June 29, 2026
ENHANCING INFECTION PREVENTION AND RATIONAL ANTIBIOTIC USE FOR NEONATAL INFECTIONS IN FOUR HEALTH FACILITIES IN THE VOLTA REGION
CALL FOR APPLICATIONS
MASTER’S STUDENTS SCHOLARSHIPS
(Four Work packages: Behavioral, AMS, IPC, and Diagnostic)
Project Background
Neonatal infections remain a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in Ghana, accounting for approximately 60% of Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) admissions. This three-year implementation research project, funded by the International Centre for Antimicrobial Resistance Solutions (ICARS) and in partnership with the University of Health and Allied Sciences (UHAS) and the Ghana Health Service (GHS), aims to reduce the incidence of neonatal infections by at least 20% across four hospitals in the Volta Region: The project will be implemented in three phases over a three-year period (February 2026 – December 2028).
About the Scholarship
The ICARS project is offering a fully funded Master’s program scholarship to support graduate students to pursue research in neonatal health, antimicrobial resistance, and related fields. Each scholarship is embedded within one of the four Work Packages (Behavioral, AMS, IPC, and Diagnostic) and provides a structured research environment in which the scholar will design and execute an original Master’s thesis or dissertation using data generated by the project. Scholarship holders will be full members of the ICARS research team, working under the mentorship of Senior project leads, and will gain hands-on experience in Implementation Research across four hospitals in the Volta Region. The scholarship covers tuition, a monthly stipend, and research-related expenses for the duration of the Master’s program, subject to satisfactory academic progress and engagement with project activities.
GENERAL ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS
All applicants must meet the following minimum requirements regardless of the Work Package applied for:
Be a Ghanaian
Hold a Bachelor's degree (minimum Second Class Upper or its equivalent, or GPA ≥ 3.0/4.0) in a relevant health or scientific discipline from a recognized university.
Possess strong written and oral communication skills in English.
Be proficient in statistical and computer applications.
Be able to analyse qualitative data (specific to the behavioural work package)
Be available to engage fully in both academic study and project research activities, with no existing commitments that would substantially impede participation. Applicants with prior employment or institutional affiliations must provide evidence of an approved arrangement permitting full engagement.
Bench skills in basic microbiology (specific to the diagnostic work package)
WORK PACKAGE DESCRIPTIONS AND SPECIFIC CRITERIA
BEHAVIOURAL WORK PACKAGE│ Master's Research Student in Behavioral Science (IPC & AMS)
Overview
The Behavioral Work Package examines the behavioral factors influencing Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) and Antimicrobial Stewardship (AMS) practices among healthcare workers, hospital leadership, and mothers of neonates. The student will conduct formative research using mixed methods, including KAP surveys on hand hygiene, PPE use, antibiotic prescribing, and guideline adherence. They will support qualitative data collection, i.e., IDIs, FGDs, and KIIs, with study participants as appropriate. They will also support the design and evaluation of co-created behavioral change interventions and apply implementation science frameworks to sustain improved IPC and AMS practices across the four study hospitals.
Key Responsibilities
Support in Formative Research, Data Collection, and Analysis: Support in administering KAP surveys and qualitative interviews to identify behavioral drivers and barriers to IPC and AMS practices across the four study hospitals. Assist in analyzing quantitative and qualitative data and in report writing to produce formative research reports.
Co-Design and Evaluation of Behavioral Change Interventions: Support in the co-designing and evaluation of behavioral change interventions targeting IPC and AMS practices in collaboration with healthcare workers and facility teams.
General Project Support: Support all project activities across the four study hospitals, including coordination of field logistics, participant recruitment, ethical compliance, data management, progress reporting, and any other tasks required by the project team.
ANTIMICROBIAL STEWARDSHIP (AMS) WORK PACKAGE │ Master's Research
Student in AMS
Overview
The AMS Work Package evaluates the appropriateness, feasibility, acceptability, and effectiveness of AMSstrengthening interventions to improve the rational use of antibiotics in neonatal infection management. The student will conduct antibiotic prescription audits, administer point prevalence surveys, support AMS training, and collect qualitative data on AMS enablers and barriers across the four study hospitals.
Key Responsibilities
Prescription Audits and Point Prevalence Surveys: Support in conducting quarterly retrospective antibiotic prescription audits (~90 prescriptions per quarter) and administer point prevalence surveys across study NICUs to document antibiotic use patterns and appropriateness against WHO AWaRe guidelines.
AMS Training and Qualitative Data Collection: Support the design, delivery, and evaluation of AMS training workshops; and conduct IDIs and FGDs with clinicians, pharmacists, nurses, and hospital managers to explore AMS enablers and barriers.
General Project Support: Support all project activities across the four study hospitals, including data entry and management, statistical analysis (SPSS, Stata, or R), writing of research reports and publications, and any other tasks required by the project team.
INFECTION PREVENTION AND CONTROL (IPC) WORK PACKAGE │ Master's
Research Student in IPC
Overview
The IPC Work Package evaluates the appropriateness, feasibility, acceptability, and effectiveness of IPCstrengthening interventions for reducing neonatal infections. The student will support baseline and endline assessments of IPC practices, implement co-created IPC interventions, conduct environmental surface sampling, monitor WASH infrastructure, and evaluate outcomes using validated WHO assessment frameworks across the four study hospitals.
Key Responsibilities
IPC Assessments and Environmental Sampling: Assist in conducting baseline and endline IPC assessments using the WHO IPCAF and WASH FIT tools; support bi-annual environmental surface sampling (15–20 surfaces per facility); and monitor hand hygiene compliance using the WHO observational tool quarterly.
IPC Interventions and Qualitative Data Collection: Assist in facilitating IPC training workshops for healthcare workers and education sessions for mothers of neonates; conduct IDIs and FGDs on IPC enablers, barriers, and intervention acceptability; and administer IPC/hand hygiene KAP surveys at study sites.
General Project Support: Support all project activities across the four study hospitals, including neonatal infection surveillance, data management, ethical compliance, progress reporting, writing of IPC assessment summaries and manuscripts, and any other tasks required by the project team.
DIAGNOSTIC WORK PACKAGE │ Master's Research Student in Laboratory/Diagnostic Sciences
Overview
The Diagnostic Work Package strengthens laboratory diagnostic capacity and integrates microbiological findings into AMS and IPC decision-making. The student will support blood culture diagnostics, antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST), environmental microbial sampling, pathogen characterization, and the communication of laboratory results to clinical teams to guide rational antibiotic use across the four study hospitals.
Key Responsibilities
Blood Culture Diagnostics and Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing: Support the collection, processing, and documentation of blood culture samples for neonatal infection diagnosis; perform and interpret AST in accordance with CLSI or EUCAST standards; and contribute to AMR surveillance data collation and pathogen profiling.
Environmental Sampling and Laboratory-Clinical Communication: Conduct bi-annual environmental surface sampling (15–20 sites per facility); track contamination findings to guide IPC and AMS interventions; assess diagnostic turnaround times and laboratory-clinical communication gaps; and support External Quality Assurance (EQA) activities.
General Project Support: Support all project activities across the four study hospitals, including qualitative data collection with laboratory staff on diagnostic stewardship barriers, data management, laboratory quality documentation, writing of scientific reports and manuscripts, and any other tasks required by the project team.
HOW TO APPLY
Interested and eligible applicants are invited to submit the following documents compiled into a single PDF file:
A cover letter (maximum 2 pages) specifying: (a) the Work Package being applied for; (b) your academic and professional background; (c) your motivation for joining the project; and (d) how your skills and experience align with the specific Work Package criteria.
A current Curriculum Vitae (CV) with academic qualifications, relevant work or research experience, and contact details of two academic or professional referees.
Certified copies of academic transcripts and degree certificate(s).
A copy of a current or valid national identification document.
A brief research concept note (maximum 1 page) outlining a specific research question or aspect of the Work Package you wish to explore as part of your Master's thesis.
Applications should be submitted to:
Project Coordinator, ICARS Project
Email: [email protected]
Email subject line: ICARS Neonatal Study Masters Application – [Work Package Name]
SELECTION PROCESS
Shortlisted candidates will be invited for an interview (in person or virtual). Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.
We look forward to receiving applications from dedicated and motivated graduates ready to advance their academic careers while making a lasting contribution to neonatal health in Ghana and beyond