Research Specialist at Busara Center for Behavioral Economics

Position Summary

• Research Specialists support the advisory and research arms of Busara by leading the design, planning, analysis of research projects.
• Research Specialists will assist with many aspects of research, particularly planning, implementing, and analyzing data from experimental and non-experimental research,conducting literature reviews, developing interventions, and contributing miscellaneous research support such as budgeting, writing grants, preparing IRBs and liaising with research partners and designing of Pre-Analysis Plans (PAPs).
• The position is particularly appropriate for candidates with backgrounds in quantitative social science and experience in experimental methods and overseeing field studies.
• Research Specialists liaise with other Busara teams and are expected to coordinate and manage staff effectively. Critically, Research Specialists are expected to coordinate carefully with Associates, who manage project teams in order to complete the research projects effectively.

Core Project Responsibilities
Research Specialists will work closely with their supervising Director to perform a variety of tasks including, but not limited to:

• Engage in multiple large-scale research projects at a given time.
• Incorporate qualitative and quantitative methods, behavioral science, psychology, and economics into projects.
• Collaborate with project teams (mainly associates and analysts) throughout the project lifecycle, ensuring that tools are designed in a way that study objectives can be realized and that necessary hypotheses can be tested
• Work with Associates on projects to optimize data processes and quality from field, lab and advisory projects, including flagging out inconsistencies and/or errors arising from data obtained from the field as part of routine data checks
• Manage and conduct qualitative and quantitative research and data analysis.
• Independently lead data analysis plans while embedded on project teams
• Design, launch and analyze effective quantitative and qualitative survey instruments with coordination among project staff (Analysts, Project Leads, Data and Programming and Operations teams).
• Serve as a point of contact between the Labs, Data and Delivery teams, when necessary. Effectively manage needs of stakeholders through proactive communication and troubleshooting.
• Contribute to project on-boarding and off-boarding for knowledge management.
• Responsible for project timelines, deliverables, reports, and staffing.
• Contribute to organizational growth by creating proposals, concept notes and grants for new research funding and knowledge sharing. Present at conferences when required
• Contribute to the design, execution, and dissemination of Busara internal research projects.
• Perform any other duty as may be assigned by the project supervisor.

Core Organizational Responsibilities:

• In addition to project responsibilities, Research Specialists also have the following organizational responsibilities to ensure a healthy and functioning organization.
• Work with the team to conduct goal setting exercises, objectives and key results, and team building events.
• Acknowledge and adhere to Operations policies, Lab and Field toolkits and policies, Human subjects protocols, and PI non-negotiables policy.
• Contribute to skills-building workshops for Specialist teams.
• Communicate across organizational teams to ensure a healthy and functioning organization.
• Complete required self reviews and staff performance snapshots.
• Assist with internal initiatives where necessary.
• Provide formal written and in-person feedback to project teams and serve as mentors to Analyst and Project Lead team members, when requested.
• Serve on internal committees when necessary.

Requirements

• A Master's Degree in Economics, Social Sciences, Public Policy, or related fields and a Bachelor's Degree in Economics, Social Sciences, Statistics, Public Policy, or related fields.
• Strong quantitative, research, and data analytic skills, including demonstrated knowledge of and experience working with data analysis software such as STATA, R or Python.
• Over 2 years of previous work / academic experience in a related field
• Experience managing research projects in developing countries especially Nigeria or West Africa.
• Excellent management and organizational skills.
• Flexible, self-motivating, able to manage multiple tasks efficiently and a team player.
• Interest and experience working in a fast-paced working environment.
• Fluency and excellent communication and writing skills with a mastery of English.
• Ability to execute projects while sustaining a global focus and vision for institutional planning and decision making.

Desired Qualifications:

• Experience managing or mentoring staff.
• Advanced statistics or econometrics.