Associate Researcher at GEMS

About the position

Introduction

The position of Associate Researcher is vacant. The Associate Researcher role will report directly to the Senior Manager: Health Policy and forms part of the Research and Development Division. The position is permanent and will be based at GEMS Head Office, Pretoria.

The Associate Researcher will work under the guidance of the Specialists to support the Research and Policy functions within GEMS. The purpose of the role is to contribute to evidence-based research that informs policy decisions, member health outcomes, and Scheme strategy. The incumbent will contribute to project design, data collection, analysis, and dissemination of research while ensuring compliance with ethical research standards.

The remuneration package for this position is between R641,679 and R 802,027 based on qualifications and experience.

The closing date for applications will be Thursday,16 April 2026.

Duties & Responsibilities

• Contribute to the development and design of research methodologies that align with organisational objectives for publication in peer-reviewed journals.
• Support the conceptualisation and execution of research projects in collaboration with the data analytics team.
• Conduct operational research to inform policy and scheme-level decisions.
• Perform epidemiological research to identify patterns, causes, and risk factors for diseases impacting Scheme membership.
• Analyse complex and multifaceted data and synthesise findings into actionable insights or recommendations.
• Guided by the specialist, define statistical approaches for quantitative analyses together with the data analytics team.
• Ensure research integrity by adhering to sound research design, methodology, analysis, and ethical standards.
• Contribute to the publishing of research in peer-reviewed journals and the preparation of technical or scientific reports.
• Continuously review and assist in the improvement of Scheme research policies and procedures.
• Draft research summaries, presentations, and policy briefs for dissemination to internal stakeholders and governance structures.
• Support the submission and presentation of research findings for conferences and panels.
• Ensure documentation and proper record-keeping of research correspondence and outputs in line with GEMS procedures.
• Support the specialist to implement the Scheme's research strategy and operational plan
• Work with the coordinator to support the specialist in managing the research partnerships

Desired Experience & Qualification

• Minimum of a Bachelor's degree in a relevant Health Sciences field such as Public Health, Clinical Epidemiology, Medicine, Nursing, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Statistics/Biostatistics, or Medical Sciences.
• A Master's degree (or working towards it) in Public Health, Epidemiology, or a related health discipline will be advantageous.
• Minimum of 1-3 years' experience in a research environment.
• Participation in clinical, epidemiological, or public health research projects.
• Experience with data collection, statistical analysis, or literature reviews.
• Exposure to epidemiology and biostatistics.
• Demonstrated scientific writing skills, including authoring or contributing to research protocols, reports.
• Familiarity with research and statistical software such as STATA, R, EPINFO, MAXQDA, or NVivo.
• Ability to translate research findings into actionable recommendations.

Disclaimer

Should you be interested, please apply for the position online.

The closing date for applications is 16 April 2026_ Should you not hear from us by 30 June 2026 , please consider your application unsuccessful.

*** GEMS employs people with the highest level of integrity - submission to the appropriate pre-employment assessment is obligatory to be considered for the position.

*** Kindly note that the information provided on application of the position may be shared with a third party for vetting purposes and will be stored by GEMS for a period of 5 years.

*** Kindly note that information is required for Recruitment and Selection Process Purposes, and information gathered is strictly used according to the intended purpose of collection, unless there is a legal need or permission is granted from the applicant themselves to make use of it for other purpose

*** Should you wish to have your information removed from the GEMS database, kindly send a request in writing to [Email Address Removed] .

*** GEMS adopts a hybrid work model

*** An internal employee must be in their current role for at 12 months before they will be considered for other vacancies within the Scheme.

*** GEMS reserves the right not to proceed with an appointment

*** GEMS is guided by the principles of employment equity. Preference will be given to groups who are underrepresented in accordance with the GEMS employment equity plan.

*** Successful candidates will be required to seek approval to conduct other work outside of GEMS.