Undergraduates are increasingly finding it difficult to secure permanent jobs in research-based organizations due to the demanding environment existing in scientific-driven institutions.

Most of the institutions are now setting a minimum of post-graduate degree as entry point, which is usually at the level of research assistant. However, research institutions regularly contract undergraduates on short-term assignments. Graduates from Universities and Polytechnics are offered internship positions and assigned to various projects as part of their academic requirement. In exceptional cases, students who pass with excellent grades can be absorbed by the organizations as part of the scientific team.   

Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI), the leader in medical research in the country, takes an average of 50 undergraduate Interns each year in Nairobi alone. Mr. Ochieng’ from KEMRI’s Headquarter human resource department says university students attend industrial attachment for the last three months of their university education. These three months are meant for the university and polytechnic students to get practical experience of the theory they have been learning in their respective colleges.

KEMRI allows undergraduates to be attached to more than project, but the students have to pay an attachment fee of Sh4500 which goes towards paying for medical research supplies and equipments every time they attend the industrial attachments/internship.

For the few who get employed, KEMRI requires the undergraduates to have thorough practical experience in KEMRI research laboratories for quite some time. Post Graduates have a higher chance of getting employed in KEMRI as compared to the Undergraduates, but experience still counts. Even for these lucky ones, employment is based on the availability of open positions.  

KEMRI has the best working conditions anybody could ask for: a good pay, first class experience and a chance to be innovative. The research equipments and machines are accurate and technologically up to date. Assistant researchers get the chance to work with lead scientists in the country where they are exposed to new scientific discoveries.

“Scientists permanently employed in KEMRI earn from about Sh40000 to Sh70000 and this depends with the years and work experience one has gained while working in KEMRI” says, Ben Mboya, a research assistant.

Medical research centres in Kenya prefer graduates who have specialized in the following areas; Pharmacology, microbiology, immunology, virology, parasitology, pathology, bacteriology, molecular biology, biochemistry, cell biology, genetics, epidemiology, hematology and histopathology.

Medical research undergraduates who wish to be employed have to take a post graduate degree in medical research or put so much time and energy at the internship level, and hope an opportunity will come along.

Experience, accuracy and mastery of the scientific method are essential in this line of career, because many lives depend on precise methods and answers of research undertakings.

Research centres in Kenya, especially in the medical department use undergraduates for extensive projects (research projects) from abroad or from local hospitals or firms. These projects often last three to six or even to one year utmost. The pay for research assistants on contractual research projects is negotiable at about Sh40,000 to Sh70,000 depending on demonstrated competency, experience and education. The job is good but is not a guarantee because it ends when the project winds up, which is usually after three, six or a maximum of 12 months.  

The best way to benefit with a medical research undergraduate degree is to make use of the frequent offered research projects and gain experience or continue with post graduate learning in the same field.

Written by Alexis Maureen

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