Research officer II

Nairobi, Kenya
Full-time
International Food Policy Research Institute,IFPRI

International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) seeks to recruit a Research Officer II on behalf of International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) to support and enhance research efforts by providing focused research expertise in quantitative microeconomic analysis. The Research Officer will play a crucial role in advancing IFPRI’s work on food policies and food system transformation, particularly in Africa and other regions as needed. This position exists to ensure the effective planning, implementation, analysis, and coordination of research activities, and the production of high-quality research outputs that contribute to informed policy decisions and sustainable development strategies.

ILRI works to improve food security and nutrition and reduce poverty in developing countries through research for efficient, safe, and sustainable use of livestock. It is the only one of 11 CGIAR research centers dedicated entirely to animal agriculture research for the developing world. Co-hosted by Kenya and Ethiopia, ILRI has regional or country offices and projects in East, South and Southeast Asia as well as Central, East, Southern and West Africa. www.ilri.org

IFPRI provides research-based policy solutions to sustainably reduce poverty and end hunger and malnutrition in developing countries. Established in 1975, IFPRI currently has more than 600 employees working in over 50 countries. It is a research center of CGIAR, a worldwide partnership engaged in agricultural research for development. www.ifpri.org

Responsibilities

Specific Duties include but are not limited to:

Specialized research support for planning, coordination and implementation of research activities
Conduct specialized research support for projects such as collecting, management and /or advanced analysis of research information with general guidance and supervision
Specialized support for projects in collection, management and analysis of household and agricultural data (e.g. program survey tools, recruit and assist in the training of data collection staff, organize survey logistics, monitor quality of incoming data in real-time)
Prepare data for analysis; build large datasets from multiple sources
Analyze data using advanced econometric methods
Contributes to proposal development and lead writing of project reports and outputs of small-scale activities
Spearheads project reports writing and delivery of project outputs
Leading the planning, coordination and implementation of project activities for small-scale research projects
Assist in capacity building of stakeholders
Coordinate, plan, implement project activities and support outreach activities
Manage budget resources for implementation of project activities
Create relationships, interact with and capacity build stakeholders
Contribute to proposal development, technical inputs for projects, products, techniques, practices and methodologies
Other duties as assigned

Requirement

Master’s degree in economics, Agricultural Economics, Statistics or closely related fields plus five years of relevant experience.
Knowledge of microeconomic theory and applied quantitative econometric methods
Excellent knowledge of STATA
Experience with other software packages such as R, Python, SurveyCTO
Willingness and openness to learn and “think out of the box”
Excellent analytical mind that can interpret data and use it convincingly
Makes decisions based on established research guidelines, considering different factors and possible outcomes.
Excellent interpersonal skills and to work in a team-oriented multi-cultural environment
Demonstrated ability to multi-task as needed, consistently meet deadlines and manage time well
Broad and specialized knowledge of econometric methods, techniques and processes
Experience supervising small teams, Decision-making experience for teams supervised
Demonstrated professional level of attention to detail and accuracy of work
Willingness to travel
Previous experience with causal impact evaluations and experience with primary household survey data collection
Familiarity with the literature on agricultural development, youth, nutrition and social protection
Experience of coordination, project and event management would be a plus

Post location: The position will be based in Nairobi, Kenya

Job Level

This position is at job level HG14 and it is only open to Kenyan nationals. The position is a 1-year contract, renewable subject to satisfactory performance and availability of funding. ILRI offers a competitive salary and benefits package which includes pension, medical and other insurance.

How to apply: Applicants should send a cover letter and CV explaining their interest in the position, what they can bring to the job and the names and addresses (including telephone and email) of three referees who are knowledgeable about the candidate’s professional qualifications and work experience to the Chief, People and Culture Officer through our portal ilri.simplicant.com on or before 26 November 2024. The position title and reference number REF: IFPRI /11/2024 should be clearly marked on the subject line of the cover letter.

We thank all applicants for their interest in working for ILRI. Due to the volume of applications, only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

ILRI does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process (application, interview meeting, processing or training). ILRI also does not concern itself with information on applicants' bank accounts.