The Ugandan Jobline

Job Title:  Research Associate

Organisation: Youth Impact

Duty Station: Kampala, Uganda

About the Company:

Youth Impact is a global NGO that connects youth to proven life-changing information through the delivery of evidence-based programs. Using a combination of randomized controlled trials, rigorous rapid A/B tests, and high frequency monitoring data, we generate evidence that informs program design, improvement, and scaling.

Youth Impact’s Research and Innovation team seeks to hire skilled and motivated Research Associates who will play a critical role in producing evidence linked to a $45 million USAID-funded early childhood and primary education project in Uganda, called Targeting the Learning Crisis (TLC). (See more about the project in the Notice of Funding Opportunity.)

​Primary Purpose ​Youth Impact is the research and learning partner for TLC. The role that the research associates, in coordination with Youth Impact researchers and external principal investigators, will play in this partnership involves:

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Key Duties and Responsibilities:

• Designing and implementing randomized controlled trials (RCTs), A/B testing, and/or quasi-experimental studies for TLC
• Hiring and managing external data collection partners to oversee data collection throughout Uganda
• Designing and testing data collection instruments
• Working with implementers to strengthen their M&E systems to prepare them for A/B testing
• Monitoring implementation fidelity and fidelity to randomization protocols
• Cleaning, managing, and analyzing data in Stata (preferred) or R
• Authoring operational and analytical reports to USAID
• Providing guidance to implementers on operationalizing targeted instruction, drawing from Youth Impact’s expertise as a targeted instruction implementer
• Joining a global research team that generates evidence to improve youth-focused health and education programs around the world

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Qualifications, Skills and Experience:

Required Qualifications

• ​Masters degree or PhD in economics, public policy or a related discipline, with strong quantitative skills. Happy to consider a Bachelor’s degree and considerable relevant experience in exceptional circumstances.
• Familiarity with randomized evaluations and econometric methods
• Relevant experience including experience in monitoring and evaluation, quantitative field research, and analysis and cleaning of large datasets.
• Demonstrated ability to manage various concurrent tasks effectively and coordinate between multiple colleagues and teams
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, in particular, the ability to communicate complex thoughts and ideas simply and effectively and tailor communications to the audience
• Excellent knowledge of Stata, SurveyCTO or related software like KoboToolbox or ODK CollectAbility to manage various concurrent tasks effectively and coordinate between multiple colleagues and departments as well as Microsoft Office applications
• Ability to work in an international team based across different geographies
• Willingness to travel to different regions in Uganda several times throughout the year for 1-2 weeks at a time to support training, tool piloting, survey implementation, and to observe program implementation. The project will take place in districts affiliated with Primary Teacher Colleges in Arua, Kitgum, Loro, and Bishop Willis.
• Adaptability, motivation, and ability to thrive in a fast-paced environment
• Ability to create “structure out of nothing:” strong ability to turn a visual reality or imagined outcome into a codified set of steps, actions, and goals on paper, and to execute those steps.
• Self-starter: the individual should be a highly motivated and driven self-starter who can push for the delivery of activities in a fast-paced environment, seeking clarity when needed.
• Desired: Knowledge of one or more local languages spoken in Uganda
• Desired: experience working in education and/or early childhood education research or implementation

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​How to Apply:

Click Here to get started. To Apply, you are asked to:

​1. Answer the following:

Why are you applying to join Youth Impact? (Limit 150 words)

Discuss your research experience and how it will prepare you to thrive in this role (Limit 150 words).

Briefly describe your experience working with Excel, Stata and details about cleaning and/or analysis you have done with one of these programs (Limit 100 words)

Submit a resume.

2. Submit 1-2 samples of your previous work (in an academic or professional setting) that demonstrate (a) analytical writing skills and (b) policy-relevant insight (e.g., compelling tables and figures). Note that it is acceptable to submit separate documents illustrating (a) and (b).
3. Submit a coding deliverable – see the instructions and data in the coding deliverable attachment

Benefits include generous annual leave, sick leave, (including global health insurance provisions), various stipends, professional development opportunities, access to our amazing global networks and much more.

Employment duration: The TLC project will last for at least five years. We would like candidates to commit to working with us for at least two years.

Location: Applicants must be willing to be based in Kampala and legally authorized to work there. The Kampala location is important for coordinating with data collection firms, USAID, and the Ministry of Education and Sports.

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