Dr Jonas is a Senior Specialist Scientist in the Health Systems Research Unit at the South African Medical Research Council. She leads a portfolio of research which seeks to understand the factors influencing the sexual and reproductive health (SRH) of adolescents and young people, including other vulnerable populations in South Africa; to build evidence to inform interventions to promote responsive SRH services. 

She has led several evaluations of a large-scale, donor-funded South African combination HIV prevention programme, including a non-randomized cluster trial evaluating an impact of a combination HIV prevention intervention for adolescent girls and young women in South Africa (the HERStory 3 Study).

She has over 10 years working experience leading (as a PI/co-PI) several other cross-sectional household/school surveys, including implementation science studies. She has co-authored over 50 peer reviewed journal articles, 2 book chapters, 4 policy briefs and 6 research reports.