Senior Research Associate
JOB DESCRIPTION
Senior Research Associate
INTRODUCTION
The DataSense team at iSocial is recruiting a Senior Research Associate, who will be interested in pursuing an intellectually challenging and impactful career in academic and/or action research. The position demands academic rigor, commitment, charisma and creativity.
ABOUT US
Launched in 2016, Infolady Social Enterprise Limited (iSocial) is a for-profit social enterprise with the core idea of connecting B2B actors with the bottom of the pyramid (BoP) population with a market-based approach, as well as empowering Bangladeshi men and women to become entrepreneurs, challenging traditional gender roles. In this process, iSocial is creating evidence for action, based on state-of-the-art data analytics.
DataSense is the business intelligence and research unit at iSocial, providing various modes of research and management consulting services. With an interest in promoting BoP growth, this unit conducts systems research, policy analysis, data collection, data curation, data analytics for operations management, and empirical intelligence generation to simplify executive and policy decision-making. This has driven DataSense to become a team of professionals from various disciplines, educated and trained in Bangladesh and abroad. The research team works out of Bangladesh, the UK, and the USA.
In its journey so far, DataSense at iSocial has served national and international agencies with analytical works and data-driven policy making.
JOB DESCRIPTION
The Senior Research Associate will support the research team to design and implement original research on DataSense’s various internal and external projects, which pertain to a broad variety of domains including governance, labour migration, digital economy, international trade, entrepreneurship, bottom of the pyramid ecosystems, etc. The core responsibilities of the Senior Research Associate will include:
1. Research:
- Leading at least two research projects at a time with a strict deadline.
- Creating and managing large datasets through different analytical software (e.g. STATA, R, Python).
- Using technical equipment to perform data analysis, statistical analysis, and technical evaluation of research experiments and results.
- Identifying data sources for enhancing the existing bottom of the pyramid (BoP) data sets.
- Maintaining data governance protocol for ensuring data security.
- Designing, planning, conducting, and coordinating research projects.
- Writing reports and proposals.
- Guiding team members to perform daily responsibilities.
- Writing at least one newspaper article per month on agreed topics promoting DataSense’s work.
- Managing relationships with DataSense clients.
- Joining public events for creating network for the benefit of DataSense.
- Writing at least one blog per month for the DataSense website, on topics promoting DataSense’s work.
2. Business Development:
- Identifying potential sources of business for DataSense.
- Leading or participating in research proposal writing, as and when required.
- Maintaining the business development tracker and keeping it updated.
- Capacity Development:
- Updating and upgrading skills claimed in the CV/resume/profile shared during recruitment.
- Acquiring new skills for supporting ongoing activities of DataSense.
- Coaching and supporting colleagues in developing their research techniques.
KEY REQUIREMENTS AND SKILLSET
- Secondary Research: Experience in scouring data and documents from online and physical journal repositories (particularly government ministries and think tanks) for relevant data.
- Quantitative Data Analysis Tools: Household and macroeconomic data– R, Python, SPSS, STATA, Excel.
- Qualitative Data Analysis Tools: Qualitative and open-ended survey information- MAXQDA, FreeQDA, RQDA.
- Communications Skills: Ability to communicate research objectives and standard operating procedures to enumerators in the field.
- Language: Excellent proficiency in English and Bangla. Proficiency in any third language will be an advantage.
- Willingness to Travel: Willingness to travel for field tests and in-person monitoring.
- Ability to work using productivity and project management tools, e.g., Microsoft Teams, Jira, HubSpot and any other tool assigned by the organization.
- Advanced digital literacy, e.g., Microsoft Office, Zoom, Webex.
EDUCATIONAL QUALIFICATIONS
- Master’s degree in Statistics, Demographics, Public Policy, Development Studies, Economics, or related field, from a reputed university. PhD will be considered an advantage.
- Advanced knowledge in analytical tools for managing data and analyzing data.
- At least one publication in peer-reviewed journals or chapters in books or monographs brought out by a reputed publishing house.
EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENT
Minimum 2 years of relevant experience.
RELEVANT TRAITS
- Self-started, required minimum supervision
- Team player
- Non-judgmental
- Deadline oriented
- Result oriented
- Able to navigate within a multicultural environment.
JOB NATURE
Full-time, Sunday through Thursday.
JOB MODALITY
Hybrid modality (mixture of in-person and remote-based office), depending on the nature of work.
REMUNERATION
The selected candidate will be offered a competitive compensation package.
OTHER BENEFITS
- Free lunch
- Two festival bonuses
- Travel allowances, per diem, and accommodation stipends, if and when applicable
- 41 days of cumulative annual, casual and sick leave
- Compensatory leave for working extra hours and weekends or holidays
APPLICATION PROCEDURE
Interested individuals are advised to apply through this link: https://ee.humanitarianresponse.info/x/ogHDkQ9p
APPLICATION DEADLINE
September 24, 2022