Jobs at Busara Center

About The Internship

• As an intern for Busara team you will get the chance to dive headfirst into the world of behavioral science and get firsthand experience working on projects in the development space alongside your mentors. This is not your coffee-grabbing internship! Interns are tasked with supporting the research, composing reports, client deliverables, and analysis on ongoing projects, in close coordination with Analysts, Associates and Engagement Directors, thus exposing them to all sides of research.
• This is a full time internship for 10-12 weeks.

Key Accountabilities/Responsibilities

• Support in design and development of research and advisory projects focused on using behavioral science to alleviate global poverty
• Implement qualitative and quantitative behavioral research
• Develop and pilot instruments
• Support in management of large scale field and lab projects with leading academics and institutions
• Organize, clean, and analyze data
• Support in dissemination of results, prepare project reports, and present results
• Engage in internal projects, if needed

Minimum Requirements

• Students in their final semester or recent graduates who have completed their Bachelor’s or Master’s degree within the last 6 months
• Knowledge of experimental testing methodology
• Experience with basic inferential statistical analyses
• Proficiency programming using R or STATA
• Busara loves diversity of thought and we will accept applicants from a wide range of disciplines and backgrounds– Psychology, Sociology, Economics, Public Policy, Political Science, Statistics, Marketing and so on.
• High level of self-motivation and energy, an optimistic “can-do” attitude
• Interest in learning about qualitative research and data analysis
• Flexible, self-motivated, able to manage multiple tasks efficiently, and a team player
• Interest and experience working in a fast-paced working environment
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
• Interest in behavioral science

Desired Qualifications

• Experience programming in Python
• Experience using oTree or zTree
• Willing to travel to different parts of East Africa for field missions
• An interest in education and youth employment in the Global South

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About the role:

• The Associate supports both the advisory and research arms of Busara by leading the planning, execution, and day to day management of Busara projects.
• As primary project manager for all external Busara projects, an Associate quickly gains an expert understanding of a particular problem or research question and uses all tools at their disposal, both within and outside Busara to execute an engagement to the highest possible degree, with careful consideration of timing and budget. An Associate develops creative and rigorous solutions to client and partner needs and manages both internal and external relationships with energy, enthusiasm, and professionalism. 
• Associates directly manage other project staff that work on their project and, as well as liaise with other Busara teams and are expected to coordinate and manage staff effectively.

Key Accountabilities/Responsibilities

CORE PROJECT RESPONSIBILITIES:

Associates will work closely with Busara offices and directly with academic researchers and advisory clients to perform a variety of tasks including, but not limited to:

• Engage in multiple research and advisory projects at a given time.
• Plan, manage, and execute external and internal engagements independently from start to finish with limited supervision.
• Incorporate the latest research in qualitative and quantitative methods, behavioral science, psychology, economics, and development to provide creative solutions to engagements.
• Manage and conduct qualitative and quantitative research and data analysis.
• Design, launch, and analyze effective quantitative and qualitative instruments with coordination among project staff (Analysts, Project Leads, Data and Programming, and Operations teams).
• Serve as a point of contact for clients and partners.  Effectively manage the needs of stakeholders through proactive communication and troubleshooting.
• Contribute to project on-boarding and off-boarding for knowledge management.
• Manage project timelines, deliverables, reports, and staffing.
• Contribute to the creation of proposals, concept notes, and pitch decks for new business opportunities and knowledge sharing. Present at conferences, networking events, or client meetings.
• Contribute to the design, execution, and dissemination of Busara internal research projects.
• Work closely to lead or support other Associates to fulfill engagement requirements.
• Perform any other duty as may be assigned by the project supervisor.

CORE ORGANIZATIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES:

In addition to project responsibilities, Associates also have the following organizational responsibilities to ensure a healthy and functioning organization.

• Work with the Associate team to conduct goal-setting exercises, objectives and key results, and team building events.
• Contribute to skills-building workshops for Associate teams.
• Assist with internal initiatives where necessary.
• Serve as mentors to Analysts and Project Lead team members, when requested.

Knowledge, Skills, and Experience: Minimum Requirements

• A Bachelor’s degree in Economics, Political Science, International Relations, Social Sciences or related fields; Clear interest in behavioral science research and its application to governance-related topics...
• Strong qualitative, quantitative, research, and data analytic skills.
• 2+ years previous work experience in governance and accountability focused research.
• Experience managing large scale research and consulting projects in the Global South..
• Familiarity with randomized controlled trials and/or quasi-experimental designs
• Demonstrates the ability to manage high-level relationships with partner organizations.
• Strong quantitative skills including knowledge of and experience working with data analysis software (STATA, Python, R)
• Experience managing and mentoring staff
• Ability to quickly understand and adapt to new contextual situations
• Excellent management and organizational skills.
• Flexible, self-motivating, able to manage multiple tasks efficiently, and a team player.
• Interest and experience working in a fast-paced working environment.
• Fluency and excellent communication and writing skills with a mastery of English.
• Ability to execute projects while sustaining a global focus and vision for institutional planning and decision making.

Desired Qualifications:

• A Master’s degree in Economics, Political Science, International Relations, Social Sciences or related fields
• Experience working with grassroots/ civil society organizations in Africa
• Experience managing or mentoring staff.
• Technical understanding of qualitative research techniques.
• Strong academic background in behavioral science.
• Knowledge of the application of behavioral science to real-world problems.