Job Overview/Summary:
As a member of the Airbel Impact Lab Unit, and
working closely with the Education Unit, this position will advance research on
education, including analyzing data from impact evaluations, writing reports,
providing support for business development proposals, and implementing and
publishing high-quality research.
This position will provide technical support to the
Accessible and Quality Basic Education (AQBE) in Afghanistan project, a 5-year
basic education project funded by USAID and led by the IRC in Afghanistan. AQBE
seeks to improve safe access for schooling for Afghan children, especially
marginalized groups of children through four key result areas:
1.
Quality improvements in teaching
and wellbeing for teachers and learners;
2.
Community engagement and
accountability for safe learning;
3.
Supported transitions for CBE
learners into public education; and
4.
safe and equitable access for
all learners.
AQBE will undertake numerous research studies over
the 5-year period which will seek to generate evidence to inform programming
and policy in Afghanistan. As part of the initiative, AQBE will conduct a
series of studies, including a “Household and School-Level Assessment on
Learning in Afghanistan”, which will assess the current learning environment
for Afghan children in both formal and out-of-school contexts. The project will
also evaluate the interventions under implementation by AQBE to provide early
insights on their potential impact on children’s learning outcomes and
social-emotional outcomes as well as teachers’ wellbeing and professional
development outcomes.
The position will lead on designing studies,
analyzing data and writing reports for the household and school assessments,
and for impact evaluation of the AQBE project. The role reports to the Director
of Research for Education, and will work closely with the education researchers
and the Education Technical Unit.
Key Responsibilities:
- Lead on designing studies, analyzing data, and writing reports
for the household and school assessments and impact evaluation of the AQBE
project.
- Work in the analysis and reporting of research conducted as
part of DFID’s EiE project in Nigeria
- Quantitative/ qualitative research to explore the effects of
different education interventions on the literacy, numeracy,
socio-emotional skills and transition outcomes of children in
Afghanistan.
- Implementation research to look at how different aspects
related to the quality of the implementation affect different learning
and transition outcomes for different types of students
- Measurement research to assess the reliability and validity
of outcome and quality of implementation tools and establish protocols
for improvement
- Provide technical input for M&E team to ensure that the
project obtains high quality data for the purposes of research
- Advise and assist M&E teams on calculating indicators and
setting up processes for high quality data collection
- Work with an internal team focused on education research
moving our education research priorities forward.
- Contribute to dissemination of research findings by writing
blogs, briefs, and publications in academic journals and
practitioner-focused outlets.
- Provide support in business development processes for
research, including gathering information and proposals.
- Collaborate with colleagues within the education team,
research team and R&D team, and within other IRC departments, in
pursuit of the tasks above
Demonstrated Skills and Competencies:
- PhD or MA in education, social sciences, economics, or related
field.
- Knowledge of causal inference methods and strong statistical
skills are expected.
- Strong qualitative skills and use of software for qualitative
data analysis.
- Minimum five years of progressive experience in education
research and/or relevant practice.
- Demonstrated experience with business development.
- Excellent communication skills, including the ability to
communicate effectively in a multi-cultural environment.
- Solid organizational skills: the ability to be flexible and
work well under pressure, dealing with competing priorities, in a
fast-paced team environment.
- Fluency in English required; Dari, Pashto, French or Arabic
language a plus.
Working Environment:
- Standard office working environment or remote work.
- Some travel may be required for project activities.
Compensation:
Posted pay ranges apply to UK-based candidates.
Ranges are based on various factors including the labor market, job type,
internal equity, and budget. Exact offers are calibrated by work location,
individual candidate experience and skills relative to the defined job
requirements.
How to Apply