Research Assistant - Pediatric Autoimmune and Immune-mediated Diseases

ABOUT VINUNIVERSITY

VinUniversity (VinUni) is Vietnam’s first private, not-for-profit university established to international standards, with the vision of becoming one of the world’s top 100 universities. Guided by its core values (EXCEL) of Empathy, Creativity, Leadership Mindset, Exceptional Capability, and Entrepreneurial Spirit, VinUni develops talent equipped to create meaningful impact in Vietnam and globally.

Founded by Vingroup, one of Asia’s largest private conglomerates, VinUni benefits from a dynamic ecosystem spanning Industrials & Technology, Real Estate & Services, Infrastructure, Green Energy, Culture, and Social Enterprises. This ecosystem provides unique opportunities for collaboration and innovation through leading organizations such as VinFast, Vinpearl, Vinmec, Vinschool, and Vinhomes, as well as a vibrant entrepreneurial network including VinVentures, VinMotion, VinRobotics, VinSpace, and VinEnergo, etc.

VinUni comprises four colleges: the College of Arts and Sciences, the College of Business and Management, the College of Engineering and Computer Science, and the College of Health Sciences. The University has established strategic partnerships with Cornell University, the University of Pennsylvania and Nanyang Technological University to advance excellence in education, research, and innovation.

In 2024, VinUni became the youngest and fastest university globally to achieve QS 5 Stars, earning the highest rating in nine categories: Global Engagement, Good Governance, Program Strength, Academic Development, Teaching, Employability, Facilities, Arts, and Social Impact. The University was also appointed by UNESCO as the first and only UNESCO Chair University, focusing on Environmental Leadership, Cultural Heritage, and Biodiversity.

As a rapidly growing research-intensive university, VinUni is investing in world-class talent, research centers, and cutting-edge facilities to drive breakthroughs in Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, Data Science, Environmental Intelligence, Innovations in Health Sciences, Policy Development, and Sustainable Societies.

ABOUT THE POSITION

Position

Research Assistant

Project

Pediatric Autoimmune and Immune-mediated Diseases: A Systematic Review and Cross-National Comparative Analysis of Clinical Practice Guidelines

Reports to

Prof. Dr. Dimitri Poddighe (Principal Investigator), College of Health Sciences, VinUniversity

Duration

18 months

Time commitment

Position 50-100% FTE 

Location

VinUniversity, Vinhomes Ocean Park, Gia Lam, Hanoi, Vietnam

About the Project

This 18-month project systematically reviews and compares national and international clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) for pediatric autoimmune and immune-mediated diseases (AIMDs). The study combines PRISMA-guided systematic review methodology and qualitative/quantitative comparative analysis, with particular attention to guideline applicability in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). The research team includes collaborators from VinUniversity, Vietnam National Children‘s Hospital, VinMec, and international partners.

Key Responsibilities

• Conduct systematic literature and guideline searches across medical databases and guideline repositories from different sources (national, international)
• Manage/support/perform the literature screening workflow and reference management.
• Manage/support/perform title/abstract and full-text screening and assessment.
• Create PRISMA flow diagrams, if needed.
• Extract structured data from included CPGs using standardized, piloted data-extraction forms.
• Support methodological quality appraisal scoring across guideline domains.
• Assist with data entry, cleaning, and organization in Excel (or other database supports) and participate in descriptive analysis.
• Contribute to manuscript preparations, including tables, figures, and writing.
• Coordinate with the PI, co-investigators, and other research members (including pediatric residents) on task allocation, timelines, and deliverables.

Desired qualifications

• MD or MSc in a health, biomedical, or public health–related field.
• Strong written and spoken English (project literature and guidelines are predominantly in English).
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel, and willingness to learn Covidence (or other relevant programs),
• Strong attention to detail and ability to follow structured protocols consistently over time.
• Available for the full 18-month project duration, at the specified and agreed FTE specified.
• Prior exposure to systematic reviews, literature screening, or evidence synthesis.
• Familiarity with PRISMA methodology or guideline appraisal tools
• Background or clinical interest in pediatrics, immunology, rheumatology, gastroenterology, or epidemiology.
• Basic exposure to statistical software (R, SPSS, or GraphPad Prism).

COMPENSATION & BENEFITS

The salary and benefits are competitive and commensurate with qualifications and experience.

We thank all applicants for their interest. Please note that only those candidates selected for interviews will be contacted.