Data Science Research Consultant at International Rescue Committee

Sector: Research & Development

Employment Category: Consultant

Employment Type: Part-Time

Open to Expatriates: Not Applicable

Job Description

Job Overview:

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) is among the world’s leading humanitarian relief and development organizations. For 80 years, the IRC has been at the forefront of every major humanitarian initiative to assist people uprooted by war, persecution, or civil conflict. IRC staff go to the toughest places, implement both immediate response and long lasting programs, and conduct the type of applied research and advocacy the aid community needs to continually push itself to find better solutions for people. In all its country programs and in the US, IRC teams partner with local governments, community organizations and private sector companies to achieve measurable improvements in people’s economic well-being, safety, health and education.

The IRC’s Airbel Impact Lab designs, tests, and scales life-changing, cost-effective solutions for people affected by conflict and disaster. By applying the IRC’s deep technical expertise and field experience with a range of skills from the behavioral sciences, human-centered design, rigorous research, and multi-disciplinary problem-solving in humanitarian contexts, we work to develop breakthrough solutions that combine creativity and rigor, openness and expertise, and a desire to think afresh with the experience of a large-scale implementing organization.

The Data Science Research Consultant will work on a new education project within the Airbel Impact Lab called “Pop-Up Tanzania”. In partnership with Onebillion.org, Pop-Up Tanzania is a tablet based adaptive learning project that has the potential to reach 3,000 children in 1,000 households in the Kigoma region of Tanzania, and to considerably advance Airbel’s digital education portfolio by answering a key question: How can IRC successfully implement autonomous learning (AL) tools to respond to the needs of last mile learners during a crisis when it arises? This is a critical opportunity to refine the steps we need to take to get a tablet based AL program ready for deployment in an emergency; as well as provide out-of-school children access to a tailored, engaging and fun educational program in the safety of their own homes without the need for a facilitator.

The Data Science Research Consultant will ensure high quality data collection, management and analysis for the project. They will provide on-going research and analysis to understand clients’ usage and relevant education outcomes from the OneBillion tablet data. The consultant will clean data, produce data visualizations as needed, as well as conduct analyses of rapid evaluations of supplementary behavioral interventions to increase frequency of usage of the tablets by children.

Major Responsibilities:

Plan Data Analysis and Analyze Data

·         Ensure production of user friendly analytic files

·         Design data analysis plans to routinely report key tablet usage outcomes, conduct data analysis according to plans as needed.

·         Develop data visualizations as needed

·         Embed outputs into reports

·         Disseminate findings internally

Estimated scope & sequencing of work (to be confirmed in final contract)

Key Working Relationships:

Position Reports to: Research & Innovation Behavioral Insights Lead

Position directly supervises:  N/A

Other Internal and/or external contacts:

Internal: Research & Innovation team working on autonomous learning in education, Pop-Up Tanzania team

External:  Partners for Pop-Up Tanzania, including OneBillion

Qualifications: 

·         Education: Master’s degree in field related to data management and analysis, with a background in education research preferred

·         Demonstrated Skills and Competencies: Demonstrated experience (5-8 years) collecting, managing and analyzing complex data, ideally in resource limited settings.  Excellent problem solving and communication skills. Ability to work independently.

·         Technical Expertise: High proficiency with Excel and STATA, R or Python. Knowledge of education programs preferred.

·         Field Experience: Familiarity with and willingness to travel to fragile / conflict-affected contexts.

·         Team work: Able to work with remote, multi-cultural, and multi-disciplinary teams

·         Training Skills: Able to transfer technical knowledge and skills

·         Language Skills: English required

Working Environment:  Remote

The IRC and IRC workers must adhere to the values and principles outlined in IRC Way – Standards for Professional Conduct.  These are Integrity, Service, and Accountability.  In accordance with these values, the IRC operates and enforces policies on Beneficiary Protection from Exploitation and Abuse, Child Safeguarding, Anti Workplace Harassment, Fiscal Integrity, and Anti-Retaliation.

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