Research Assistant – Research Partnership with The Citizen’s Foundation (TCF)
Position: Research Assistant
Program: Research Partnership with The Citizen’s Foundation, including a study on gendered social norms and the development of a framework for socio-emotional learning.
Start Date: As soon as possible
Job type: Full-time
Time commitment: At least 12 months
Number of positions: 2 (1 Quantitative Research and 1 Qualitative Research)
Location: Lahore, Pakistan
Program Description
IDEAS has collaborated with TCF to offer its expertise for evidence-based program design and multi- disciplinary empirical research to support TCF in achieving its goals of improving the access to and quality of education in over 1600 schools across Pakistan.
A cross-sectional, inter-generational study has been designed to understand the multi-dimensional impact of schooling on capability sets of individuals and shifts in gendered norms. Using a retrospective, qualitative, comparative case-study design, the study will generate knowledge about the ways in which schooling across generations contributes to upward socio-economic mobility and shifts in agency and empowerment at the individual level, and for whom; the ways in which (and the processes through which) education changes gendered social norms.
Data collection for this study will involve the use of innovative qualitative methods for collecting information on life histories and trajectories, and on shifting social norms at the community level.
We are looking for individuals with interest in sociological and anthropological research and qualitative data collection methods.
Job Description and Specifications
A Research Assistant will:
- Undertake background research, including review of literature on key topics within the research program areas and produce write ups
- Undertake analysis on primary and secondary quantitative data sources and produce write ups.
- Assist the PIs, Project Manager and Research Associates in study design, developing and piloting instruments, and undertaking fieldwork
- Assist the PIs, Project Manager and Research Associates in conducting field work, coordination and managing the data collection process
- Write policy briefs, reports, notes, summaries, abstracts and blogs as required by senior research fellows;
- Responsible for the overall logistics of any seminars, workshops and conferences organized by the research program;
- Organize, update and maintain project documents for the team and senior research fellows;
- Offer research and/or administrative support to other research programs as required.
Skills and Qualifications
Essential
- Bachelor’s degree in Economics, Sociology, Social Sciences, or any related discipline. Fresh graduates are encouraged to apply.
- Very good writing skills
- Very good communication skills
- Ability to work independently and as part of a team, demonstrating initiative and reliability.
- Willingness to do fieldwork and travel as required.
- Experience in cleaning and analyzing quantitative data
- Working knowledge of NVivo/Qualitative Data Analysis Softwares
Preferred
- Work experience of 1-2 years, preferably in a research environment.
- Experience collecting and analyzing qualitative data
- Ability to represent data in useful and creative ways
- Working knowledge of Excel, Stata