Research Associate - Aspirations Project at Innovations for Poverty Action (IPA)

The project aims to do a randomized controlled trial to examine the combined effect of lifting external and internal constraints simultaneously, providing a cash transfer and an intervention to boost poor people’s sense of self-efficacy and alter their understanding of their opportunities, encouraging poor people to set and pursue their own goals without directing their choices.

The research will test if a brief, standardized psychological intervention can alter psychological outcomes and future-oriented behaviors in a developing country and examine if such interventions can enhance the already- known benefits of cash transfers.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Oversee large scale data collection activities
• Manage logistics for new pilot activities
• Develop and pilot survey instrument
• Design forms for electronic data collection (using SurveyCTO) and manage survey data
• Recruit, train and manage teams to conduct surveys
• Ensure adherence to data quality protocols and assist with data cleaning and preliminary analysis
• Monitor project timeline and budget, including tracking project expenses and adherence to the project budget and timeline
• Work closely with local partners to ensure study protocols are followed
• Assist with donor reporting
• Other duties as assigned

Qualifications and Experience

• Master’s degree in economics, social sciences, public health, public policy, or related fields.
• Candidates with a Bachelor’s degree and significant fieldwork experience will also be considered.
• Excellent verbal and written English communication skills, including ability to effectively communicate with internal and external customers
• Knowledge of Stata (strongly preferred), SAS, or other data analysis software
• Must be able to work under pressure and meet deadlines, while maintaining a positive attitude and providing exemplary customer service
• Ability to work independently and to carry out assignments to completion within parameters of instructions given, prescribed routines, and standard accepted practices
• At least two year of work experience required. Previous experience with IPA/JPAL preferred.
• Demonstrated ability to manage enumerators teams and survey operations at different levels (programming and data flow, financial budgeting and reporting, human resources and team building)
• Responsible, accountable and able to manage problematic situations
• Experience living and working in a developing country
• Fluency in Luo a big plus
• Bachelor’s degree required, Master’s degree preferred.