete KEMRI vacancy description for the official responsibilities, eligibility conditions and any documentation required during the application process.
Those intending to apply should also note that the closing time is 5:00 PM on September 30, 2026. Candidates are encouraged to complete the online application process within the official application period rather than waiting until after the deadline.
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- Laboratory Quality Assurance Technologist – Kisumu
Job Reference: VN01017
Location: Kisumu
Employment Type: Contract
Number of Positions: 1
Application Deadline: October 6, 2026 at 5:00 PM
Status: Active
The third opportunity in the current KEMRI vacancy listing is for a Laboratory Quality Assurance Technologist based in Kisumu.
One position is available, and the successful candidate will be engaged on a contract basis.
The position is specifically focused on laboratory quality assurance within KEMRI’s research environment. Laboratory quality assurance is an important component of research and laboratory operations because laboratory activities require established procedures and quality systems to support consistency and reliability.
The designation indicates that the successful candidate will work within the laboratory quality assurance function. Candidates interested in laboratory-based opportunities can therefore review the complete official job description to understand the specific responsibilities assigned to the position.
The vacancy is listed under reference number VN01017, which applicants should use when identifying the position on the recruitment portal.
Important vacancy information includes:
- The job reference is VN01017.
- The position is Laboratory Quality Assurance Technologist – Kisumu.
- One vacancy is available.
- The employment type is contract.
- The position is based in Kisumu.
- The vacancy is currently active.
- Applications close on October 6, 2026 at 5:00 PM.
Among the three advertised opportunities, this position has the latest application deadline. Candidates therefore have until October 6, 2026 at 5:00 PM to submit their applications, subject to the requirements and procedures contained in the official advertisement.
The supplied vacancy listing does not state the academic qualifications, professional qualifications, experience requirements or other eligibility conditions for this position. Applicants should consult the full official vacancy description before submitting an application.
The provided information also does not contain the complete duties and responsibilities assigned to the Laboratory Quality Assurance Technologist. Candidates should consequently avoid relying on assumptions about the scope of work and instead review the detailed official job description available through KEMRI’s recruitment platform.
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Summary of KEMRI Vacancies
The current recruitment contains five opportunities distributed across three job titles.
- Laboratory Manager – Thika/Nairobi
- Reference: VN01011
- Employment Type: Contract
- Vacancies: 1
- Job Grade: KMR 04
- Deadline: September 21, 2026 at 5:00 PM
- Administrative Interns – Kisumu
- Reference: VN01016
- Employment Type: Internship
- Vacancies: 3
- Deadline: September 30, 2026 at 5:00 PM
- Laboratory Quality Assurance Technologist – Kisumu
- Reference: VN01017
- Employment Type: Contract
- Vacancies: 1
- Deadline: October 6, 2026 at 5:00 PM
In total, five positions are available: two contract vacancies and three internship placements.
Application Guidance
Interested candidates should carefully identify the vacancy they intend to apply for using the relevant job reference number. This is particularly important because each position has its own closing date.
Candidates considering the Laboratory Manager position should pay particular attention to the September 21, 2026 deadline. The Administrative Intern recruitment remains open until September 30, while the Laboratory Quality Assurance Technologist application period runs until October 6.
Applicants should review the complete official vacancy notice before beginning the application process. The full advertisement should be used to confirm requirements that are not contained in the summary listing, including any applicable educational requirements, experience requirements, supporting documents and detailed responsibilities.
Applicants should also ensure that information entered during the application process is accurate and corresponds with the documents they intend to provide.
Where a vacancy is advertised using a specific reference number, candidates should ensure that they select the correct position. The relevant references are VN01011 for Laboratory Manager, VN01016 for Administrative Interns and VN01017 for Laboratory Quality Assurance Technologist.
Candidates should also distinguish between the employment arrangements. The Laboratory Manager and Laboratory Quality Assurance Technologist vacancies are contract positions, while the three Administrative Intern positions are internships.
The geographical locations are another important consideration. The Laboratory Manager position is listed for Thika/Nairobi, while both the Administrative Intern and Laboratory Quality Assurance Technologist opportunities are based in Kisumu.
About the Current Recruitment
The recruitment covers laboratory, quality assurance and administrative functions, providing opportunities for candidates interested in different areas of KEMRI’s institutional operations.
The Laboratory Manager vacancy is a KMR 04 contract position based in Thika/Nairobi. Only one position is available under this reference.
The Administrative Intern recruitment is the only internship opportunity within the current listing and provides three placements in Kisumu.
The Laboratory Quality Assurance Technologist vacancy is also based in Kisumu but is offered as a contract position rather than an internship.
Candidates should therefore evaluate each vacancy separately and rely on the official job description when determining their suitability.
Application Deadlines
Applicants should take note of the following closing dates:
- September 21, 2026 at 5:00 PM – Laboratory Manager – Thika/Nairobi
- September 30, 2026 at 5:00 PM – Administrative Interns – Kisumu
- October 6, 2026 at 5:00 PM – Laboratory Quality Assurance Technologist – Kisumu
The deadlines apply to individual vacancies rather than the recruitment exercise as a whole. A candidate interested in more than one opportunity should therefore check the applicable deadline for each position separately.
Late applications may not be accepted through the recruitment system once a vacancy has closed.
Important Notice to Applicants
Candidates should use the official KEMRI recruitment information when confirming the requirements of each position. Job seekers should be cautious about relying on unofficial descriptions that introduce academic qualifications, experience levels or professional requirements that are not contained in the original advertisement.
For the vacancies listed above, the supplied recruitment information confirms the position titles, job references, employment types, number of vacancies, locations, application deadlines and the KMR 04 grade for the Laboratory Manager position.
It does not provide the full eligibility requirements or detailed official duties and responsibilities. Those details should therefore be obtained directly from the complete vacancy descriptions before an application is submitted.
Applicants should also keep the respective vacancy reference numbers for easier identification of the positions throughout the recruitment process.
Overall, the latest KEMRI recruitment provides five openings across Nairobi/Thika and Kisumu. Candidates seeking contract employment can consider the Laboratory Manager and Laboratory Quality Assurance Technologist positions, while those seeking an internship opportunity can review the three Administrative Intern placements available in Kisumu.
Each vacancy remains subject to its individual application deadline and the conditions stated in the official KEMRI recruitment notice.
