Research Associate

ABOUT THE COMPANY

PxD is a global non-profit that harnesses the power of technology, data science, and behavioral economics to provide targeted information to farmers in low and middle-income countries. Providing the right information to the right people in the right way and at the right time increases incomes, protects the environment, and improves well-being. We are evidence-based: we test our interventions with randomized controlled trials to prove our impact and cost-effectiveness, to simultaneously learn from and improve our service, and to demonstrate our value to funders and partners. There are few programmes in international development that are as demonstrably cost-effective as ours.

JOB SUMMARY

RequirementsBachelor’s degree in economics, public policy, international development, or closely related fields.Ability to draw inferences from data to identify pathways for program improvement (e.g., call center productivity, feedback of users to an SMS campaign, looking at usage statistics).Strong understanding of economics, econometrics, and familiarity with randomized evaluations.Excellent knowledge of Stata or R, or similar software for data analysisExperience in using SurveyCTO/ODK or a similar program for survey design.Experience in a multi-faceted role, with the ability to balance and prioritize across multiple projects and stakeholders.Understanding and application of research ethics for human subjects in the social sciences.Strong writing and oral communication skills in English, with attention to detail and advanced writing and presentation skills.Willingness to travel to field sites in Kenya.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Work with the team leadership and other colleagues in scoping, designing, piloting, and scaling evidence-backed digital agriculture services, including spending time with farmers in the field to ensure that services are closely aligned with user needs.Assist in the development and implementation of new research ideas and projects that support PxD’s programs and partners. Conduct qualitative and quantitative data collection (including farmer focus groups, interviews, and quantitative surveys) and data cleaning. Produce accurate and organized summaries of data, including basic analysis for descriptive statistics and simple regression analysis.Carry out literature reviews and other desk research, providing input on research questions and structure. Develop and update project documentation regularly.Support partner relations and work with external stakeholders to implement program operations.Support compliance with IRB protocols and relevant in-country research permission requirements.Contribute to funding proposals and project reports.Contribute and support internal and external communications to disseminate project results and research findings, including briefs, blogs, reports, and presentations. Contribute to PxD’s institutional knowledge management and internal learning efforts.

REQUIRED SKILLS

Quantitative methods, Qualitative methods, Reporting, Research planning, Presentation skills, Research publication, Background research, Written communication, Project preparation and planning

REQUIRED EDUCATION

Bachelor's degree