MERIAM-GFFO Research Coordinator (Climate Resilience) - Fellow

Summary of position

Action Against Hunger-USA seeks a Research Coordinator Fellow – Preferably PHD Student who will serve as part of the core team for the GFFO-MERIAM project and focal point for climate resilience. As Research Coordinator, he/she will support the Project Director and the country teams in the implementation of the GFFO-MERIAM. Additionally, the Research Coordinator will support the activities of the Research Team, contributing to the publication strategy and providing expertise in climate resilience and data analysis.

For this role, it is required an active research agenda (PhD level) in environmental/climatic/agricultural sciences, data science or related discipline. This individual must have the ability to fully understand the theory of the model, its implementation and correctly operationalize it into viable practices for the field, with trainings, and knowledge products like user handbooks.

Since collaboration is the key to success in research at Action Against Hunger, this individual must have a strong desire to work on interdisciplinary teams; collaborate internally with M&E, operations, research, and technical colleagues across the Action Against Hunger Network; and liaise externally with academic partners and other scientific organizations. Finally, the individual must also have an interest in contributing to the global level impact through leadership in the publication of our research in peer review journals and presentation at various conference and working groups.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:

• Be accountable, under the leadership of the Project Director, for all-aspects of implementation of the project from inception through completion.
• Lead on data analysis, in adherence to the pre-planned protocol analysis plan, using appropriate quantitative and/or qualitative analyses to produce technically sound and robust results
• Performs data pre-processing including data manipulation, transformation, normalisation, standardisation, visualisation and derivation of new variables/features as needed to operationalize the MERIAM model.
• Ensure that academic partners, technical teams and country offices are collaborating in the most impactful way, coordinating uptake of the research and ensuring that the model is applied into viable practices for the field teams.
• Ensure that monitoring, collecting and reporting of information from field teams and country offices happens in accordance with donor requirements and research protocols.
• Ensure MERIAM model is understood and adopted relating to data collection, integration and retention requirements incorporating business requirements and knowledge of best practices.
• Ensure all data is managed in accordance with data protection regulations of the relevant jurisdiction; ensure that all applicable approvals have been obtained for trial registration and ethical review.
• Provide support for overall knowledge management of the project.
• Training and technical oversight of Field Coordinators and other relevant stakeholders, such as government officials and other humanitarian actors
• In collaboration with the Project Director, the Associate Director of Research, and other members of the research and technical teams, this role will:
• Lead on peer-review publications and other forms of communication and dissemination of results, including oral presentations to maximize the uptake of evidence generated.
• Provide technical expertise in data analysis for other research project or case studies from country or regional offices

Gender Equality Commitments

• Ability to foster an environment that reinforces values of women and men, and equal access to information.
• Provide a work environment where women and men must be evaluated and promoted based on their skills and performance.
• Respect beneficiaries’ women, men, children (boys and girls) regardless of gender, sex orientation, disability, religion. race, color, ancestry, national origin, age, or marital status.
• Value and respect for all cultures.

Requirements

• MA in environmental/climatic/agricultural sciences, data science or related discipline;
• Record of peer-reviewed publications - preferred
• Prior experience in conducting studies requiring primary data collection and analysis of climate change/adaptation/resilience- related program interventions; enrollment in a PhD program preferred;
• Proficient with “R” statistical analysis software - essential
• Excellent oral and written communication skills
• Ability to travel 20% internationally as needed for business development and project management
• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment and multi-task