Job Title: Freelance Researcher – Primary Data Collection and Field Coordination (Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Study)

Job Purpose

- To coordinate and conduct pilot testing of quantitative survey questionnaires and qualitative interview guides among employees of pharmaceutical manufacturing organisations.
- To identify and coordinate with one suitable mid-sized pharmaceutical manufacturing plant for the pilot study, ensuring representation of shop-floor/operator, technical/supervisory, and managerial/professional groups.
- To ensure that both Hindi and Gujarati versions of the shop-floor survey questionnaire are tested during the pilot study.
- To assess the clarity, comprehensibility, administration procedure, and preliminary reliability of the quantitative survey instruments.
- To identify any required modifications to the survey questionnaires and interview guides before commencing the main data collection.
- To conduct the main quantitative and qualitative data collection across 15–20 pharmaceutical manufacturing plants in three geographical regions: Ahmedabad–Vapi, Telangana, and Baddi.
- To recruit and collect data from approximately 300–330 respondents in accordance with the approved research proposal.
- To provide coordination and logistical assistance throughout the pilot and main data collection phases.

Required Qualification

- Bachelor's or Master's degree in Social Sciences, Public Health, Psychology, Sociology, Management, Research Methodology, Pharmaceutical Sciences, or a related discipline.
- Academic or professional background in research methodology, quantitative and qualitative research, or primary data collection.
- Knowledge of survey administration, qualitative interviewing, sampling procedures, and research ethics.
- Proficiency in Hindi and Gujarati is highly desirable, particularly for administering questionnaires and communicating with shop-floor employees.
- Familiarity with pharmaceutical manufacturing environments and industrial workforce structures will be an added advantage.

Tools to be Familiar

- Survey Administration: Google Forms, Microsoft Forms, Qualtrics, SurveyMonkey, KoboToolbox, or other relevant survey platforms.
- Data Management: Microsoft Excel, Google Sheets, and structured data management tools.
- Statistical Software: SPSS for preliminary reliability assessment, including Cronbach's alpha, and basic descriptive analysis.
- Qualitative Data Collection: Audio recording devices (with participant consent), interview documentation templates, transcription tools, and qualitative data management software.
- Communication and Coordination: Email, telephone, online meeting platforms, and other communication tools for coordinating with participating organisations and respondents.
- Documentation: Digital and physical record-keeping for consent forms, respondent tracking, pilot feedback, and data collection progress.

Required Experience

- Minimum 2+ years of experience in primary data collection, field research, survey administration, or academic/research projects.
- Prior experience conducting quantitative surveys and qualitative interviews.
- Experience coordinating with organisations, industrial establishments, employees, or other institutional stakeholders.
- Experience in administering questionnaires in multilingual settings is preferred.
- Previous experience in pharmaceutical manufacturing, industrial research, or organisational studies will be an added advantage.
- Experience in respondent recruitment, sample monitoring, data quality checks, and maintaining research confidentiality.
- Experience in coordinating field teams or supporting research projects across multiple geographical locations is desirable.

Required Knowledge/Skills

- Strong understanding of quantitative and qualitative research methods.
- Ability to administer structured questionnaires and semi-structured interviews.
- Ability to communicate effectively with shop-floor/operator, technical/supervisory, and managerial/professional respondents.




- Ability to identify suitable pilot organisations and coordinate access to the required employee groups.
- Ability to communicate in Hindi and Gujarati for testing the respective questionnaire translations among shop-floor respondents.
- Understanding of pilot testing, questionnaire validation, respondent feedback collection, and preliminary reliability assessment.
- Knowledge of Cronbach's alpha and its interpretation, with a preliminary target of 0.70 for the newly developed scales.
- Ability to follow prescribed respondent selection procedures and maintain the required sample distribution.
- Robust organisational, interpersonal, documentation, and coordination skills.
- Ability to maintain confidentiality, obtain informed consent, and ensure secure handling of research data.
- Ability to prepare progress reports and communicate field-level challenges and recommendations.

Job Description

A. Pilot Study – Quantitative Survey

- Identify and coordinate with one suitable mid-sized pharmaceutical manufacturing plant for the pilot study.
- Ensure that the selected pilot organisation:
- Has all three respondent groups: shop-floor/operators, technical/supervisory, and managerial/professional.
- Has both Hindi- and Gujarati-speaking shop-floor employees to test the respective questionnaire translations.
- Is not included in the proposed 15–20 organisations for the main study.
- Is not the researcher's own organisation.
- If one organisation cannot provide both Hindi- and Gujarati-speaking shop-floor respondents, identify an additional small organisation to cover the missing language group.
- Coordinate the administration of approximately 30 pilot survey questionnaires, maintaining the following respondent distribution:

Respondent Group
Pilot Sample

Shop-floor/operator (approximately 6 Hindi-speaking and 6 Gujarati-speaking respondents)

12

Technical/supervisory

12

Managerial/professional (online questionnaire)

6

Total

30

- Select pilot respondents using the same fixed respondent-selection procedure that will be followed by the study coordinator during the main data collection.
- Assess whether respondents understand the survey questions, instructions, response options, and terminology.
- Collect feedback regarding unclear, ambiguous, repetitive, or difficult-to-understand questions.
- Conduct preliminary reliability assessment of newly developed quantitative scales using Cronbach's alpha, with 0.70 as the indicative target.
- Document pilot findings and recommend necessary modifications to the questionnaires.
- Maintain pilot responses separately from the main study dataset. Pilot data must not be combined with the main study data unless explicitly permitted by the approved research protocol.

B. Pilot Study – Qualitative Interviews

- Coordinate and conduct three pilot qualitative interviews, with one respondent from each of the following groups:
- One shop-floor/operator respondent.
- One technical/supervisory respondent.
- One managerial/professional respondent.
- Assess the clarity, relevance, sequence, and comprehensibility of interview questions.
- Evaluate the approximate time required to complete each interview.
- Identify questions requiring clarification, modification, addition, or removal.
- Document respondent feedback and interviewer observations.
- Prepare a pilot interview assessment report and recommend modifications, if required.
- Ensure that the final interview forms are reviewed and confirmed before commencing the main qualitative data collection.

C. Pilot Review and Approval Before Main Data Collection

- Compile findings from the quantitative survey pilot and qualitative interview pilot.




- Review the questionnaire feedback, preliminary reliability results, and interview observations.
- Identify and document all recommended changes to the survey questionnaires and interview guides.
- Coordinate with the research team to obtain confirmation of the final instruments.
- Ensure that main data collection commences only after completion of the pilot study and confirmation that the survey and interview forms do not require further corrections.
- Maintain separate documentation and datasets for the pilot phase.

D. Main Study – Organisation Selection and Coordination

- Coordinate the identification and selection of approximately 15–20 pharmaceutical manufacturing organisations/plants across the three specified geographical regions:
- Ahmedabad–Vapi region.
- Telangana region.
- Baddi region.
- Ensure that organisational selection follows the eligibility and selection criteria specified in the final approved research proposal.
- Establish communication with the selected organisations and obtain the necessary permissions for data collection.
- Coordinate with organisational representatives, HR departments, plant management, and other relevant personnel to facilitate respondent recruitment and survey administration.
- Plan data collection schedules and ensure representation of the three respondent groups across the participating organisations.

E. Main Study – Quantitative and Qualitative Data Collection

- Coordinate the collection of approximately 300–330 survey responses from employees across the selected 15–20 pharmaceutical manufacturing plants.
- Ensure that respondents are selected according to the sampling and respondent-selection criteria specified in the approved research proposal.
- Administer the approved survey questionnaires to the following respondent groups:
- Shop-floor/operators.
- Technical/supervisory employees.
- Managerial/professional employees.
- Facilitate online questionnaire administration wherever applicable.
- Conduct and coordinate qualitative interviews according to the approved interview guide and research protocol.
- Monitor respondent participation and maintain records of completed questionnaires and interviews.
- Ensure consistency in questionnaire administration across the participating organisations and geographical regions.
- Maintain the confidentiality and anonymity of participants and organisations in accordance with the approved research procedures.

F. Data Management and Quality Assurance

- Verify completed questionnaires for missing responses, incomplete entries, and inconsistencies.
- Maintain separate records for pilot and main study data.
- Organise survey responses into a structured Excel dataset.
- Maintain respondent tracking sheets, organisation-wise progress records, and regional data collection summaries.
- Ensure that interview notes, recordings (where consented), and transcripts are systematically documented.
- Conduct preliminary data quality checks and report any field-level issues to the research team.
- Ensure that all research documents and datasets are securely maintained and shared only with authorised members of the research team.

G. Research Coordination and Reporting

- Act as the primary field-level coordinator between the research team and participating pharmaceutical manufacturing organisations.
- Coordinate appointments, permissions, respondent availability, and data collection schedules.
- Provide regular updates on pilot and main data collection progress.
- Report challenges related to organisational access, respondent recruitment, language, questionnaire administration, and interview scheduling.
- Assist the research team in resolving field-level issues while adhering to the approved research protocol.
- Submit the completed survey dataset, interview documentation, pilot assessment report, and relevant data collection records to the research team.

Contact person:
Gray-+91-XXXXXXXXXX

Job Types: Part-time, Freelance, Volunteer

Pay: From ₹10,000.00 per month

Work Location: Remote

📌 Freelance Researcher – Primary Data Collection and Field Coordination Pharmaceutical Manufacturing (India)
🏢 Guires Solutions Private
📍 India